Recent IATA passenger survey reports reveal interesting information about traveler preferences: International travel accounts for 64% of total airline traffic, with demand increasing in the Asia-Pacific, African, Latin American, and Middle Eastern regions. Aside from that, passengers anticipate advanced booking features such as bag tracking, notifications, flight status updates, and information about leg space. So, if you're creating an OTA, a booking app, or a website, you should think about providing your customers with as much useful information as possible and look for tools that enable these integrations. If you've been looking into travel connectivity for a while, you've probably come across our massive list of travel APIs.
What is the process of airline distribution?
Airlines, as well as other modes of transportation and hotels, are using global distribution systems to improve their distribution strategy (GDSs). To distribute tickets among travelers, travel agents, online travel agencies, and booking platforms require access to airline data, which they obtain from a variety of sources. The following information is required for distribution and booking:
- Flights.
- Schedules.
- Fares.
- Inventory (available seats).
This data is collected and stored in a GDS, a third-party network that provides real-time access to such data. GDSs first appeared in 1978 and have since provided the ability to check inventory and book seats for specific flights. GDSs connect to an airline computer reservation system (CRS) on one side to aggregate this data. A GDS, on the other hand, uses API to connect to a travel agent's terminal, an OTA, an app, or a website.
Sabre, Amadeus, and Travelport are the top three GDSs. There are also smaller regional GDSs, such as Travelsky in China, KIU System in Latin America, Sirena-Travel in Russia, Axess and Infini in Japan, and others.
When a travel agency or a flight search app needs a GDS connection, they must find a way to integrate their software with it. APIs, or Application Programming Interfaces, are available for this purpose. An API is a link between different software products that does not interfere with the source code.
Aside from flight booking APIs, there are car rental and hotel booking APIs that can be integrated into a website to allow visitors to connect to third-party services without having to switch between websites.Flight APIs work in the same way: for a fee, you can integrate them into your website or app and allow your users to book flights and access various flight data.
Flight distribution APIs are classified into three types based on their providers: GDSs, technology providers, and metasearch engines or OTAs. These providers have different business models and feature sets, which we'll go over in the following sections of the article.
GDS APIs for full booking functionality: Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport, and other
GDS APIs typically charge for integration and per request, as well as commission for each booking made from the point of integration. Let's take a closer look at these APIs and their capabilities.
The largest distribution system, Amadeus GDS, connects users to over 700 airlines for seat and cargo reservations. It also works with the Sabre and Travelport GDSs.
Amadeus offers a business booking application, Amadeus cytric Travel & Expense, an app that allows users to search and book flights via mobile, and Amadeus Air-Rail Display for real-time booking for both rail and air travel through its GDS. As the world's largest GDS, Amadeus offers a plethora of booking APIs divided into two categories: Enterprise and Self-service.
Enterprise APIs handle reservations for all modes of transportation, hotels, and ancillary services, as well as payments. This set of APIs is ready for use in production. Enterprise APIs are available in REST/JSON and SOAP/XML formats. Users can use the flight API to:
- Find flight prices
- Get flight information
- Arrange for additional services (including travel insurance)
- Purchase tickets
- Obtain utility information
- Get a sales report
These APIs also include customer profiles and queue management solutions. There are also APIs for every type of distribution, whether for booking or information retrieval - only suitable for displaying flight schedules and lowest fares. Pricing for Enterprise APIs is available upon request and is based on the needs of the client.
Self-Service APIs are used for testing and production. These APIs give users access to cached data on flights, schedules, fares, hotels, and points of interest at the destination. The final feature, which was developed recently, displays ranked data about places of interest. REST/JSON messaging standards are used by self-service APIs.
In a testing environment, this set provides a limited number of free requests. When APIs are used in the production environment, each request is charged between €0.0025 and €0.030.
API for the Pyton Flight Portal
The Amadeus IT Group includes the Pyton Flight Portal. It offers two options, covering both flights and leisure reservations.
Pyton Flight Portal API/XML is a low-cost carrier-focused solution. It connects to more than 100 low-cost airlines worldwide. The API's functions are as follows:
- Support is available both one way and round trip.
- Different types of payments (credit and debit card, virtual payment)
- Speed-boarding
- Booking of ancillary services (luggage, speed-boarding and airport check-in)
- Fares and seat availability
- Flights at low prices cached information
Pyton Leisure Portal API/XML is also available as a white label solution that can be integrated with a website, call center, or travel agency module. As a custom solution, this API is available. This module includes the following features:
- Booking flights on regular airlines, low-cost airlines, and charters
- Reservation of lodging (hotels, villas, cottages, apartments, and hostels)
- Transfers and car rentals of various kinds and classes
- Purchasing event tickets
- Reservations for tour packages
It does not offer travel insurance bookings and has no scheduling functionality, unlike the Amadeus API.
APIs for Sabre
Sabre GDS connects you to 400 airlines. It offers a B2B solution through Sabre Red 360, an online travel platform for agencies, providers, and developers that allows customers to book a full range of services. Sabre acquires Abacus, Asia's leading GDS with headquarters in Singapore, in 2015. Sabre and eleven Asian airlines now own it. The GDS has the most data from airlines, including Chinese and low-cost carriers, and hotels in the Asia-Pacific region.
