NDC Guide

This guide discusses what NDC is and basic differences in support or workflow for NDC and GDS content.

Most topics in this online help are for both GDS and NDC content, with differences between them noted as applicable. The NDC menu at the top of every page in this online help groups the topics that apply only to NDC.

You must be provisioned for NDC content both from each participating carrier and from Travelport to access NDC content, so NDC-specific parts of the help may not apply to your implementation of the JSON APIs.
For differences between GDS and NDC in the JSON APIs, see the support tables for seats, ancillaries, fare rules, and exchanges, and the NDC and GDS Functionality Comparison.
For differences within NDC by individual carriers, see NDC capabilities by airline through JSON API in the Travelport Knowledge Base. If you need login assistance, see Knowledge Base NDC Resources.

Related Content: JSON APIs Guide, NDC FAQs

In this topic:

NDC Basic Concepts

NDC (New Distribution Capability) is a travel industry standard for the distribution and retailing of flight content. NDC is not a system, database, or piece of software - it is a standard for exchanging data.

What is NDC?

The Travelport JSON Air APIs support both NDC and GDS content, or simply NDC and GDS. These terms refer to the content distribution method:

  • GDS stands for Global Distribution System. A GDS aggregates and distributes air, hotel, and car rental content such as schedules, fares, and upsells. Travelport owns the Galileo, Worldspan, and Apollo GDSs, which are also known by the IATA abbreviations 1G, 1P, and 1V.

  • NDC is for New Distribution Capability, a program launched by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade association for the world's airlines, to facilitate content distribution directly from airlines to online travel agencies. NDC is an XML standard for exchanging data, and is intended to replace the EDIFACT protocol that has been used by Global Distribution Systems (GDS). NDC distributes content directly from airlines to online travel agencies, GDSs, and travel management companies. NDC content is provided and fulfilled directly by the airline, and may include differentiated content available only through the airlines' direct channels.

Although most JSON API workflows, requests, and responses are the same for both GDS and NDC, airline-specific processes do create some differences. Some functionality is supported only for NDC, or only for GDS, as detailed later in this guide. Because NDC is available only to provisioned customers, this online help has a separate NDC top-level menu to group information and processes that apply only to NDC.

If information in the online help doesn't include the text GDS only; not supported for NDC or vice versa, the functionality presented is supported for both NDC and GDS in the same way. Any differences in NDC and GDS functionality are noted where applicable.

Content for both NDC and GDS in the JSON APIs is sourced from the Galileo GDS (Global Distribution System) for most customers. NDC content from the Apollo and Worldspan GDSs is available to specifically provisioned customers. See the NDC Guide for Apollo and Worldspan.

General NDC & GDS Differences

  • NDC is a shopping-led workflow so there is no availability data. Inventory and price are not guaranteed until the booking is fulfilled.
  • In NDC the airline controls all data available, including offers, booking, storing, servicing, fulfillment, and ticketing.
  • Involuntary changes are sent using order change notifications and don’t use the AIRIMP codes HK/TK. (To accept an involuntary change in the JSON APIs, see Accept Involuntary Schedule Change in the Workbench Commit API Reference.)
  • NDC generally allows 20 to 30 minutes to create a booking (the offer time limit). That time limit varies by airline and is returned in the Search response in ReferenceList/TermsAndConditions/ExpiryDate.
  • NDC and GDS ticket time limits are the same; a booking will expire if ticketing doesn't take place within a certain time, usually within 24 hours of booking. NDC airlines do not generally return ticket time limit data.
  • NDC has two ticketing models: Issuing the ticket on the airline's own stock or using third-party FLX stock.

NDC in the JSON APIs

In general, the JSON APIs handle NDC and GDS content in the same way. Most workflows, requests, and responses across the JSON APIs work the same for both GDS and NDC content, with minor differences noted in the help where applicable.

The exception is that changes to a booked air itinerary, including voids, exchanges, and refunds, are handled by separate JSON APIs and follow different workflows. This results from differences in how NDC carriers implement these processes.

The NDC menu at the top of every page groups these NDC-specific APIs. Otherwise, all Guides and API References apply to both NDC and GDS.

Prerequisites

To access NDC content you must be provisioned for NDC with Travelport and registered with the NDC airline. Validation occurs at these levels when a request for NDC content via any JSON API is received:

  • Validation that the requester is provisioned for NDC within Travelport.
  • Request details are sent to the airline system. Airline validates that the requester is registered with them for NDC content.
  • Aggregated NDC and GDS content is returned as requested.

Identifying GDS/NDC Content in the JSON APIs

The JSON APIs identify each offer as either GDS or NDC by returning the value GDS or NDC in the ContentSource object. The examples below show ContentSource as returned in the Reservation Retrieve response. ContentSource is returned in all responses that return offers.

Although ContentSource provides the simplest way to identify GDS/NDC content, Offer/Identifier/authority returns the value Travelport for GDS and the carrier code for NDC.

To request NDC content, in the search request, send contentSourceList with either only the value , or both values NDC and GDS. If contentSourceList is not sent, only GDS content is returned.

This example excerpt for NDC content starts from the beginning of the Reservation Retrieve response. The two indicators for NDC content - ContentSource value of NDC and the carrier code in Identifier/authority - are highlighted in yellow. For brevity this example is truncated after ContentSource.

