One flight, 35 prices: study finds consumers are unclear on how computers set costs

Many consumers are unclear on how computer-controlled prices for a range of products and services are set, according to a new study of airplane tickets by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM). A growing number of businesses now reportedly use such a computer-controlled pricing system, which sets the costs based on figures such as competitors’ prices, supply, and demand. As a result, a single airplane flight, for example, can have up to 35 different price variations.

In 2025, the ACM launched an investigation into computer-controlled airline ticket prices to understand how they are set. “The findings from the aviation sector are relevant because similar techniques are also used in other industries,” Martijn Snoep, the ACM’s chairman, told NOS.

The study found that seats on the same flight can have 30 to 35 different prices. It also said that one in three tickets costs more than 40 percent above the average ticket price. As a result, there is too much variation for the consumers, the ACM concluded.

“We expect that, because of AI and the availability of data, companies will use computer-controlled prices more frequently, including personalized prices,” Snoep told NOS. The company is, therefore, calling on businesses to make it clear to consumers how the prices are determined, strengthening customer trust.