AI vs airlines: Techie explains how she used Grok prompts to expose flight pricing tactics, cut costs

A viral post by a Peru-based tech professional has reignited debate over airline pricing transparency, claiming that artificial intelligence tools can uncover steeply discounted fares hidden from regular searches.

In a post on X, Peru-based AI expert Gina Acosta said she used Grok to slash the cost of a flight from $1,200 to $340 by deploying a series of targeted prompts designed to analyse airline pricing behaviour.

“AIRLINES DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS. Grok found me a $1,200 flight for $340,” Costag wrote, adding that the savings came from understanding pricing loopholes rather than relying on standard fare comparison searches.

She outlined six specific prompts that, according to her, expose how airlines price tickets dynamically and how travellers can work around those systems.

The first prompt focuses on route-level pricing intelligence. “I need to fly from [departure city] to [destination city] between [date range]. Analyse the typical pricing patterns for this route,” the prompt asks, seeking insights into the cheapest days to fly, ideal booking windows, and seasonal trends.

Another strategy involves expanding the search beyond primary airports. Costag suggested asking AI tools to identify “ALL nearby alternative airports within 100 miles of each location” and to factor in ground transportation costs to calculate real savings.

She also highlighted hidden city ticketing — a controversial tactic where passengers book flights with layovers at their intended destination because they are cheaper than direct tickets. Her prompt asks AI to “Find flights where [destination] is a layover city on a longer route that costs less,” while also spelling out “the risks, rules, and how much could I save.”

Mistake fares and pricing errors formed another pillar of her approach. One prompt asks for a structured strategy to track such anomalies, including which “websites, tools, and alert systems” to monitor and how to distinguish genuine errors from promotional sales.

Costag also pointed to airline points arbitrage, urging travellers to compare whether it is cheaper to buy miles, use credit card bonuses, transfer loyalty points, or book positioning flights to cheaper hubs. “Show me the math for each option,” the prompt states.

Her sixth prompt targets airline dynamic pricing itself. “Explain how airline dynamic pricing works and how to beat it,” it asks, questioning whether clearing cookies, using a VPN, switching devices, or booking at specific times can help avoid price hikes.

She added a seventh “bonus” prompt that combines all these strategies into a single booking plan, asking AI to generate a step-by-step approach within a fixed budget.

“These prompts help you uncover pricing strategies, loopholes, and insider knowledge that can save hundreds on flights!” Costag said.

The post has since gained traction among frequent travellers and tech enthusiasts, reflecting growing interest in using generative AI tools not just for planning trips, but for actively interrogating how prices are set in the global aviation industry.