{
    "ReservationResponse": {
        "@type": "ReservationResponse",
        "Reservation": {
            "@type": "Reservation",
            "Identifier": {
                "authority": "Travelport",
                "value": "7018cf18-9c54-4905-a9d5-ccf6926c3555"
            },
            "Offer": [
                {
                    "@type": "Offer",
                    "id": "offer_1",
                    "Identifier": {
                        "authority": "QF",
                        "value": "ZTNjN2Q3YTgtNGI2NC00OGQ1LTg1ZTYtMDkwZDYyNjFmMWRkfFBFMEJFNkE0My1EMDFELTQ2NDAtOEIyRGc0dm03bzh0NG94NnAtMS0x"
                    },
                    "ContentSource": "NDC", ...

This example excerpt for GDS content starts with the Offer object and for brevity is truncated after ContentSource.

  ..."Offer": [
    {
     "@type": "Offer",
     "id": "offer_1",
     "Identifier": {
      "authority": "Travelport",
      "value": "a3b191ad-1709-48da-bd58-741ed7addac7"
     },
     "ContentSource": "GDS", ...

General Support

The following table outlines broad areas of support in the JSON APIs. More details are provided in the following sections.

NDC Item

Supported in the JSON APIs

IATA NDC schemas

17.2, 18.1, and 18.2

Itineraries supported

Single airline on a booking, multiple passengers

Payment

Generally cash, credit card, and banked funds; varies by carrier

Settlement

ARC and BSP

Travelport booking file

Passive segment (ZK)

Mid and back office

MIR/TAIR (DI lines)

NDC for Apollo and Worldspan

Content for both NDC and GDS in the JSON APIs is sourced from the Galileo GDS (Global Distribution System) for most customers. NDC content from the Apollo and Worldspan GDSs is available to specifically provisioned customers. See the NDC Guide for Apollo and Worldspan.

Passive Booking Record

In the traditional GDS distribution channel, Travelport issues the ticket using the GDS ticketing system, while for NDC the airline itself issues the ticket and handles payment and any subsequent changes. Because the NDC carrier maintains its own booking record (also called a PNR), Travelport maintains on its host system a passive booking record or passive PNR. This passive PNR generally mirrors the carrier PNR and allows the JSON APIs to return and store information about the booking. At applicable points in the booking workflow, the JSON APIs synchronize this passive booking record with the carrier's booking record.

A successful booking returns a unique six-digit alphanumeric code called the reservation locator in Receipt/Confirmation/Locator. One instance of Receipt contains the passive record locator for Travelport's passive PNR, returning the locator code itself in Locator/value and a value of either 1G, 1P, or 1V in Locator/source. Another instance of Receipt contains the NDC airline booking reservation locator. This instance returns a carrier code in Locator/source, such as UA or AA, and a different unique code in Locator/value. When sending the record locator in subsequent requests, such as a reservation retrieve, be sure to send the Travelport reservation locator, aka passive PNR code.

The following example shows the Receipt object for a held NDC booking. NDC locators are returned with the carrier code as the source value. In this example, the NDC record locator is returned in the first instance of Receipt/@type ReceiptConfirmation/Confirmation/Locator, with a source value of AA. The Travelport locator, or passive PNR, is returned in the second instance of Receipt/@type ReceiptConfirmation/Confirmation/Locator, with a source value of 1G.

   "Receipt": [
    {
     "@type": "ReceiptConfirmation",
     "id": "receipt_1",
     "Identifier": {
      "authority": "AA",
      "value": "fe6d1272-c9cf-4858-88ff-f00ebde2fadc"
     },
     "OfferRef": [
      "offer_1"
     ],
     "Confirmation": {
      "@type": "ConfirmationHold",
      "Locator": {
       "source": "AA",
       "sourceContext": "OrderId",
       "value": "AA001HD1YYTA7"
      }
     }
    },
    {
     "@type": "ReceiptConfirmation",
     "id": "receipt_2",
     "Identifier": {
      "authority": "AA",
      "value": "50ade55b-09e9-4e06-bd8d-af7039cca702"
     },
     "OfferRef": [
      "offer_1"
     ],
     "Confirmation": {
      "@type": "ConfirmationHold",
      "Locator": {
       "source": "AA",
       "sourceContext": "VendorLocator",
       "value": "NRAHSL"
      }
     }
    },
    {
     "@type": "ReceiptConfirmation",
     "Identifier": {
      "authority": "Travelport",
      "value": "6ec7bf8f-961c-44fc-8670-87d98aa0d789"
     },
     "Confirmation": {
      "@type": "ConfirmationHold",
      "Locator": {
       "source": "1G",
       "value": "3HPDLQ"
      }
     }
    }
   ],

Filed Fares

AirReservation applies the following handling to filed fares in the passive PNR:

  • Updates handling of filed fare details so that if the price changes between the time of booking and ticketing, the passive booking record reflects the updated price at ticketing.

  • Updates handling of filed fare details so that if there is any change in the itinerary (date change, time change, routing change, etc.) and the airline exchanges the original ticket for a new ticket, the filed fare for the original ticket is canceled and replaced with the filed fare for the exchanged ticket. This ensures the exchange is handed and reported per ARC/BSP standards and that the same information is sent to the MIR (management information report) and the back office system. (In the BSP market, when the original ticket is exchanged for a new ticket, the fare is collected either as a NO ADC or an ADC. In the ARC(US) market, the fare is created with the total values which includes base fare, taxes and total fare.)

