AI startups are helping airline passengers recover savings after booking by monitoring fares and seeking refunds or flight credits when prices fall. JetBack, Junova and Refare have emerged as airlines expand their own use of AI for competitor monitoring, pricing and flight operations, prompting lawmakers to question whether consumer data could enable individualized fares. The services benefit from U.S. airlines’ broad elimination of change fees on many non-refundable tickets after the COVID-19 pandemic. A $500 ticket that later falls to $400 may therefore qualify for the difference, although policies vary. JetBack says it has recovered $2.4 million in credits and refunds since launching in early 2025. Junova found fare drops on about 22% of 10,000 flights monitored from September 2025 through July 2026, with about 40% of those flights experiencing more than one decline. Junova and Refare take 20% and 25% of recovered savings, respectively, while JetBack charges $100 a year. The model faces a potential threat as airlines change their policies: Alaska Airlines stopped honoring fare drops through customer service in early October and directed passengers to cancel and rebook under applicable rules. Airlines may still tolerate the services because adjustments are often issued as credits that keep travelers spending with the same carrier.