Software Engineer - AI Travel Agent
About the job
- At least 3 years of software engineering experience.
- Work in person in Bellevue, Washington.
- Build new products and services.
About the company
Axel Travel uses AI to monitor flight and hotel bookings for price drops and automatically secure refunds or credits for members. Members pay a $35 annual fee and are guaranteed to save at least that amount or receive a full refund. It works by users forwarding booking emails or linking Gmail; the system imports trip details and runs 24/7 to claim refunds with airlines or rebook at lower hotel rates without changing the original reservation, with a WhatsApp concierge option. Its distinct approach combines automated price tracking, refunds/rebooking, and a transparent price guarantee, backed by YC and Gordian Software, to make travel pricing more predictable for travelers.
Company Size
11-50
Company Stage
Seed
Total Funding
$130K
Headquarters
Seattle, Washington
Founded
2012
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Axel launched Membership on August 26, 2026, at $15 first month, $10 afterward.
- Axel added bags on July 20, 2026, and seats on August 6, 2026.
- YC still lists Axel as active, and helloaxel.com touts 24/7 monitoring and savings.
What critics are saying
- Airlines control repricing rules, so Southwest or Delta policy changes can erase Axel's refund engine.
- One Gmail access scare or data breach kills trust and shuts down consumer adoption.
- Axel's August 2026 membership pricing invites direct competition from Hopper, Expedia, and Google Travel.
What makes Axel unique
- Axel automates post-booking repricing, contacting airlines directly for credits without altering reservations.
- Axel's August 2026 Chrome extension surfaces lower prices inside Google Flights results.
- Axel bundles flights, hotels, bags, and seats into one travel savings workflow.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan
Remote Work Options
Unlimited Paid Time Off
Flexible Work Hours
Paid Vacation
Hybrid Work Options
Wellness Program
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
14%1 year growth
14%2 year growth
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