Filed fares are not accessible through the JSON APIs but rather through agency-based software such as Smartpoint Cloud.

MIR (Machineable Interface Record)

AirReservation supports generating a MIR (machineable interface record) for ticket issuance, ticket exchanges, and ticket voids for NDC in the same format as for GDS ticket issuance, exchange, and void. This ensures consistent mid- and back-office reporting and handling for NDC as well as GDS itineraries.

MIRs are not accessible through the JSON APIs but rather through agency-based software such as Smartpoint Cloud.

NDC Carrier Support

Because NDC content is created and supplied directly from the NDC airline, supported capabilities differ by carrier. See the Travelport Knowledge Base article linked for each carrier in the table below for a complete list of carrier-specific differences.

For differences in support between NDC and GDS in the JSON APIs, see the support tables for seats, ancillaries, fare rules, and exchanges. Also see the NDC and GDS Functionality Comparison Chart below.

Knowledge Base NDC Resources

Where applicable, this online help lists differences between support for GDS and NDC content in the JSON APIs. Within NDC, however, individual NDC carriers differ in their support for various functionality. The following Travelport Knowledge Base article lists carrier support for functionality and provides links to carrier-specific pages:

KB0040467: NDC capabilities by airline through JSON API

You must be logged into the customer portal to view articles. If the link above does not work, or you are not logged in:

  1. Log into https://my.travelport.com.

  2. In the Help and Resources menu at the top of the page, select Knowledge base.

  3. Enter either NDC Capabilities by airline or KB0040467 in the search bar at the top of the page.

If you do not have a Travelport customer login, please contact your Travelport representative.

Participating Carriers

The JSON APIs have been certified to provide NDC content from the carriers in the following table. The linked Knowledge Base articles provide carrier-specific differences.

NDC carrier Travelport Knowledge Base article

Air France/KLM (AF/KL)

NDC AF/KL - New Distribution Content for Air France & KLM

Air India (AI)

NDC AI - New Distribution Content for Air India

American Airlines (AA)

NDC AA - New Distribution Content for American Airlines

avianca (AV)

NDC AV - New Distribution Content Avianca Airlines

British Airways (BA)

NDC BA - New Distribution Content for British Airways

Cathay Pacific (CX)

NDC CX – New Distribution Content for Cathay Pacific

Emirates (EK)

NDC EK - New Distribution Content for Emirates

Finnair (AY)

NDC AY - New Distribution Content for Finnair

Iberia Air Lines (IB)

NDC IB - New Distribution Content for Iberia

Lufthansa Group (LHG)

Includes Air Dolomiti (EN), Austrian Airlines (OS), Brussels Airlines (SN), Discover Airlines (4Y), and Swiss (LX)

NDC LHG - New Distribution Content for the Lufthansa Group

Malaysia Airlines (MH)

NDC MH - New Distribution Content Malaysia Airlines

Qantas (QF)

NDC QF - New Distribution Content for Qantas

Qatar Airways (QR)

NDC QR - New Distribution Content for Qatar Airlines

SAS (SK)

NDC SK - New Distribution Content for SAS Scandinavian Airlines

Singapore (SQ)

NDC SQ - New Distribution Content for Singapore Airlines

United (UA)

NDC UA - New Distribution Content for United Airlines

NDC Support by Country

NDC carrier content is available for booking through the JSON APIs in the countries listed below. Where NDC content is available, your Travelport account manager will ensure you have been enabled for the content. You may also need to register directly with the airline to gain access to the NDC content.

*Lufthansa Group (LHG) includes the carriers Air Dolomiti (EN), Austrian Airlines (OS), Brussels Airlines (SN), Discover Airlines (4Y), and Swiss (LX).
Country American Airlines
(AA)		 Qantas Airways
(QF)		 Singapore Airlines
(SQ)		 Air France (AF) KLM (KL) United Airlines
(UA)		 British Airways
(BA)		 Lufthansa Group Iberia (IB) Emirates (EK) Qatar (QR) avianca (AV) SAS (SK) Malaysia Airlines
(MH)		 Finnair (AY) Air India (AI) Cathay Pacific
(CX)

Afghanistan

                   Yes              
Albania     Yes

 

 

   Yes Yes   Yes Yes   Yes   Yes    

Andorra

 Yes       Yes   Yes Yes Yes       Yes        

Angola

       Yes           Yes Yes            
Antigua and Barbuda Yes    

 

 

 Yes Yes Yes                  
Argentina Yes    

Yes

Yes

   Yes   Yes   Yes            
Armenia                    

Yes

            
Aruba Yes    

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes       Yes          
Australia Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes   Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes    
Austria Yes Yes  

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes

Yes

 Yes   Yes Yes Yes   Yes    
Azerbaijan

Yes

           Yes Yes   Yes Yes            
Bahamas Yes    

 

 

 Yes Yes                    
Bahrain Yes Yes  

 

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes     Yes   Yes*   Yes    
Bangladesh Yes   Yes

 

 

     Yes   Yes Yes     Yes      

Barbados

 Yes         Yes   Yes                  
Belarus     Yes

 

 

         Yes              
Belgium Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes Yes   Yes    

