A GDS is a computerized network that pulls real-time availability and pricing from travel suppliers so that a travel advisor can book it directly from one place. Most leisure advisors don’t need direct access to one. If you book hotels, cruises, tours, and packaged air for clients, you can build a full business without logging into a GDS yourself. It’s helpful for advisors to know who the major providers are, and more important to understand which advisors need access and how to book without it.
What are the major GDS providers?
There are three major GDS providers today: Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport. Unless you’re running your own travel agency, you won’t need to pick between these GDS. Your agency will choose based on booking needs and the strengths of each company, then use the data to power the booking platform you use.
Travelport also owns and operates Galileo, Worldspan, and Apollo GDS, which you might see referenced separately from the Travelport brand.
Which travel agents need a GDS?
A GDS is most valuable if booking air travel is central to your business. That mostly applies to a specific group of advisors who book a high volume of complex flights with frequent changes that need to be managed quickly:
Corporate travel advisors managing complex business itineraries with specific ticketing rules and a high likelihood for flight changes.
High-volume air bookers issuing enough flights that searching supplier by supplier would slow them down.
Agencies with air ticketing operations that need direct control over fares and inventory.
GDS interfaces are useful, but complex. For advisors who fall into these categories, the efficiency is worth the cost and the learning curve.
Most advisors booking leisure travel don’t meet the volume or complexity threshold regularly enough to make direct GDS access worthwhile. Your clients are most likely flying on set dates, with straightforward itineraries. You could include a flight in every itinerary you book and still never need a GDS, as long as you’re booking through your host’s flight tools or a flight supplier rather than ticketing it yourself.
How do travel agents get GDS access?
Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport partner with accredited travel businesses, so it’s unlikely that you’ll sign up for a GDS as an individual. Some host agencies offer direct GDS access to advisors who meet certain experience requirements, but the host agency still owns the main business relationship with the GDS.
GDS contracts are negotiated with each partner, and they usually combine a monthly access fee, a charge for each segment you book, and productivity minimums. When a host provides GDS access, those costs and requirements come bundled into your agency relationship. Those fees rarely make sense for a leisure advisor to take on themselves.
How to book travel without a GDS
Travel advisors can book hotels, cruises, villas, tours, and packaged air through supplier-direct sites, cruise line and tour operator portals, and their host agency’s booking platform. Most host agencies point advisors toward its own flight booking tools or their flight partners. Check your host agency’s guidance for air bookings for the most accurate information.
For example, Fora advisors book air through Fora Flights and flight suppliers. Those run on a GDS behind the scenes, but advisors don’t need direct GDS access to use them. For leisure travel, that setup makes it easier to start booking without a heavy tech commitment.
The Flight Desk was a big one for me. To have that in-house felt much more seamless and professional.
Megan Smith
joined June 2023Frequently asked questions
Can I get GDS access as an individual, not an agency?
No, unless you hold your own industry credential, like an IATA or ARC number. GDS providers contract with accredited travel businesses, so non-accredited advisors get access through a host agency, an agency they work under, or a consortium.
Do I need a GDS to be a travel agent?
No. A GDS matters most for advisors booking a high volume of complex or corporate flights. If you focus on leisure travel, you can book and manage flights through supplier sites and your host’s booking tools.
What’s the difference between a GDS, a booking platform, and a CRM?
A GDS is a platform for real-time supplier inventory and ticketing access—the underlying system that shows availability and issues bookings. Your booking platform is the workspace where you build, price, and manage a trip, and your CRM is how you track client information and follow-ups. A booking platform and CRM are where your day-to-day selling and client relationships live.
How much does a GDS cost?
There’s no list price. Contracts are negotiated between travel businesses and the GDS, and include a monthly access fee, per-segment booking charges, and volume minimums. Advisors who use their host agency platform or supplier portals to book don’t need to pay a separate GDS fee. Agencies who provide advisors with direct GDS access may charge an additional fee.
Why is GDS used in the travel industry?
GDS technology comes from airline reservation systems built in the 1960s to handle the complex parts of air ticketing—multi-leg itineraries, fare rules, seat inventory, and changes—quickly. Hotel and car bookings came later.
