NDC and Direct Connections - Overview

Modified on Fri, 17 Jan at 2:26 PM

NDC and Direct Connections

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What is NDC?
NDC and Spotnana
Our NDC integrations
Other direct airline integrations

What is NDC?

NDC is the biggest change to happen to the airline industry since the creation of the first online booking tool in the 1990’s. Spotnana is leading the industry through this transition by building the deepest direct NDC integrations to top airlines in record time as well as making other significant enhancements to our travel platform.

NDC is an XML data schema for airline bookings that was created by the International Air Transportation Association (IATA) in 2012 to replace EDIFACT, a data schema that was created in 1984. NDC enables airlines to offer a greater variety of booking options and ancillaries at a wider range of prices, along with better customer service. Some specific advantages of NDC are:

Expanded travel options: Some airlines have removed inventory from EDIFACT channels and added additional inventory and ancillary products available exclusively via NDC and their websites. For example, United Airlines offers 40% more price points via NDC.
Continuous pricing: Some airlines offer additional price points via NDC that are less expensive than options available via EDIFACT channels.
Additional cost savings: Some airlines have raised prices in EDIFACT channels and lowered prices available via NDC in order to drive NDC adoption. In addition, some airlines have implemented surcharges for bookings in EDIFACT channels that are as high as $24 per flight.
Personalized shopping experiences: NDC makes it easy for airlines to incorporate a traveler’s loyalty status during the booking process. If a traveler is entitled to a free seat in economy class, for example, this can be shown in the seat map.
Custom negotiated bundles: NDC allows a corporation with sufficient travel volume to negotiate custom bundles that include priority boarding, extra legroom, free WiFi, etc. Spotnana supports the ability to display these bundles in our booking experience.
Servicing anywhere: NDC makes it possible for a traveler to receive assistance from TMC agents or an airline and for all parties to stay in sync.

Some airlines offer direct API connections that have many features similar to NDC connections. However, these connections are not certified by IATA.

NDC and Spotnana

Spotnana was designed from its inception to work seamlessly with any source of travel content, including NDC. It’s our strategy to build the deepest direct NDC integrations with the world’s largest airlines . We believe this approach is best, because it gives us the ability to deliver the full benefits of each airline’s NDC API to our customers. It also enables us to partner closely with major airlines and be the first to deliver future innovations.

Spotnana’s NDC integrations offer comprehensive functionality throughout the traveler journey, including support for self-service flight changes, cancellations, and (where supported by the airline) redemption of unused ticket credits.

Spotnana also makes it easy for TMC agents to service all forms of bookings, including those made via NDC integrations.

Our NDC integrations

We currently have direct NDC integrations in place with the following airlines, which offers the following benefits:

Air France-KLM

Eliminates EDIFACT booking surcharge.
Access to NDC-exclusive promotional fares.
Continuous pricing.
Ability to hold a ticket.
View personalized seat maps based on frequent flier status.
Travelers can self-service cancellations without an agent.
Automated refunds for cancellations.

American Airlines

Discounts on NDC fares relative to EDIFACT booking channels.
Access to NDC-exclusive fares (Main Plus, Main Select, and Flagship Business Plus).
Travelers can self-service cancellations without an agent.
Ability to redeem unused ticket credits, including applying unused EDIFACT credits to NDC bookings.
Ability to hold a ticket.
View personalized seat maps based on frequent flier status.
One-step loyalty enrollment into AAdvantage frequent flyer program.
Automated refunds for cancellations.

British Airways

Eliminates EDIFACT booking surcharge.
Access dynamic fares and continuous pricing.
Travelers can self-service booking modifications and cancellations without an agent.
View personalized seat maps based on frequent flier status.
Easily manage flight changes during travel disruptions.
Automated refunds for cancellations.
Ability to be serviced by TMC or British Airways agents with all changes reflected on both the airline website and the Spotnana platform.

Copa Airlines

Eliminates EDIFACT booking surcharge.
Access to NDC-exclusive sales promotions.
Travelers can self-service booking modifications and cancellations without an agent.
Ability to hold a ticket.
View personalized seat maps (after booking) based on frequent flier status.
Automated refunds for cancellations.

Emirates Airlines

Access to NDC-exclusive promotional fares.
Travelers can self-service booking modifications and cancellations without an agent.
Ability to hold a ticket.
View personalized seat maps (after booking) based on frequent flier status.
Automated refunds for cancellations.

Lufthansa Group

Includes NDC booking options for Air Dolomiti (codeshares only), Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Discover Airlines, Lufthansa Airlines, SWISS.
Eliminates EDIFACT booking surcharge.
Access to NDC-exclusive fares, such as Economy Light, Business Saver, and Green Fares. Green Fares reduce up to 20% of flight-related CO2 emissions by the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and offset parts or all of the remaining 80% of the CO2 emissions by an equivalent contribution to high-quality climate protection projects.
Access to continuous pricing.
Discounts on some ancillaries and fares relative to EDIFACT booking channels.
Travelers can self-service booking modifications and cancellations without an agent.
Ability to hold a ticket.
View personalized seat maps based on frequent flier status.
Automated refunds for cancellations.

United Airlines

Access to continuous pricing.
Access to NDC-exclusive fares (Basic Economy).
Travelers can self-service booking modifications and cancellations without an agent.
Ability to redeem unused ticket credits.
Ability to hold a ticket.
View personalized seat maps based on frequent flier status.
Automated refunds for cancellations.
Ability to be serviced by TMC or United Airlines agents with all changes reflected on both the airline website and the Spotnana platform.

Other direct airline integrations

In addition to our NDC integrations, we have also built direct integrations with select airlines. Although these airlines have not obtained IATA certification for their APIs, our direct connections with them provide benefits similar to our NDC connections.

easyJet

Access dynamic fares at a lower cost.
Travelers can self-service cancellations without an agent.
Receive automated refunds (minus any applicable cancellation penalties) within the first 24 hours of booking.
Ability to be serviced by either TMC or easyJet agents with all changes reflected on both the airline website and Spotnana platform.

This direct connection has been built via an API developed by Kyte. Fare options for EasyJet flights will therefore display a content source of "Kyte".

Ryanair

Eliminates EDIFACT booking surcharge.
Access to dynamic fares, including two additional fare options that are not available via GDS (Regular and Plus).

This direct connection has been built via an API developed by Kyte. Fare options for Ryanair flights will therefore display a content source of "Kyte".

Southwest Airlines

Access to full content including promotional fares (Week of WOW fares, etc.).
Ability to purchase EarlyBird Check-In.
Ability to redeem unused ticket credits.
Ability to make self-service modifications and cancellations (including post check-in changes).
Automated refunds for cancellations.
Ability to be serviced by either TMC or Southwest agents with all changes reflected on both the airline website and Spotnana platform.