Belize

 Yes         Yes   Yes                  

Benin

 Yes     Yes Yes     Yes   Yes Yes            

Bermuda

 Yes         Yes Yes Yes     Yes            

Bolivia

 Yes                                
Bonaire Yes    

Yes

Yes

     Yes                  
Bosnia and Herzegovina Yes   Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes     Yes Yes   Yes        
Botswana      

 

 

   Yes       Yes            
Brazil Yes    

Yes

Yes

   Yes   Yes   Yes Yes          

British Virgin Islands

 Yes                                
Bulgaria Yes   Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes     Yes Yes   Yes   Yes    

Burkina Faso

 Yes     Yes Yes     Yes   Yes Yes            
Cambodia     Yes

 

 

         Yes Yes     Yes Yes    

Cameroon

 Yes     Yes Yes     Yes     Yes            
Canada Yes Yes  

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes*   Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes  

Cayman Islands

 Yes         Yes Yes Yes                  

Chad

 Yes     Yes Yes     Yes     Yes            
Chile Yes Yes  

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes   Yes   Yes Yes     Yes    
China     Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes   Yes   Yes     Yes Yes    
Colombia Yes    

Yes

Yes

 Yes   Yes Yes   Yes Yes          

Comoros

                   Yes              

Congo Brazza

       Yes Yes           Yes            
Cook Islands Yes    

 

 

     Yes                  

Costa Rica

 Yes     Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes   Yes Yes          
Croatia Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes* Yes Yes   Yes   Yes    
Curacao Yes    

Yes

Yes

     Yes       Yes          
Cyprus Yes   Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes     Yes   Yes   Yes    
Czech Republic Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes   Yes   Yes    
Denmark Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes Yes   Yes    

Dominica

 Yes           Yes Yes                  
Dominican Republic Yes    

 

 

 Yes   Yes Yes     Yes          
Ecuador Yes

 

  

Yes

 Yes Yes   Yes Yes                
Egypt Yes    

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes            

El Salvador

 Yes         Yes   Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes          
Estonia Yes   Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes     Yes Yes Yes   Yes    

Ethiopia

 Yes             Yes   Yes Yes            
Fiji Yes Yes  

 

 

     Yes                  
Finland Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes Yes   Yes    
France Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes   Yes    

French Guiana

 Yes     Yes Yes   Yes Yes         Yes        
French Polynesia Yes Yes  

Yes

Yes

 Yes   Yes                  

Gabon

 Yes     Yes Yes     Yes     Yes            

Georgia

 Yes     Yes Yes   Yes Yes   Yes Yes            
Germany Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes   Yes    
Ghana Yes Yes  

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes     Yes Yes            

Gibraltar

 Yes     Yes Yes   Yes Yes                  
Greece Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes     Yes Yes Yes        

Greenland

 Yes     Yes Yes   Yes Yes                  

Grenada

 Yes     Yes Yes   Yes Yes                  
Guadeloupe Yes    

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes       Yes Yes        
Guam    

 

     Yes                      
Guatemala Yes    

 

 

 Yes   Yes Yes     Yes          

Guinea

                   Yes              
Guyana Yes    

 

 

   Yes                    

Haiti

 Yes         Yes                      

Honduras

 Yes         Yes   Yes     Yes Yes          
Hong Kong Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes     Yes Yes Yes   Yes    
Hungary Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes    
Iceland     Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes     Yes   Yes   Yes    
India Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes   Yes Yes     Yes Yes Yes  
Indonesia Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes   Yes Yes     Yes Yes    

Iraq

                   Yes              
Ireland Yes Yes  

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes   Yes   Yes    
Israel Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes Yes   Yes    
Italy Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes   Yes    

Ivory Coast (Cote D'ivoire)

 Yes     Yes Yes         Yes Yes            

Jamaica

 Yes         Yes Yes Yes                  
Japan Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes    
Jordan Yes Yes  

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes            

Kazakhstan

 Yes     Yes Yes   Yes Yes   Yes Yes   Yes*   Yes    
Kenya Yes Yes  

Yes

Yes

   Yes     Yes Yes            

Kiribati

 Yes             Yes                  
Kuwait Yes Yes  

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes            

Kyrgyzstan

 Yes                                

Laos

                   Yes              
Latvia Yes   Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes     Yes Yes Yes   Yes    
Lebanon Yes Yes  

Yes

Yes

     Yes   Yes Yes            
Lesotho Yes Yes  

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes                  

Liechtenstein

 Yes           Yes Yes                  
Lithuania Yes   Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes     Yes Yes Yes   Yes    
Luxembourg Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes Yes        
Macao      

 

 

   Yes       Yes       Yes*    
Macedonia Yes   Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes       Yes   Yes*   Yes    
Malawi Yes     Yes Yes  

Yes

 Yes     Yes            
Malaysia Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes   Yes* Yes Yes    
Maldives     Yes

 

 

                        

Mali

       Yes Yes         Yes Yes            
Malta Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes     Yes   Yes        

Marshall Islands

                                  
Martinique Yes  

 

 Yes Yes   Yes Yes         Yes        

Mauritania

       Yes Yes           Yes            

Mauritius

 Yes     Yes Yes   Yes Yes   Yes Yes            

Mayotte

 Yes     Yes Yes   Yes Yes                  
Mexico Yes Yes  

 

 

 Yes Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes*     Yes    

Micronesia

           Yes                      
Moldova Yes   Yes

 

 

         Yes     Yes        
Monaco Yes    

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes Yes     Yes Yes        
Mongolia      

 

 

