Delta's AI Pricing Is Designed To Charge You More, NOT Save You Money
AI (or "dynamic pricing") is just a fancy way to say a company is price gouging and don't want you to notice. The latest culprit? Delta Airlines.
Delta is now using artificial intelligence to set ticket prices based on exactly how much it thinks you’re willing to pay. Don’t buy the hype that this is about giving you “personalized deals” or “fair pricing.” The truth is, it’s a sneaky new way to squeeze more money out of travellers and you probably don’t even realize it.
Here’s how it works:
Delta’s AI doesn’t just look at how many seats are left or what time of day you’re searching. It dives deep into your browsing history, past purchases and other personal data to predict how much it can charge you without you screaming bloody murder.
If you’ve been urgently searching for flights or booking last minute, expect your price to shoot up.
This isn’t unique to airlines. Rental companies have been caught using similar AI models to jack up prices based on demand and renter profiles. Grocery stores experimented with AI that shifts prices depending on who’s shopping and when. In many cases, these “smart pricing” schemes have sparked outrage and lawsuits for being discriminatory and opaque.
Delta’s AI-driven pricing fits the same mold. It’s less about fairness and more about pushing prices to the limit of what you’ll accept. The AI tests the waters, raising prices little by little until it hits your pain threshold.
It’s like a digital auction where you’re the unwilling bidder.
This lack of transparency is the real problem. You have no idea why your ticket costs what it does. Did the AI decide you have more disposable income? Are you being penalized for searching late at night? Is the algorithm biased in ways that could lead to discrimination? We don’t know and Delta isn’t telling.
Airlines have long used dynamic pricing to juggle supply and demand. What’s different now is that AI makes this process hyper-personalized and lightning fast, meaning prices can vary wildly for the same flight depending on who’s buying. It erodes trust and makes customers feel manipulated rather than valued.
The backlash against AI pricing in housing and retail shows what’s at stake. Renters have sued landlords over AI-driven hikes that disproportionately impact vulnerable groups. Grocery stores faced public backlash for unfair pricing that targeted certain customers. Regulators are finally waking up to these issues, but it’s a slow process.
As a traveler, your best defense is awareness. Book early, compare prices across sites, and don’t rely on the first fare you see. But even savvy shoppers can get caught in AI’s web.
Delta’s AI pricing might boost their bottom line but it’s turning the simple act of buying a flight into a high-stakes game where the odds are stacked against you.
This isn’t the Hunger Games.
Your wallet deserves better. Don’t let AI algorithms quietly decide how much you pay without any accountability or fairness.