NDC isn't a new product — it's a new channel for the same airline content. Here's what that actually means for a small, non-IATA agency, and why it's worth knowing which channel your tool connects to.
Plenty of agents have heard the term NDC, but few have a clear picture of what it actually means for day-to-day work. We’re not selling anything in this post — just an explanation without the hype, based on what IATA itself states.
What NDC is
NDC (New Distribution Capability) is a travel industry-supported programme launched by IATA for the development and market adoption of a new, XML-based data transmission standard — the NDC Standard.
That standard enhances the capability of communications between airlines and travel agents. Importantly, NDC isn’t closed to IATA members — it’s open for any third party to implement and use: an intermediary, an IT provider, or a non-IATA agency.
Why IATA launched NDC
IATA states that NDC addresses the limitations of the traditional distribution setup in three areas: product differentiation and time-to-market, access to full and rich air content, and a transparent shopping experience.
According to IATA, three parties benefit, each in its own way:
- airlines — they can differentiate their products and services, instead of selling them the same way as everyone else;
- travel sellers (agencies) — they get access to the airlines’ full and rich air content, not just the slice a traditional display shows;
- customers — they get a transparent shopping experience.
This isn’t a loosely defined initiative — the programme rests on IATA Resolution 787, adopted in October 2012, and NDC messages themselves are governed by IATA’s Shop-Order Standards Board, under the Passenger Standards Conference. In other words, it’s a standard with a formal governing body inside IATA, not a single airline’s own product.
The technology behind it
On the technology side, Amadeus offers NDC capability for airlines (Amadeus Altéa NDC) — certified under IATA’s Airline Retailing Maturity index, integrated with offer and order management systems, and supporting end-to-end NDC booking flows, from offer to order. That’s the kind of channel through which NDC content reaches an agency — not directly from the airline to your screen, but through whatever system your consolidator or booking tool connects to.
What this means for a small agency, honestly
This is the heart of the matter. NDC content isn’t a different product — it’s a different channel for the same airline content. IATA’s own phrase, “access to full and rich air content,” is the point: a fare or an ancillary can sometimes be offered through NDC that a traditional display wouldn’t show in the same way.
Because the standard is open to anyone — not just IATA members — the practical question for an agency isn’t “which is better,” but what your tool actually connects to. Does your tool even recognise that channel? And can your workflow issue and service an NDC booking as easily as a traditional one — without extra steps, without gaps in support?
That’s exactly why the distinction is worth knowing, even if you’ve never touched it directly: the content you see — or don’t see — depends on how far the channel behind your screen actually reaches.
SkyConnect, our partner-agency platform, searches Amadeus GDS + NDC + low-cost airlines in a single search — precisely so the difference between channels isn’t the agency’s problem.
Closing
If you’re not sure which channel your agency currently reaches, and whether that includes NDC content, ask us — it’s worth checking. For more information — send us a request.