           Yes            
Montenegro Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes       Yes   Yes        

Montserrat

 Yes             Yes                  

Morocco

 Yes     Yes Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes        

Mozambique

                   Yes Yes            
Myanmar     Yes

 

 

         Yes       Yes      
Namibia Yes Yes  

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes     Yes   Yes        
Nepal Yes   Yes

 

 

         Yes Yes     Yes      
Netherlands Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes

Yes

 Yes   Yes Yes Yes   Yes    

New Caledonia

Yes

Yes

 

Yes

Yes

     Yes                  
New Zealand Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes   Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes    

Nicaragua

 Yes         Yes   Yes     Yes Yes          

Niger

       Yes Yes           Yes            

Nigeria

 Yes     Yes Yes Yes Yes     Yes Yes            

North Mariana Islands

           Yes                      
Norway Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes*   Yes Yes Yes   Yes    
Oman Yes Yes  

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes   Yes Yes   Yes   Yes    
Pakistan Yes Yes Yes

 

 

   Yes Yes   Yes Yes            

Palau

           Yes                      

Panama

 Yes     Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes   Yes Yes          
Papua New Guinea Yes Yes  

 

 

     Yes   Yes              

Paraguay

 Yes     Yes   Yes     Yes*     Yes          
Peru Yes    

Yes

Yes

 Yes   Yes Yes   Yes            
Philippines Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes     Yes Yes   Yes* Yes Yes    
Poland Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes     Yes   Yes   Yes    
Portugal Yes Yes  

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes   Yes    

Puerto Rico

           Yes     Yes     Yes Yes        
Qatar Yes Yes  

 

 

 Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes     Yes Yes    
Reunion Island Yes    

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes         Yes        
Romania Yes   Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes   Yes*   Yes   Yes   Yes    
Russia Yes   Yes

Yes

Yes

       Yes Yes Yes            

Rwanda

                     Yes            
Saba Yes    

 

 

     Yes                  

Saint Barthelemy

 Yes     Yes       Yes                  

Saint Kitts and Nevis

 Yes           Yes Yes                  
Saint Lucia Yes    

 

 

   Yes Yes                  
Saint Martin/ Sint Maarten Yes    

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes                  

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Yes     Yes Yes     Yes                  

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Yes           Yes Yes                  

San Marino

 Yes     Yes Yes   Yes Yes Yes                
Saudi Arabia Yes Yes  

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes   Yes        

Senegal

 Yes     Yes Yes     Yes Yes Yes Yes            
Serbia Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes     Yes Yes   Yes   Yes    
Singapore Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes     Yes   Yes Yes Yes Yes  
Sint Eustatius Yes    

 

 

     Yes                  
Slovakia Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes Yes* Yes Yes   Yes   Yes    
Slovenia Yes Yes  

Yes

Yes

   Yes   Yes* Yes Yes   Yes   Yes    
South Africa Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes   Yes   Yes    
South Korea Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes    
Spain Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes Yes   Yes    
Sri Lanka Yes Yes Yes

 

Yes

   Yes Yes   Yes Yes     Yes      

Sudan

 Yes                 Yes              
Suriname Yes    

Yes

Yes

         Yes              
Swaziland Yes Yes  

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes     Yes            
Sweden Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes   Yes    
Switzerland Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes   Yes    
Taiwan Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes     Yes   Yes* Yes Yes    
Tanzania

Yes

 Yes   Yes Yes   Yes     Yes Yes            
Thailand Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes   Yes* Yes Yes  

Yes

Togo

 Yes     Yes       Yes   Yes Yes            
Trinidad & Tobago Yes    

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes     Yes Yes          

Tunisia

 Yes     Yes Yes     Yes   Yes Yes            
Turkey (Turkiye) Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes   Yes   Yes    

Turks and Caicos

 Yes           Yes Yes                  

Uganda

 Yes     Yes Yes   Yes Yes   Yes Yes            
Ukraine Yes   Yes

Yes

Yes

   Yes Yes     Yes   Yes**        

United Arab Emirates

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes   Yes Yes   Yes   Yes Yes  
United Kingdom Yes Yes Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes

Yes

 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes  
United States Yes Yes Yes

 

 

 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes   Yes    
Uruguay Yes    

Yes

 

 Yes   Yes Yes   Yes Yes          

Vatican

                 Yes                
Venezuela Yes    

 

 

     Yes                  
Vietnam Yes Yes Yes

 

 

 Yes   Yes   Yes Yes     Yes Yes*    
Zambia Yes Yes  

 

 

   Yes     Yes Yes            

Zimbabwe

                   Yes Yes            

NDC and GDS Functionality Comparison Chart

As the NDC technology continues to develop, the JSON APIs handle certain functionality differently between NDC and GDS:

  • Ticketing: In the GDS distribution channel, Travelport issues the ticket. For NDC, the airline itself issues the ticket and handles payment and any subsequent changes. The general JSON API booking workflow is the same for both GDS and NDC in the JSON APIs.

  • Changes to a booking: After booking, however, GDS and NDC use separate APIs and workflows for voids, exchanges, refunds, and certain modifications. This results from differences in how these processes are implemented by the NDC carriers.

  • Payment: Payment processes can differ between GDS and NDC, and for individual NDC carriers.

The NDC menu at the top of every page in this online help groups the NDC-only topics. Otherwise, all topics in this online help apply to both NDC and GDS with differences noted where applicable.

