Three startups are helping travelers save on airfare when there is a price drop after they’ve already purchased a ticket, Reuters reported Friday (Oct. 30).
JetBack, Junova and Refare use artificial intelligence to monitor fares and seek refunds or flight credits when airlines cut prices, according to the report.
JetBack charges $100 a year for its service, while Junova and Refare take 20% and 25%, respectively, of the savings when they secure a refund, the report said.
Junova said in the report that among the flights it monitored from September 2025 through July, about 22% had at least one price drop.
Refare shared data that showed that among five airlines, the percentage of their flights that were eligible for negotiation ranged from 13% to 29%, and the average savings for each negotiation ranged from $34 to $396.
JetBack said in the report that it has recovered $2.4 million since early 2025.
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The business model for these services depends on airlines continuing to allow fare drops without charging a large change fee, according to the report.
Many airlines eliminated change fees on select tickets shortly after the pandemic in an effort to encourage people to travel, the report said.
Change fee policies vary by airline and can be altered at any time, per the report.
When JetBack announced its launch in July 2025, the company said in a press release that fares have become more volatile than ever since airlines began using AI and real-time pricing algorithms.
Junova said in an August blog post that many flights experience more than one price drop and that the prices can continue moving right up until the flight departs. The company said its service saves travelers the time they would have spent monitoring prices, calling the airline and trying to negotiate a refund.
Refare said in an Oct. 19 blog post that while it cannot guarantee results, its historical performance includes a better than 90% success rate on recovering fares on eligible, identified price drops.
PYMNTS reported in August that airlines are using artificial intelligence to analyze variables and recommend changes to fares far faster.
It was reported in July that travelers could face more trouble finding low-cost seats as airlines adopt AI-powered pricing practices.
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