Sabre is the second largest GDS and has an API set similar to Amadeus', but it does not provide insurance or airport transfers. SOAP/REST messaging formats are used by Sabre APIs. The APIs allow for data retrieval and reservation. They go over:
- Flight schedules and availability
- Fares
- Queue activity
- PRN records
- Itineraries
- Mileage count
- Transactions
- Flight details
- Ancillary booking
- Low-fare history
- Low-fare forecast (available in a beta version)
- Passenger details
- Seat map
API for Travelport
Travelport is a global platform that brings together three GDSs: Galileo, Apollo, and Worldspan. It, like Amadeus and Sabre, provides information on flights, trains, hotels, cruises, and car rentals. Worldspan also sells travel brochures and tour packages.
Travelport has collaborated with AXESS International Network, a leading Japanese GDS network created and owned by Japanese Airlines (JAL), since 2012. AXESS International Network uses Travelport API for flight distribution. The companies recently announced the formation of a new joint venture company, which is expected to be formed by June 1, 2019.
- Flights (branded fares and schedules)
- Routes that connect (air and rail)
- Ancillary service booking
The availability of ancillary services varies depending on the airline. but also include baggage, meals, and travel insurance Travelport charges an annual fee for the use of the Universal API. The fee is available upon request.
API for Mystifly
Mystifly is an Asian GDS that collects data from over 750 airlines, including more than 200 low-cost carriers. It has a presence in 80 countries, including Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East, and North and South America.
Mystifly provides integration with MyFareBox OnePointAPI, which connects to multiple GDSs and distributes flight data in XML messaging format. The low-cost carrier data is the primary focus of Mystifly API. This API's functionality includes:
- Fares (ATPCO, IATA, LCC Carriers, Web, and private fares)
- Variation in fares (student, labor, military, and marine fares)
- Booking ancillary services (baggage and meals)
- Low-cost airline tickets
- Timetables for flights
API KIU
KIU is a Latin American-focused GDS. It offers cloud-hosted CRS and GDS solutions. SITA-certified KIU is IATA's strategic partner. It disseminates flight information and facilitates the sale of ancillaries, as well as connecting to the Sabre and Amadeus reservation systems. KIU also provides a platform for airport check-in. This API's functionality includes:
- Schedules for flight inventory
- Seat availability (availability, amount, class, specific segment)
- Fares (by date and currency) (by date and currency)
- Fees and taxes (by country, airport, airlines)
- Numbers of frequent flyers
API Sirena-Travel
Sirena-Travel is a Russian GDS with connections to more than 50 international and Russian airlines' CRSs. It is linked to the local reservation systems Sirena-2000 and Sirena-2.3, as well as the international SITA Gabriel, Sabre, and Amadeus. Sirena-Travel compiles information on flight schedules, availability, and fares. Aside from flight booking, it also provides leisure booking, such as tickets to sporting events or concerts, railway tickets, insurance, and Motor Third Party Liability Insurance (MTPL). Its API allows you to do the following:
- Look for one-way flights.
- Look for round-trip flights.
- Find flights by city or airport.
- Search for direct and multicity flights by departure time, airline, and class.
- Flight search results are sorted by price, airline, flight duration, and number of changes.
- Rate conditions
- Ordering airline tickets by ticket number, passenger name, and air carrier Frequent Flyer Program (FFP) cards
API for TravelSky
TravelSky is a Chinese GDS with SITA connections to 137 regional and international airlines. TravelSky provides commercial airlines with data (schedules and fares) and also provides Airport Passenger Processing (APP) services. The following data is provided:
- Timetables for flights
- Flight accessibility
- Information about segments (number of stops, aircraft equipment code, meal codes)
- Fares
- List of passengers
- Airport specifics
API Infinite
Infini Air Connectivity is a Japanese Infini GDS product that provides flight schedules, PNR servicing, and availability information. The company only operates in Japan and collaborates with Sabre. The following information is provided by the system:
- Flight accessibility
- Seating is available.
- Information on fares
- Names of passengers
- Confirmation of receipt
APIs for flight booking from tech service providers such as ATPCO, Orysis Infotech, eTravos, HitchHiker, and others.
In contrast to GDSs, tech service providers typically charge a fee for each API request and technical support. Many travel technology providers offer solutions that include specific and unique flight data not found in standard GDSs. Let's take a look at some of the most common examples.
API ATPCO
ATPCO is an airline technology provider and the primary distributor of fare data. Its Routehappy API is directly connected to the GDSs Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelsky, as well as 8 airlines. The JSON format is used by the API. It addresses:
- Fares
- Priority boarding
- Leg checks
- Booking ancillary services (baggage, meals, entertainment)
- Flight conveniences (layout, entertainment, Wi-Fi, food and beverages)
- Legroom and seat width
- Product features that are universal include aircraft photos, videos, and virtual tours.