For NDC / GDS support differences in the JSON APIs, see the support tables for seats, ancillaries, fare rules, and exchanges. Also see the NDC Carrier-Specific Notes above.
For differences within NDC between individual carriers, see the Travelport Knowledge Base article NDC capabilities by airline through JSON API. If you need login assistance, see Knowledge Base NDC Resources.

The following table outlines the functionality differences between NDC and GDS in the JSON APIs.

API and Functionality

NDC Only

GDS Only

Supported for both with differences

General (functionality across multiple APIs)

Identifier values for system-generated IDs

   

The value returned in responses for Identifier/authority value for GDS is Travelport while for NDC this value is the code for the issuing NDC carrier.

See Identifiers in the JSON APIs for more about identifiers across all JSON APIs.

Identifier values for short IDs

    

NDC and GDS use a different numbering scheme for short identifiers for offers, products, brands, etc., in which NDC incorporates the carrier code while GDS does not.

For example:

  • NDC offer ids on Qantas start as QF_CPO0, QF_CPO1, etc.
  • NDC product ids on Singapore Airlines start as SQp0, SQp1, etc.
  • These numbers for GDS would start with o0 and o1 for offers on all carriers and p0 and p1 for products on all carriers.

See Identifiers in the JSON APIs for more about identifiers across all JSON APIs.

Branded fares

    

Branded fares are returned for both NDC and GDS with the following minor differences:

  • NDC does not return the brand tier.

Net fares net ticket data (NTD)

Several APIs return several objects with NTD for any fare with a private fare component; however, NDC does not support net fares.

 

GDS only

  

AvailabilitySourceCode object (returned in ReferenceList/ReferenceListFlight to assist in troubleshooting)

  

GDS only

 

Search
Content Optimizer (formerly Search Control Console)

 

GDS only

  

Air Availability API

 

GDS only

 

Flight Specific Search (both reference and full payload)

  

GDS only
Infants per adult passenger    

For NDC carriers, only 1 INF (infant in lap) is allowed per 1 adult PTC. NDC content is not returned if there are more INF than adults.

The following objects in TravelerGeographicLocation, used to support local citizen fares:

  • residentGeographicCode

  • specialLargeFamilyResidentDiscountInd

  • generalLargeFamilyResidentDiscountInd

NDC only

  

 

The following optional indicators in the Search request:

  • excludePenaltiesInd

  • excludeSurchargesInd

  • excludeBaggageFeesInd

  • includeFareCalculationInd

  • excludeUnbundledFaresInd

  • accountCodeFaresOnlyInd

  

GDS only

  

The following pricing modifiers (PricingModifiersAir) in the Search request:

  • Fare restrictions such as excluding the return of fares that are non-refundable or that require an advance purchase.
  • Currency override to override the PCC default currency
  • Net fares (NDC does not support net fares)
  • Fares based on sell or ticket location (sellCity and ticketCity)
  • Whether to return CAT16 change and cancel penalties (excludePenaltiesInd)
  • Set brand restriction preferences (returnMostRestrictiveBrandInd)
  • Request only fares that meet certain change criteria (ChangeOptions)
  • Request only fares that meet certain refund criteria (RefundOptions)
  • Request split ticketing itineraries (includeSplitPaymentInd)
  • Increase or decrease the base fare (ManualFareAdjustment)
  • Mark all or specific taxes as exempt (TaxExemption)
  • Override default plating carrier (validatingCarrier)

 

GDS only

  

The following pricing modifiers (PricingModifiersAir) in the Search request:

  • PromotionalCode

  • FareQualiferString (sic)

NDC only

    

Refundability and changeabiility options (sent in PricingModifiersAir/FareSelection in the Search request)

 

 

 Up to 6 selection criteria can be sent in for NDC; up to 12 are supported for GDS.

The following journey modifiers (SearchModifiersAir) in the Search request:

  • Exclude interline connections (NDC does not support interline connections) (excludeInterlineConnectionsInd)
  • Prohibit change of airport (prohibitChangeOfAirportInd)
  • Class of service preferences (ClassOfServicePreference)
  • Cabin preference at the leg level (CabinPreference at the itinerary level is supported for NDC)
  • Exclude ground transportation (excludeGround)
  • Maximum connection duration (maxConnectionDuration)
  • Maximum overnight time (MaxOvernightDuration)
  • Preferences for connecting location (ConnectionPreferences)
  • Alliances
  • Prohibited carriers (CarrierPreference/PreferenceType=Prohibited)

 

GDS only

  

Applying journey modifiers (SearchModifiersAir) at the leg level in the Search request instead of to the full itinerary.

 

GDS only

  

In the Search response, the following objects are returned only for GDS:

  • ProductBrandOptions/flightRefs
  • Brand/tier
  • PriceBreakdownAir/Commission (returned for GDS if an airline files a commission in a CAT35 fare)
  • PriceBreakdownAir/Surcharges
  • Flight:
    • Departure/terminal
    • Arrival/terminal
    • operatingCarrierNumber

  • subjectToGovernmentApprovalInd indicator

  • ReferenceList/Product/PassengerFlight/FlightProduct/ticketDesignator (ticket designators are returned for NDC in FlightProduct/fareBasisCode by appending a slash (/) and the ticket designator after the fare basis code)

  • ReferenceListProduct/Product/FlightSegment/boundFlightsInd (in Next Leg Search)
  • ReferenceListTermsAndConditions/TermsAndConditions/TourCodes
  • PassengerFlight/FlightProduct/fareTypeCode
  • TicketingAgency
  • PricingAgency
  • TourCodes
  

GDS only

  

Behavior when upsells are not requested (maxNumberOfUpsellsToReturn)

    

For GDS, when maxNumberOfUpsellsToReturn is either not provided or is sent as 0, the lowest priced offer is returned.

