By Brian Harmon
August 3, 2025 | Atlanta
Delta Air Lines has moved to reassure lawmakers and consumers that it will not use artificial intelligence to personalize airfare prices based on individual customer data—a growing concern among privacy advocates and antitrust watchdogs as AI technologies rapidly reshape the airline industry.
In a formal letter to Congress obtained by The New York Times, Delta said it “does not and will not use personalization pricing” that factors in a traveler’s income, search history, or geography. The statement came in response to a bipartisan inquiry led by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), who warned of the potential for “algorithmic discrimination” in airfare pricing.
Delta clarified that while it leverages AI for operational improvements—such as flight planning and maintenance logistics—it draws a clear ethical boundary at using the technology to influence ticket prices on an individual basis. “We are committed to transparency and fairness,” the airline wrote.
The airline’s position stands in stark contrast to recent moves by United Airlines, which in May launched a new division called Kinective Media. The program taps into anonymized customer data to serve personalized advertising and promotional offers through the United mobile app. According to the company, Kinective Media uses AI-derived insights to match passengers with relevant deals based on behavioral patterns—while offering opt-outs for those concerned about data privacy.
United has also integrated generative AI into its customer service operations, using the technology to automatically contact travelers about delays or cancellations and provide proactive rebooking options during disruptions. Executives say the shift has improved responsiveness and customer satisfaction scores, though it has also sparked questions about how much personal data is being funneled through algorithmic systems.
These developments highlight the tension facing an industry eager to harness AI for competitive advantage while under mounting pressure from regulators wary of opaque pricing and digital profiling. The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Transportation have both signaled growing interest in scrutinizing AI applications in travel and ticketing.
Senator Klobuchar called Delta’s public stance “a positive sign,” but said the broader trend across the airline sector “demands legislative guardrails.” She is drafting a bill that would ban discriminatory pricing models enabled by artificial intelligence and require greater transparency about how consumer data is collected and used.
Consumer groups say the race toward AI-powered personalization must not come at the cost of fairness. “It’s one thing to use data to help someone find a better seat,” said John Breyault of the National Consumers League. “It’s another to quietly charge two people wildly different prices for the same flight based on what an algorithm guesses they can afford.”
As AI continues to infiltrate every layer of the travel experience—from booking and check-in to inflight services and rebooking after cancellations—the debate is no longer hypothetical. Delta’s disavowal may mark a turning point in the public conversation. Whether others in the industry follow suit—or push further into algorithmic territory—remains an open question.
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