Orysis Information Technology Integration Service for Flight GDS and XML API
As a solution for travel agents, tour operators, and travel management companies, Orysis Infotech connects hundreds of airlines with travel agencies and travel managers. Their Flight GDS and XML API Integration Service connects to Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport data. The Airline API employs the SOAP/XML messaging format and includes the following features:
- Access to the GDS flight schedule
- The ability to view trip details (flight name and number, arrival and departure data, number of stops if the flight is not direct)
- Use a search filter.
- Choose your seats
- See the fare details (fees, taxes, rates)
- Obtain baggage information
- Examine the PNR status
API for booking flights on eTravos
eTravos is India's largest cloud Travel Technology Platform, serving customers in India, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. eTravos provides two APIs: flight booking and GDS connection.
Flight booking API connects to 11 NDC adopters as well as over 750 airlines, including full-service carriers (FSC) and 225 low-cost carriers. The following are the API's features:
- Bookings for multiple destinations
- Fare calendar Information on personalized and anonymous fares (private, public, and corporate)
- Reservation for a family
- Cancellation of a reservation
- Booking of ancillary services
eTravos also provides separate GDS API integration. These APIs allow you to communicate with Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport. Reservation functionality may include tour and cruise booking depending on the GDS connected. The solution incorporates web and mobile apps, Desktop Agency application integration, and an online booking tool - Flight Booking Engine (FBE) with corporate booking support.
The API for HitchHiker Flight
The HitchHiker Flight API is a software-as-a-service solution with a WebService interface that integrates with the user's software and sales system. HitchHiker Flight API is linked to Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre, Sirena, and Worldspan, as well as 120 airlines, including low-cost carriers. This API addresses:
- Flight reservation and cancellation
- Payments, confirmation of reservations, and refunds
- Group reservations
- 18 fare types (student, labor, military, etc.)
- Additional services
The API does not include any scheduling information. With customer support, the solution can be customized to meet the needs of the client.
Metasearch and OTA APIs for smaller booking providers: Skyscanner, momondo, Kiwi, and Travelfusion
APIs from metasearch engines and OTAs typically provide basic flight data, such as schedules and prices that they have already aggregated. In order to use one of these APIs, you must first become a partner.
Skyscanner APIs The most popular fare finder engine offers its own Skyscanner APIs for cheapest flight search and price comparison. Skyscanner API is available in two flavours: browsing flight prices data and live flight prices data.
The Browse Flight Prices API displays the following cached information from their suppliers:
- Cheapest prices
- Flights departing and arriving
- Calendar of Destinations Dates
It should be noted that this API does not update the content in real time. If you require real-time data, use the Live Flight Prices API, which updates the above-mentioned information and retrieves it for price comparison for specific dates and itineraries.
Enroll in Skyscanner's affiliate programme to gain access to a free set of APIs. Skyscanner API does not require a subscription and does not charge for queries. Following that, the provider charges users a commission based on traffic.
APIs for Travelfusion
Travelfusion is a reservation platform for flights, trains, and car rentals. It provides Direct Connect XML APIs with access to more than 150 low-cost carriers. This API provides access to the following content for desktop solutions for OTAs and travel agents:
- Branded flights
- Card types that are supported
- Terms and conditions in multiple languages
- Email confirmation in multiple languages
- Card validation
- Flight supplements
- Rapid boarding
- Cancellation and modification of reservations
- Number of frequent flyers
- Seat preferences and alternatives
- Requirements for luggage
Travelfusion recently launched the Fast API for pre-packaged vacations, flights, and hotel booking. This API is designed for widgets, mobile services, and web platforms and is easier to integrate. The cost of integration is determined by the purpose and type of business and is available upon request.
APIs for Kiwis
OTA Czech Republic Kiwi's APIs were powered by a direct connection to approximately 150 carriers. These APIs allow for low-cost flight processing, flight data aggregation, itinerary creation, and the discovery and saving of the cheapest routes. Payment processing is another important feature of the Kiwi API. This API also allows you to include baggage information in your booking. Simply join the affiliate programme to use the Kiwi API. The complete list of Kiwi's data is as follows:
- Classifications of fares
- Bag limit and prices for aircraft equipment
- Currency and exchange rate
- Duration of return
- The length of the stopover
- Flights between cities
API momondo
momondo is a global search engine that finds the best deals on flights, hotels, and car rentals. It has a non-public momondo API that connects third-party services to the platform. The flight reservation API provides information on:
- Routes, airports, prices, and currency
- Search anywhere
To gain access to this API, you must join their Affiliate Network programmes.
Finally, what should you think about before integrating a flight booking API?
As you can see, most travel APIs have similar technical features, connect to the same GDSs, perform similar functions, and adhere to the same data distribution principles. How should you choose the best APIs for your service? Three factors must be considered:
Functionality range. Do you only need schedules and fares, or do you want to give your users more booking options? Or perhaps you'd like to allow your users to purchase travel insurance?
Region. Consider APIs that integrate with Amadeus GDS if you want to reach Europe; KIU GDS integration if you want to reach Latin America, and so on.
The business model. Direct GDS APIs typically charge per request, making them the most expensive option. Choosing a tech provider that charges for the first connection or even gives you immediate access to the database is far preferable. Last but not least, keep an eye on the airlines to which your API connects.