Reference data includes a number of categories of encode/decode data that contain mappings between human-readable, travel-industry names and codes recognized by Universal API. This data is also used internally within Universal API for validation.
Reference data provides industry-specific information, such as supplier names, locations, and currencies. For example, the DEN city code decodes to Denver, and O'Hare Airport encodes to ORD. In addition to encoding and decoding data, reference data also serves to maintain relationships between types of data.
While some types of reference data, such as city and airport codes, are standardized, other types of local data are obtained directly from suppliers. Because these codes change on a regular basis, updates are provided as they become available.
Schema
See the following transactions for Reference Data:
Accessing Reference Data
Several Universal API transactions support reference data:
- ReferenceDataRetrieve downloads all encode/decode information, or a specified subset, for a type of reference data. This data can be cached for use by a client application or exported to an Excel spreadsheet or CSV format.
- ReferenceDataSearch can be used at run-time to decode one item at a time. ReferenceDataSearch is available only specific types of reference data.
- ReferenceDataUpdateReq and ReferenceDataUpdateRsp are not currently in use.
Some data types are also available only through the Reference Data Zip File on MyTravelport (Login to My Travelport > Developer Tools > Login (if not already loggied in) > Build Your Travel App > SOAP XML API > Resources > Travelport Reference Data Tables)
Sources for Reference Data
There are several sources for reference data. For some types of reference data, these sources may vary depending on the Universal API schema version.
- Travelport proprietary codes includes codes specific to Travelport or a Universal API provider (Galileo, Apollo, Worldspan). Most Travelport proprietary data is also available through reference data zip files that can be downloaded from the My Travelport Developer website (see instructions in previous section). These types of codes include:
- Hotel property numbers.
- Ucodes and Tcodes for rail stations and rail locations.
- Vehicle rental locations.
Note: Some types of data may contain codes from several types of sources. These data types are listed as Travelport-proprietary codes because they do not contain a single standard.
- Standardized codes used by travel-industry organizations or other standards organizations, including:
Note: Travelport may use a subset of data from a standardized source or may include codes that are not part of that standard. Therefore, do not use the encode and decode information provided directly by an organization.
- Provider-specific codes supported by only one provider. For example, some schema versions use data specific for Worldspan (1P) that are not available to Galileo (1G) or Apollo (1V).
See Types of Reference Data for source and access information for specific types of data.
Using ReferenceDataRetrieveReq to View or Cache Files
To retrieve reference data files for viewing or caching, most data types are available using ReferenceDataRetrieveReq @TypeCode.
-
In ReferenceDataRetrieveReq @TypeCode, enter one of Data Type Code values listed in the annotation. See details in Types of Reference Data.
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Optional. In /ReferenceDataSearchModifiers, enter one or more modifiers to narrow the search results: @MaxResults, @StartFromResult, and @ProviderCode.
Exception:
-
Subcategories of hotel amenities can be requested by combining TypeCode="HotelAmenities" subcategories specified in ReferenceDataRetrieveReq/RequestReferenceDataItem.
-
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Optional. Save the data for caching in the desired format or database. The following instructions provide options for converting XML to a Microsoft® Excel spreadsheet or a CSV file.
Exporting Data to a Spreadsheet
The results can be exported to a spreadsheet or CSV format.
- http://xmlgrid.net/xmlToExcel.html for smaller responses.
- Save the response to the desktop.
- Using Excel, click the Data tab and then the From Other Sources option.
- Select the From XML Data Import option.
- The user must use the Excel wizard steps to remove unwanted columns.
