Fact sheet - IATA Agency Program

The IATA Passenger Agency Program provides a system for the accreditation of travel agents that meet specific industry standards and financial criteria. Currently there are over 67,000 accredited travel agents operating in more than 200 countries.

The Passenger Agency Program and associated products and services simplify the business relationship between agents, airlines and other industry principals. IATA's accreditation and coding system provide a standard method for agents to be recognized by both the travel industry and consumers.

The benefits of the program are as follows:

For IATA Airline Members

• Access to a global distribution network of IATA accredited travel agents who have signed a standard Sales Agency Agreement with IATA
• Neutral agent verification services by IATA including financial evaluation and status monitoring
• Reliable credit management with a collection rate of over 99%
• Access to IATA’s Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP), and BSPlink that together provide a single standard interface for invoicing and payment between airlines and agents
• Protection in case of violation of the Passenger Sales Agency Agreement, including non-payment through the rigorous application of a compliance program
  

Further information: Airline Membership

For IATA Accredited Travel Agents

• Access to more than 240 IATA airline members via a standard Sales Agency Agreement
• Ability to sell international tickets on behalf of the airlines
• Access to IATA’s Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP), and BSPlink that together provide a single standard interface for invoicing and payment between the agent and multiple airlines and transport providers 
• Global travel industry recognition through an “IATA Numeric Code” that provides a unique agent identifier
• Global consumer confidence due to recognition of IATA-accredited travel agents meeting industry standards
• Identification and association by the IATA accredited agent logo and branding displayed on travel agents' premises and websites
• Provides standard procedures which ensure fair and uniform standards in all dealings with airlines

Further information: Accreditation Travel & Tourism

For Consumers

• Confidence that IATA accredited travel agents meet industry standards and financial criteria 
  

Other Services for Travel Agents

TIDS Program

• The Travel Industry Designator Service (TIDS) code is a unique numeric code, allocated by IATA to globally identify sales intermediaries, including non-accredited travel agents, event organizers, hotel booking services, etc. 
• It ensures that the sales intermediary, or point of sale, is properly identified in electronic reservation systems as the originator of flight reservations, hotel and car rental bookings
• Major travel industry suppliers now require a valid IATA or TIDS numeric code from sales agents making bookings for their services 
• Currently over 18,000 sales intermediaries have joined the program
  

Further information: Travel Industry Designator Service (TIDS)

IATA Travel Agent Identity (ID) Card

• The IATA ID Card provides over 140,000 travel agency staff and individual sales agents with a photo identity card. This is an industry credential accepted by airlines and major travel and tourism suppliers 
• It entitles the ID Card holder to many industry discounts and privileges 
  

Further information: IATA/IATAN ID Card

Updated: June 2012