The NDC program 

NDC (New Distribution Capability) is a travel industry-supported program (NDC Program) launched by IATA for the development and market adoption of a new, XML-based data transmission standard (NDC Standard).

The NDC Standard enhances the capability of communications between airlines and travel agents.

The NDC Standard is open to any third party, intermediary, IT provider or non-IATA member, to implement and use. 

The NDC Standard enables the travel industry to transform the way air products are retailed to corporations, leisure and business travelers, by addressing the industry’s current distribution limitations:

• Product differentiation and time-to-market
• Access to full and rich air content
• Transparent shopping experience  

NDC Microsites

Access the latest tools to get the most of out NDC

• For Airlines: startNDC.iata.org
• For Business Travel: NDCBIZtravel.iata.org 
• For Developers: NDC.Developer.iata.org

For and by the travel industry

The power of standardization

An industry standard will facilitate a more efficient airline distribution system, thereby benefitting airlines, agents, GDSs, IT providers and travel start-ups.

Structured around seven distribution-related functions, the NDC Standard provides the opportunity to address the end-to-end airline distribution process, e.g. shopping, booking etc., and to deliver enhanced customer experiences.​​​​

Broaden your knowledge

Learn more about NDC and what others have to say about it and sign up for the NDC Hub e-newsletter.  

White Papers 

• NDC Solutions White Paper - (pdf) (Dec 2016) Overview of IT solutions using the NDC standard. Details on suppliers avaiable at NDC Solutions ID Cards (pdf) (Dec 2016) 
• The Future of Airline Distribution 2016-2021 - (pdf) (Oct 2016) Industry views on distribution trends based on interviews with industry players
• Payment trends to watch out - (pdf) (Oct 2016) provides an overview of ongoing changes in the payment environment. This concerns new players, new technologies, change in regulation etc
• Overview card payment current workflows - (pdf) (Oct 2016) provides several workflows that enable to understand how card payment are handled in the current environment, who are the players...
• Payment in an NDC environment - (pdf) (Oct 2016) provides first findings on how future workflows could be modified to process more secured transaction in NDC environment, as well as to facilitate alternative payment forms.

• NDC: How Consumers View the Future (pdf) (Oct 2015): Insights into Consumers views on the benefits of Airline Retailing​
• NDC: Travel Agencies’ Enabler to Success  (pdf) (Oct 2015): Insights into how travel agents see NDC impacting their business 

Guides 

• Implementation Guide - (pdf) (Dec 2016) - Support documentation to help you initiate your NDC project
• NDC Change Readiness Guide for Airlines - Edition 3  (pdf) (Oct 2016) - A support tool for airlines planning their NDC enablement from defining the vision and strategy to initiating the program.
• NDC Change Readiness Guide for TMCs - (pdf) (Oct 2016) A support tool for Travel Management Companies as the NDC standard is implemented.
• NDC Change Readiness Guide for Travel Manager - (pdf) (Oct 2016) A support tool for Travel Managers as the NDC standard is implemented.      

• NDC Revenue Accounting Guide (pdf) (Aug 2016) - New support tool for airlines looking at implementing NDC offer & order management with suggested approaches to how Revenue Accounting processes may change. ​

Audiovisuals

• YouTube English (Jun 2014)
• Download English (zip) An introduction to the NDC shopping experience
• NDC Educational Videos

 Twitter

• Follow NDC through #AirlineNDC
• Follow NDC Hackathons through #NDCHack

NDC Training

NDC Case Studies

• FlyBe uses NDC to connect with corporate customers (pdf) (Feb 2017)     
• Lufthansa turns NDC into novel customer benefits (pdf) (Nov 2016)
• TravelSky plans long-term support of the airlines (pdf) (Nov 2016)
• GOL’s innovation makes NDC a natural fit​ (pdf) (Jul 2016)
• InselAir transforms from travel provider to experience provider (pdf) (May 2016)
• United Airlines takes ownership of content (pdf) (Feb 2016)
• Rotana Jet has NDC at the core of its business strategy (pdf) (Feb 2016)
• Heli Air Monaco gets ahead of the curve (pdf) (Jun 2015)
• Skyscanner (pdf) (Apr 2014)

Demos

• NDC Demonstrator, English, español, version 2.0 (Jan 2014): ​An overview of the NDC Standard-based OTA mockup developed by IATA to demonstrate the potential of the standa​rd for your business​​

Official documentation

• Standard presentation (pdf) (Apr 2017): A high level introduction to NDC: why NDC, what is NDC, what has NDC achieved so far and what's next?
• Fact Sheet (pdf) (Dec 2016): A one pager on NDC: The NDC Program, the NDC Standard, and more​
• Resolution 787 (pdf) (Oct 2012): A copy of the IATA Resolution, supporting the NDC Program

The power of standardization

Technical standards simplify things and enable efficiencies, innovation and lower product costs.