For NDC:

  • When maxNumberOfUpsellsToReturn is not sent, the response returns the lowest priced offer of each available brand or cabin.
  • When maxNumberOfUpsellsToReturn is sent as 0, the response returns the lowest priced offer.

In PriceBreakdown:

  • Discount

In PriceBreakdown/Amount/taxes:

  • description

In ProductBrandOffering:

  • Price (see note at right)

NDC only

  

As part of support for multi-city offers with stopovers (GDS only), the ProductBrandOffering/Price object was removed from all GDS offers across all search responses. Price details for GDS are returned only in ProductBrandOffering/BestCombinablePrice.

NDC offers continue to return price details in both ProductBrandOffering/Price and ProductBrandOffering/BestCombinablePrice. A future deployment will remove ProductBrandOffering/Price from NDC offers.

The UpsellOffering object in the Search response is returned by default for NDC offers on United Airlines (UA) only when dynamic bundle fares (DBF) are available and NDC content has been requested. Not returned for other NDC carriers.

NDC only; United Airlines only

    

AirPrice

AirPrice full payload request

 

 

The full payload request is supported for NDC only on specific carriers.

The AirPrice reference payload request is supported for all supported NDC carriers.

Upsells at AirPrice

NDC only

 

Upsells are supported only in the full payload request, only for specific NDC carriers, by sending MaxNumberOfUpsellsToReturn set to the number of upsells to return.

The following objects in the AirPrice request:

  • validateInventoryInd (check availability in requested class of service - NDC carriers already validate inventory at pricing.)

  • TravelerGeographicLocation (local citizen fares)

  • Fare calculation ladder (net fares - NDC does not support net fares)

  

GDS only

 

Pricing modifiers in the pricing request:

  • SellCity and TicketCity

  • TicketingPCC and PricingPCC

  • FareSelection/fareType=NetFaresOnly value

  • All FareSelectionDetail indicators: prohibitAdvancePurchaseFaresInd, prohibitMaxStayFaresInd, prohibitMinStayFaresInd, refundableOnlyInd

  • TaxExemption

  • accountCodeFaresOnlyInd

  • ManualFareAdjustment

 

GDS only

  

In the AirPrice response:

  • FlightProduct/faretypecode and ticketDesignator

  • TicketingAgency
  • PricingAgency
  

GDS only

  

Fare Display API

 

GDS only

 

Ancillaries and EMDs

Support for specific ancillaries (e.g., paid bags, carbon offset)

    

Supported ancillaries differ for NDC and GDS, and by NDC carrier. See the support section of the Ancillaries and EMDs Guide.
Ancillary workflow support    

Ancillaries can be shopped and booked at various points in the workflow. See the support section of the Ancillaries and EMDs Guide.
Ancillary price

NDC only

    

EMDs

 

 
Payments and EMDs for Seats and Ancillaries
Sending payment and issuing an EMD for a seat or ancillary in the same workbench as shopping and booking that seat/ancillary is supported only for specific NDC carriers. For some NDC carriers and all GDS carriers, you must commit the booking workbench to confirm the seat/ancillary, and send payment and issue the EMD in a separate workbench. For ancillary payment requirements by NDC carrier, see NDC capabilities by airline through JSON API in the Travelport Knowledge Base. (If you need login assistance, see Knowledge Base NDC Resources.)

Returned in the Ancillary Shop response to normalize baggage data for GDS carriers with data returned in Travelport SOAP/XML API:

  • TermsAndConditions:

    • fulfillmentType

    • associatedItem

    • Refundability

    • validatingAirline

  • PriceBreakdown/inclusiveOfTaxInd

  • PriceBreakdown/Commission/application

  • PriceBreakdown/Description/issuanceReasonCode and /value

 

GDS only

 

EMD refund & void

 

GDS only

Ancillary Cancel API

 

 

The Ancillary Cancel API supports canceling baggage and/or seats for both GDS and NDC, and canceling non-baggage paid ancillaries for NDC. Canceling non-baggage paid ancillaries for GDS is not supported.

Seats (also see EMDs above)

Seats support

    

Support varies for NDC and GDS, and by NDC carrier. See the support section of the Seats Guide.

Standalone Seat Map API (full payload seat map request)

 

GDS only

 

Seat map caching after Search and AirPrice requests

 

 

 

Seat map results are not cached outside a workbench for NDC, and the seat map request must be repeated during booking. See the support section of the Seats Guide.

Booking seats in multiple workbench sessions

 

 

For NDC you must select all seats in the same workbench session; you cannot make additional seat selections in a subsequent workbench session.

Seat Book response

    

GDS responses return an identifier for each booked seat and the corresponding seat details, including seat assignment. NDC seat book responses return only an identifier for each booked seat and no seat details.

Seat modify instead of cancel and rebook

 

GDS only

 

Seats bundled with airfares (UA dynamic bundled fares only); available for shop but not currently available for booking

NDC only; United Airlines only

    

Standalone Fare Rules

Fare rules

    

Fare rule support varies between GDS and NDC. See the Fare Rules Guide.

