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New Distribution Capability (NDC) is a data exchange format based on Offer and Order management processes for airlines to create and distribute relevant offers to the customer regardless of the distribution channel.
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What?
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 and is open to any third party, intermediary, IT provider or non-IATA member, to implement and use.
Why?
NDC 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 and finally, transparent shopping experience.
Who will benefit and how?
Available on a voluntary and open basis, NDC benefits different industry players across the airline distribution value chain as follows:
- Full service and low-cost airlines > Differentiate their Products and Services
- Travel Sellers > Access Full and Rich Air Content of the Airlines
- Customers > Benefit from a Transparent Shopping Experience
Documentation
- Fact Sheet (pdf) A one-pager on NDC: The NDC Program, the NDC Standard, and more
- Get started with NDC (pdf) (Oct 2019) how to build a business case, who to talk to, what to look out for, etc. A must-read if you are starting your journey to retailing.
- Airline Retailing Maturity (ARM) index factsheet (pdf): The ARM index evaluates organizations across their technical capabilities, scalability of partnerships across the retailing value chain, and maturity in capturing potential value. This factsheet contains everything you need to know about the ARM index program.
- Resolution 787 (pdf) (Oct 2012): A copy of the IATA Resolution, supporting the NDC Program
- Airline Retailing: the value at stake by McKinsey & Company (October 2019)
- Scalability Report (pdf) (Mar 2019) Study to assess the industry's readiness to address the look-to-book ratios challenges in an NDC environment.
Media and Multimedia
Why NDC?
Learn why NDC is a positive development for the travel industry.
What is NDC? (Part 1)
Learn what NDC is ... and what it isn't.
What is NDC? (Part 2)
Learn what NDC is ... and what it isn't (continued).
Who will benefit from NDC, and how?
Learn about the benefits the new standard delivers.
The NDC Messages are governed by the Shop-Order Standards Board under the Passenger Standards Conference and managed by three specialised Industry Groups; the Offer, Order and Customer Payment Groups. These Groups, ensure the standard is maintained and improved each release.
If you are an airline or strategic partner and would like to join the conversations and help set the standard, please contact standards@iata.org for more information.
IATA Passenger Messaging Standards
The NDC (Offer and Order) messages can be found within the standard IATA Passenger Messaging Standards.
- Download the latest Schemas
NDC Implementation Guide