GDS vs NDC: what travel agencies need to know

The difference between GDS vs NDC is the difference between a long-established marketplace and a newer standard for how airlines send offers. A GDS (global distribution system) collects flight content from many airlines and makes it available to travel agencies through one connection. NDC (New Distribution Capability) is a data standard from IATA that lets airlines send richer offers, such as fares with bundled extras, directly or through intermediaries. Many agencies do not have to choose one; the practical question is how to use both sensibly.

IATA is the International Air Transport Association, the airline industry body behind the NDC programme. This guide explains both channels in plain terms and what each means for your booking technology. If you are building a flight booking platform, our OTA platform service page explains how we work.

What a GDS is

A GDS is a large system that connects airlines with travel sellers. Airlines load their schedules, availability and fares into it, and agencies search and book through it.

1. One connection, many airlines. An agency connected to a GDS can search and book across the airlines that distribute through it.
2. Standard formats. Content arrives in a consistent structure, which makes comparing airlines easier.
3. Booking and ticketing. The GDS creates the booking record, often called a PNR, and supports ticketing and changes.
4. Access routes. Agencies may connect to a GDS directly, or through a consolidator or technology provider that already has access.

A worked example

An agency wants to show flights from several airlines on one route. Through a GDS connection, one search returns options from each airline that distributes there, in the same format, with fares and availability ready to compare. The agency's website can then sort them by price, time or stops without handling each airline separately.

What NDC is and why airlines push it

According to IATA, NDC is a travel industry-supported programme launched by IATA for the development and market adoption of a new, XML-based data transmission standard. XML is a structured text format that computer systems use to exchange data.

Airlines support NDC because it helps them sell the way they want to:

1. Richer content. Offers can include photos, detailed descriptions of seats and bundles, and extras such as bags or seat selection.
2. Their own offers. Airlines can create and price offers themselves rather than fitting them into older formats.
3. Product differentiation. Airlines can show what makes their product different, not just a price.
4. More control over distribution. Airlines can decide which content to offer through which channels.

NDC is a standard, not a single system. Agencies can reach NDC content by connecting directly to an airline's NDC API, or through aggregators and other providers that support it.

GDS vs NDC: differences in content and fares

A common mistake and its fix

A common mistake is assuming the same fare will always be available through every channel. Airlines decide what to offer where, so content can differ between a GDS and an NDC connection. The fix is to compare the content available for your key routes through each channel before deciding where to invest in integration.

Hotels involve a similar choice between broad and direct sources, covered in our comparison of hotel aggregator APIs and direct contracts.

What each means for your technology

The choice shapes your booking platform's integration work.

With a GDS or GDS-based provider

1. One integration covers many airlines.
2. Mature documentation and consistent booking, ticketing and change processes.
3. Certification with the provider before going live.
4. Commercial terms that may include fees per booking or segment, depending on your agreement.

With NDC connections

1. Each direct airline connection is a separate integration, unless you use an aggregator.
2. Offers are richer, so your results and booking screens need to show bundles and extras clearly.
3. Servicing, such as changes and refunds, may work differently for each airline.
4. Certification or onboarding with each airline or aggregator.

Questions to ask any provider

1. Which airlines and routes are covered, and through which channel?
2. How are NDC offers presented in search results alongside other fares?
3. How are changes, cancellations and refunds handled for each channel?
4. What certification is required, and how long does it usually take?
5. What does each booking cost under our agreement?

Our guides on what a flight booking API is and how to integrate a flight supplier API into your website explain the integration work itself.

If you plan to sell rooms as well as flights, our guide on how hotel supplier APIs work explains how hotel content is delivered.

Using both side by side

Many agencies combine sources to get the widest choice for their customers.

1. Start with the channel that covers most of your routes, often a GDS or an aggregator that already includes NDC content.
2. Add direct NDC connections selectively, for airlines that matter most to your customers.
3. Convert every source into your own data format, so your website shows one consistent set of results.
4. Remove duplicates carefully, since the same flight may come back through more than one channel with different offers.
5. Show the differences clearly, such as what each fare includes, so customers can compare like with like.
6. Log which channel each booking came from, so servicing and support follow the right process.

The same principles of mapping, merging and isolating sources apply to hotels, as our guide on connecting multiple hotel suppliers shows.

When to choose a GDS connection

A GDS or GDS-based provider is usually the better starting point when:

• You need broad airline coverage through one integration.
• Your team values mature, consistent booking and servicing processes.
• Your customers mainly compare standard fares across many airlines.
• You want to launch sooner with less integration work.

When to choose NDC connections

Direct NDC connections, or an NDC-capable aggregator, are usually worth adding when:

• Key airlines for your market offer content through NDC that customers want.
• You want to sell bundles and extras with rich descriptions.
• You have the development capacity to build and maintain airline-specific integrations.
• Your volume with particular airlines supports a direct relationship.

Summary

• A GDS distributes many airlines' content through one connection with mature, consistent processes.
• NDC is IATA's XML-based standard that lets airlines send richer offers they build themselves.
• Content can differ between channels, so compare what each offers on your key routes.
• GDS connections cover breadth with one integration; NDC connections add depth but more integration work.
• Many agencies use both, converting every source into one format and showing differences clearly.

The right mix of channels depends on your routes, customers and technical capacity. If you're planning a flight booking platform, you can tell us about it here.