NDC Shopping

The Shopping schemas enable airlines to distribute their full product offers and to merchandize their baggage, seat choices and ancillary services, using rich content, in an anonymous or personalized manner. 

NDC (EDIST) PADIS 17.1 Release Schemas

Learn about and access the NDC (EDIST) PADIS 17.1 Release Schemas

NDC Order Management

The Order Management schemas enable airlines to manage NDC-driven orders throughout the entire lifecycle, from booking to fulfilment. It is composed of:

• The schemas for Booking & Servicing, to enable airlines and travel agents to manage the order from the traveler, once he/she has selected an offer, and service it at any point throughout the order lifecycle;
• The schemas for Payment & Ticketing, to enable airlines and travel agents to collect and pass form of payment details for the supported payment methods, offered by the airlines and selected by the traveler; these schemas will also allow travel agents to request accountable documents issuance to fulfil NDC-driven orders.
  

NDC Airline Profile

The Airline Profile schemas enable airlines to communicate the markets for which they are willing to respond to NDC-driven requests for offers and associated services.

Interlining

There is no specific schemas for interline, however the Shopping and Order Management schemas will enable airlines to send requests for offers and associated services to their interline partners, and manage the resulting booking and servicing, including for ancillary products.

Download the NDC Business Requirement Documents

• View the NDC Business Requirements Documents for Shopping, Order Management, Airline Profile and Interline interactions (zip)

Who are the NDC Players?

• ​NDC Certified/Capable Entities - find who they are by accessing the NDC Registry​
• NDC Trained Consultants - find out how to become IATA ​Trained NDC Consultant​
• NDC Airlines​ in details

Apply to pilot the NDC schemas!

Download the NDC Yearly Pilot and Deployment Reports 

• View 2016 report​ (pdf)
• View 2015 report (pdf)
• View  2014 report (pdf)
• View 2013 report (pdf)

Download the NDC Pilots Terms of Reference​

• ​View Terms of reference for NDC Pilots (pdf)  ​

Are you NDC certified?

IATA provides the only official industry certification and registration program for NDC.  

NDC Registration covers:

• Early NDC adopters that are XML-Capable can participate in the NDC registration program and will be granted the status of XML-Capable. This registration is free of charge and will provide visibility in the NDC registry and exposure to potential NDC Deployment Partners.

The certification process examines the capabilities of airlines, agents and aggregators to receive and send NDC messages, testing specific NDC solutions.

NDC Certification covers:

• Airlines, Agents and Aggregators  – Any airline that deploys an NDC API or any agent or aggregator that consumes these APIs; and
• IT Providers – Any vendor that offers NDC products and services for airlines and distributors can become NDC capable.

Access now the NDC Certification Registry to see who are the NDC certified /capable actors.

• Download presentation on NDC Certification (pdf) (Feb 2016)
• Watch video on NDC Certification (Youtube) (Mar 2016)

Rise to the standard and apply for certification:

• Guide to NDC Registration and Certification Program (pdf)
• Certification Application Form - Airlines and Travel Agents​ (word)
• Certification Application Form - IT Providers and Aggregators​ (word)
• XML-Capable Registration Form (word)

Sign up for certification now!

For and by the travel industry

Bring your skills, knowledge and expertise and help with the development and adoption of the NDC Standard. Join the Passenger Distribution Management Working Group (PDMG WG). 

Passenger Distribution Management Group (PDMG)

Passenger Distribution Management Group is comprised of senior airline distribution executives whose responsibilities are to govern the development of the NDC Standard. 

Passenger Distribution Management Group Advisory Forum (PDMG AF)

The PDMG Advisory Forum is comprised of senior representatives from across the airline distribution value chain. The role of this forum is to drive a common industry perspective on key topics through the inclusion of airlines, travel agents, global distribution and IT providers. It then provides feedback and recommendations to the PDMG from an industry stakeholder’s perspective.  

Passenger Distribution Management Group Working Group (PDMG WG) 

The Passenger Distribution Management Group Working Group  is comprised of up to 70 participants representing airlines, global distribution systems, IT providers, travel agents and other industry third parties. Its primary role is to document detailed business requirements and develop implementation guidance for data exchange standards in the area of airline distribution.

Let's have a chat

These are the events where the team will speak NDC in 2017. Feel free to come along and have a chat with us!  

• GBTA Convention 2017​, ​15-19 July, Boston, USA
• World Passenger Symposium​, 24-26 October, Barcelona, Spain