TLDR: A bipartisan group of U.S. House lawmakers has launched an inquiry into Delta Air Lines’ potential use of generative artificial intelligence for setting ticket prices, raising concerns about ‘individualized, surveillance-based price discrimination.’ This follows earlier probes by Democratic Senators regarding Delta’s plans to deploy AI-based revenue management technology across a significant portion of its domestic network by year-end 2025.
WASHINGTON D.C. – Delta Air Lines is facing mounting pressure from Capitol Hill over its adoption of artificial intelligence in ticket pricing. On November 5, 2025, a group of two dozen U.S. House Democratic lawmakers, including prominent figures such as Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia, Jerrold Nadler, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Dan Goldman, sent a letter to Delta CEO Ed Bastian. The lawmakers are demanding answers regarding the airline’s potential use of generative AI to determine ticket prices, specifically expressing apprehension about the possibility of ‘individualized, surveillance-based price discrimination.’
This latest inquiry from the House echoes earlier concerns raised by Democratic Senators in July 2025. Senators Ruben Gallego, Mark Warner, and Richard Blumenthal had previously pressed Delta on its planned use of AI, citing worries about data privacy and the potential for fare increases that could push prices up to an individual consumer’s ‘personal pain point.’ The senators highlighted Delta’s stated intention to deploy AI-based revenue management technology across 20 percent of its domestic network by the end of 2025, a strategy developed in partnership with AI pricing company Fetcherr.
Critics fear that such individualized pricing models, unlike traditional personalized discounts for specific groups, could leverage personal data to charge different prices to different people for the same service, ultimately driving up costs for consumers. An earlier statement from a Delta executive to investors indicated that the technology aims to set fares based on a prediction of ‘the amount people are willing to pay for the premium products related to the base fares.’
In response to the growing scrutiny, Delta Air Lines has issued statements denying any intent to engage in discriminatory pricing based on personal information. The airline asserted on Wednesday, November 5, that ‘there is no fare product Delta has ever used, is testing or plans to use that targets customers with individualized offers based on personal information or otherwise.’ Delta clarified that dynamic pricing, where fares fluctuate based on overall customer demand and market conditions, has been a standard industry practice for over three decades. The airline emphasized that its current AI technology is being tested to streamline manual processes, enhance forecasting accuracy, and accelerate real-time adjustments, ensuring that ‘all customers see the same exact fares and offers in all retail channels.’
However, the airline’s assurances have not fully allayed concerns. Philip Carls, a board member at Priceagent, commented that Delta’s adoption of AI-driven pricing could erode customer trust. ‘This will likely dent customer trust since, unlike traditional pricing, passengers won’t know if they’re getting a fair deal or being targeted,’ Carls stated, also pointing to the lack of transparency regarding the data points influencing pricing as a significant privacy concern. This isn’t the first time Delta has faced public backlash over pricing strategies; in May, the airline briefly tested higher ticket prices for solo travelers, a policy it later reversed.
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The ongoing congressional probes underscore a broader debate about the ethical implications and regulatory oversight required for AI applications in consumer-facing industries, particularly when they involve pricing and personal data.