Types of Reference Data
| Type of data |
Description |
Source |
Access |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Accounting Reference Types |
Accounting reference types to categorize a traveler's bookings. Accounting reference codes are often used by the traveler's employer for budgeting, internal billing, or other cost accounting purposes. The valid codes for the AccountingReference @Type attribute (for example, ProfileCreateReq/ProfileData/AccountingReference @Type). |
Travelport proprietary data. |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="AccountingReferenceType" |
|
Accounting Remark Types |
Accounting remark types |
Travelport-proprietary data. |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="AccountingRemarkType" |
|
Airport |
Commercial airports |
Travelport-proprietary data based on IATA city and airport codes. |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="Airport" ReferenceDataSearchReq Also available through the Reference Data Zip file in RAPT.txt. |
|
Air and Rail Miscellaneous Types |
Air and rail seat positions (for example, aisle or window), classes of service, and some special request codes. Codes returned can be used in the attributes CabinTypeMiscTravel, CabinTypeRefCategory, SeatTypeMiscTravel, SeatTypeRefCategory, and some SSR codes associated with a profile's AirPreference RailPreference elements. |
Travelport-proprietary data. |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="AirAndRailMiscType" |
|
Air and Rail Supplier Types |
Air and rail suppliers. Codes returned can be used in the Supplier attribute associated with a profile's AirPreference and RailPreference elements. |
|
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="AirAndRailSupplierType" |
|
Class of Service (Booking Class) |
Travelport-proprietary data based on carrier-specific booking codes. |
Reference Data Zip file in RCLS.txt |
|
|
Air Meal Service Types |
Travelport-proprietary data. |
Reference Data Zip file in RAML.txt |
|
|
Business Type |
Business codes |
|
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="BusinessType" |
|
Carrier |
Airline carriers (suppliers) |
|
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="Carrier" Check for RefData Retrieve ReferenceDataSearchReq |
|
City |
Cities |
Travelport-proprietary data. |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="City" Also available through the Reference Data Zip file in RCTY.txt. ReferenceDataSearchReq |
|
City/Airport |
Cities and metropolitan (metro) areas with commercial airports |
Travelport proprietary data. |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="CityAirport" Also available through the Reference Data Zip file in RCTY.txt and RMET.txt. |
|
Country |
Countries with commercial airports and the referenced cities |
Travelport proprietary data. |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="Country" ReferenceDataSearchReq Also available through the Reference Data Zip file in RCNT.txt. |
|
Currency |
Currency types |
Travelport-proprietary data based on 2-character IATA country codes. |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="Currency" ReferenceDataSearchReq Also available through the Reference Data Zip file in RCUR.txt and RCNT.txt. |
|
Email Types |
Email types |
Travelport proprietary data |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="EmailType" |
|
Airline Equipment |
Aircraft equipment types |
Travelport proprietary data |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="Equipment" ReferenceDataSearchReq Also available through the Reference Data Zip file in RAEQ.txt. |
|
Geopolitical Areas |
Geopolitical type name, code, and description of an area. See Profile Preferences for more information. |
|
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="GeoPoliticalArea" |
|
HotelMealPlans |
Hotel meal plans |
|
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="HotelMealPlans" |
|
HotelMiscType |
Hotel bed codes and special requests Codes can be used in the attributes BedTypeMiscTravel, BedTypeRefCategory, SpecialRequestMiscTravel, and SpecialRequestRefCategory associated with a profile's HotelPreference element. |
|
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="HotelMiscType" |
|
HotelRateCategory |
Hotel rate categories |
|
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="HotelRateCategory" |
|
HotelRoomViewType |
Hotel room view types |
|
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="HotelRoomViewType" |
|
HotelSupplierType |
Hotel suppliers (chains or properties) Codes returned can be used in the Supplier attribute associated with a profile's HotelPreference element. |
Travelport proprietary data. |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="HotelSupplierType" Also available through the Reference Data Zip file in RHTL.txt. Associated brands are listed in AHTL.txt. |
|
HotelTaxType |
Types of hotel taxes |
|
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="HotelTaxType" |
|
Merchandising Offer Type |
Types of merchandising offers. |
|
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="MerchandisingOfferType" |
|
Passenger Type Code (PTC) |