AirReservation

Instant Pay workflow (create reservation and issue the ticket in the same initial booking session)

NDC only

    

Add Product booking workflow (alternate workflow that skips the Search and AirPrice requests that usually initiate the JSON APIs workflow; includes the Add Product and Standalone Price requests)

 

GDS only

  

Add Offer request

  

 

NDC supports only the reference payload Add Offer request.

GDS supports both the full and reference payload requests.

Multiple Add Offer reference payload requests to book multiple air offers on one booking

 

GDS only

 

All pricing modifiers in Add Offer request

  

GDS only

 

Send multiple Add Offer requests to combine multiple offers into one booking

 

GDS only

 

Add offer to reservation with expired booking

 

 

GDS uses the Add Offer request to renew an expired booking.

NDC uses the Reprice API to reprice a booking either before or after the price guarantee expires.

Add Traveler:

  • Telephone/extension object

  • TravelDocument/docType enum value PassportCard

  • Comments object for traveler name remarks

 

GDS only

  

Add Form of Payment (FOP):

  • Adding FOP when creating a held booking

  • Non-standard credit cards FOP

  • Agent invoice FOP

  • Check FOP

  • Pay in installments with credit card (ExtendedPayment object)

  • Multiple FOP on one reservation

 

GDS only

NDC supports adding FOP only in the instant pay and ticketing workflows. If FOP is sent for NDC during the workflow that creates a held booking, the FOP is not stored.

Add Form of Payment credit card CVV

 

  

Required for NDC, optional for GDS.

Delete Form of Payment and Update Form of Payment

 

 

Supported in the initial booking workflow for both GDS and NDC, where these requests delete or update an FOP added in the same booking workbench.

For an existing reservation, supported only for GDS.

In the workbench commit response, returning a message in Result/Warning if the flight time or fare has changed since the offer was added.

  

GDS only

  

Sending the account code/corporate ID number in the workbench commit, if that code was sent as a pricing modifier in OrganizationInformation/OrganizationIdentifier in the Search request.

NDC only

    

Reservation Retrieve request:

  • Retrieve reservation by ticket number (identifierType query parameter); for NDC, retrieve reservation by reservation locator code

  • Request the return of brand attributes (viewBrandCompleteInfoInd)

  • Request the return of additional baggage details (viewBaggageDetailInd)

  

GDS only

  

Reservation retrieve response:

  • Fare rules
  • Certain ticketing information including terms and conditions specific to ticketing, and ticketing time limits. NDC does not return the notificationDate object, which returns the ticketing time limit.
  • Tax code description
  • subjectToGovernmentApprovalInd indicator
  • secureFlightPassengerDataRequiredInd indicator
  • Any travel agency details associated with the booking
  • Retrieve itineraries with multiple air offers

 

GDS only

 

Cancel options in Cancel Workbench Items

 

  

Cancel support varies for NDC and GDS:

To cancel an existing NDC reservation, use the NDC Cancel API.

Shell bookings (a reservation that does not have any air segments booked and contains only traveler details, created in certain cases when a booking fails and the autoDeleteDate query parameter has been set)

  

GDS only

  

Reservation cancel

    

Canceling a reservation for NDC requires a workbench session and a cancel request that sets the RetainFlag parameter to false to indicate the cancel operation.

Send a single request to cancel a GDS reservation. Does not use RetainFlag.

Remarks & Service Requests

Specific remarks:

  • Form of ID (FOID) SSR
  • Child DOB (SSR CHLD)
  • Document override remarks, including traveler-specific commission

 

GDS only

See the Remarks and Service Requests Guide / API Reference for detailed remark/SSR support and carrier-specific details.

Add remarks by SSR code

 

GDS only

 

Additional request in the same workbench session to add or delete same type of remark

   

On an existing reservation, to send an additional request for the same type of item (such as deleting an SSR and adding a new SSR, or deleting two SSRs):

  • For GDS you can make multiple adds or deletes in the same workbench session, but you must retrieve the workbench between each request.

  • For NDC you can must commit the workbench before you can add or delete another of the same type of item.

AirTicketing

Apply the balance on an unused ticket as form of payment to a separate booking

NDC only; limited carrier support

    

Display fees in the Workbench Commit response

  

GDS only

  

Ticket display

    

To retrieve a GDS ticket use the Ticket Retrieve API.

To retrieve an NDC ticket use the NDC Ticket Retrieve API.

Ticket void, cancel, and refund

    

For NDC, use the same process to void a ticket or cancel and issue a refund, depending on whether the ticket is inside the allowable void period. See the Exchange, Refund, and Void Guide.

For GDS, only ticket void is supported. Cancel/refund functionality is under development.

Air Modify, Exchanges, and Refunds

Air modify and exchanges

    

For NDC, use the NDC Exchange APIs (Reshop, Reprice, and Modify) to modify the air itinerary on either a held booking or a ticket.

For GDS, use the GDS Exchange APIs (Exchange Eligibility and Exchange Search) to exchange a GDS ticket. For a held booking, you cannot modify the air itinerary; you must cancel and rebook.

See the Exchange, Refund, and Void Guide for both GDS and NDC processes.

Refunds

NDC only

  

See the Exchange, Refund, and Void Guide.