You are here: Home » Areas of Activity » Finance » Clearing Services » IATA Clearing House (ICH)

The IATA Clearing House enables the world's airlines and airline-associated companies to settle their interline billings securely and efficiently.

By offsetting their mutual transactions through the IATA Clearing House, participating companies can reduce hundreds of bilateral, multi-currency transactions for passenger, cargo, baggage, catering, ground-handling and other services to one single payable or receivable amount.  Airline-associated companies can also join the Clearing House to settle accounts for services provided by them to airlines.

Interline agreements, covering the transfer of passengers, freight and mail from one company to another, are a cornerstone of the international air transport Industry.  These agreements make it possible for passengers and freight-shippers to purchase multi-sector journeys involving transportation on any number of different airlines.

To be able to provide competitive, seamless service to customers, each partner or service provider must be able to promptly collect its dues from the ticketing airline and travel partners.

Every month, around 350 members & associates of the IATA Clearing House settle multi-million dollar transactions with each other.  The scope of clearance is further expanded through its interclearance agreement with the US-based Airlines Clearing House (ACH).  Altogether, more than 450 airlines & associates settle their accounts through this IATA service to manage their working capital efficiently and securely.

The IATA Clearing House settles around US$50 billion in interline and service transactions each year.  Some 75% of these are settled through the netting process requiring no movement of funds, assuring high credit and currency protection to its users. 

Contact the IATA Clearing House