The traveler's Passenger Type Code (PTC), formerly known as Passenger Identification Code (PIC). |
Travelport proprietary data. |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="PassengerTypeCode" Also available through the Reference Data Zip file in PTYP.txt. Historical PIC codes are available in RPIC.txt. |
|
Payment Format Type |
Payment formats |
Travelport proprietary data |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="PaymentFormatType" |
|
PaymentType |
Forms of payment |
Travelport proprietary data |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="PaymentType" |
|
Point-of-Sale Channel |
Points of sale |
Travelport proprietary data |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="PosChannel" |
|
Travelport proprietary data |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="PersonGenderType" Note that this value is not currently listed in the ReferenceDataRetrieveReq @TypeCode annotation. Disregard the TypeCode="Gender" value listed in the annotation and use "PersonGenderType". |
||
|
Postal Address Type |
The type of mailing address, such as Mailing, Shipping, Home, or Work |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="PostalAddressType" |
|
|
Rail Accommodation |
Seat and cabin information, such as forward or backward seat, aisle or window seat, and type of coach (cinema) |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="RailAccommodation" |
|
|
Rail Discount and Loyalty Cards |
Rail discount and/or loyalty cards, which may be sent in a RailAvailability request and RailCreateReservation request |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="RailDiscountLoyalty" |
|
|
Rail Station/Location |
Rail station T-Code or U-Code and IATA identifier, if available. |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="RailStationLocation" |
|
|
Contains attributes to narrow the search results and reduce the number of rail stations or locations returned in the response. By only returning data requested by the user, the contents of the rail station/locations table is reduced in size and user code to reduce the size should not be needed. More Information
Attributes for the following search parameters were added to the RailLocation element:
Request Example: <util:ReferenceDataSearchModifiers>
A large number of codes may be returned when @Distributor is included in the request. For example:
These results can be exported to a spreadsheet or CSV format. See Exporting Data to a Spreadsheet. |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq/ ReferenceDataSearchModifiers RailStationLocationModifiers |
||
|
Reference Points |
Reference Points used for Hotel searches. Reference point text files can only be retrieved incrementally or at one time for use in caching. Note: Reference Points are not supported for Worldspan (1P). |
Travelport proprietary data |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="ReferencePointSearch" Also available through the Reference Data Zip file in REFERENCE_POINTS.txt. |
|
Resource Category Types |
Types of resource categories |
|
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="ResourceCategoryType" |
|
Role Category Types |
Types of role categories |
Travelport proprietary data |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="RoleCategoryType" |
|
SSR Types |
Special Service Request (SSR) type codes |
Travelport proprietary data |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="SsrType" ReferenceDataSearchReq Also available through the Reference Data Zip file in RSSR.txt. |
|
State |
States or provinces within the associated country, such as the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, and Canada
|
Travelport proprietary data |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="State" ReferenceDataSearchReq Also available through the Reference Data Zip file in RSTA.txt. |
|
StateProvince |
States and provinces |
Travelport proprietary data |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="StateProvince" |
|
Supplier Types |
Returns codes for available suppliers |
Travelport proprietary data |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="SupplierType" |
|
Title |
The traveler's title or honorific |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="Title" |
|
|
Vehicle Miscellaneous Type |
Codes returned can be used in the attributes SpecialEquipmentMiscTravel, SpecialEquipmentRefCategory, SpecialRequestMiscTravel, SpecialRequestRefCategory, VehicleTypeMiscTravel, and VehicleTypeRefCategory associated with a profile's VehiclePreference element. |
|
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="VehicleMiscType" |
|
Vehicle codes for special equipment For example:
|
Travelport proprietary data |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="VehicleSpecialEquipment" Also available through reference data zip files in RCEQ.txt. |
|
|
Vehicle Supplier Type |
Vehicle rental companies (suppliers) Codes returned can be used in the Supplier attribute associated with a profile's VehiclePreference element. |
Travelport proprietary data |
ReferenceDataRetrieveReq Name="VehicleSupplierType" Also available through the Reference Data Zip file in ACAR.txt. |
