Air India NDC: how agencies and developers access Air India content
The 2024 go-live on schema 21.3, NDC-exclusive content, GDS NDC availability, and the ways to connect.
By the Tripgic team · Last updated
What is Air India NDC?
Air India NDC is the airline’s IATA New Distribution Capability channel, live on schema 21.3 since September 2024. Agencies use it to book domestic, international, codeshare and interline Air India itineraries with fare families, ancillaries, NDC-exclusive offers and full servicing such as reissue, refund, void, split and hold.
Air India runs on the Amadeus Altéa passenger service system (adopted in 2022) and was the first Indian airline to go live with NDC. Its NDC portal lists four ways in: direct connect APIs, an agent portal, NDC through a GDS, and authorised aggregators. See our plain-English guide to NDC for the standard itself.
Air India NDC timeline: key dates
| Date | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Air India adopts the full Amadeus Altéa passenger service system suite. | source |
| Oct 2023 | Air India extends its agreements with Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport, adding NDC distribution and servicing. | source |
| Oct 2023 | Amadeus says Air India NDC content will be added to the Amadeus Travel Platform in 2024, along with domestic content for India points of sale. | source |
| Oct 2023 | Travelport’s expanded deal includes a future complete NDC solution, delivered in India through its distributor ITQ. | source |
| Sep 2024 | Air India goes live with NDC on IATA schema 21.3 on 5 September 2024, the first Indian airline to do so, with NDC-exclusive offers, ancillaries and fare families. | source |
| Oct 2024 | Travelport and Air India fast-track NDC on Travelport+, due in Q4 2024 with servicing across NDC and non-NDC bookings. | source |
| Nov 2024 | Sabre launches Air India NDC content for shopping, booking and servicing. | source |
| 2026 | Air India’s NDC FAQ lists domestic, international, codeshare and interline coverage (including Air Canada, Delta, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and United), all booking classes, fare families and servicing. | source |
Onboarding and support details are on the Air India NDC portal. Air India — NDC portal.
Three ways to access Air India NDC
You can connect to Air India directly, through a GDS that carries its NDC content, or through an NDC aggregator. The right choice depends on your engineering capacity and how many airlines you sell.
| Direct to Air India | GDS NDC | Aggregator (Tripgic) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Large agencies and TMCs with their own NDC engineering team | Agencies already working in a GDS desktop or GDS API | OTAs, B2B platforms and startups that want REST/JSON |
| What you build | Air India direct connect APIs (schema 21.3) plus agent onboarding | The GDS’s NDC workflow, separate from EDIFACT | One REST API; Air India fares blended with GDS, NDC and LCC content |
| Airline changes | You track Air India’s NDC releases | Handled by the GDS | Handled in Tripgic’s connector; your JSON stays the same |
| Other airlines | One integration per airline | NDC carriers that GDS supports | Other NDC airlines, 3 GDS networks and 67 LCCs |
Air India NDC vs GDS (EDIFACT) bookings
- NDC-exclusive offers: Air India says NDC agents get offers, ancillaries and fare families not carried in traditional channels.
- Coverage: NDC includes domestic, international, codeshare and interline itineraries and all booking classes.
- Servicing: reissue, refund, void, split and hold are supported over NDC.
- No published surcharge: we found no Air India surcharge on GDS bookings.
How NDC differs from the GDS in general: NDC vs traditional GDS.
Frequently asked questions
What is Air India NDC?
It is Air India’s NDC channel, live on IATA schema 21.3 since September 2024. Agencies use it to book domestic, international, codeshare and interline itineraries with fare families, ancillaries, NDC-exclusive offers and full servicing.
Which NDC version does Air India use?
Air India went live with NDC on IATA schema 21.3 on 5 September 2024.
How can agents connect to Air India NDC?
Air India lists four routes: direct connect APIs, an Air India NDC agent portal, NDC content through a GDS, and authorised non-GDS aggregators or technology providers.
Is Air India NDC available in Amadeus, Sabre or Travelport?
Sabre launched Air India NDC in November 2024. Travelport planned Travelport+ delivery for Q4 2024, and Amadeus planned to add Air India NDC to its platform in 2024.
How do I access Air India through Tripgic?
Air India is available through Tripgic. You integrate one REST API with sandbox credentials, and Air India fares come back blended with GDS, NDC and low-cost carrier content in the same normalized JSON.
Sources
- Amadeus — Air India expansion with domestic content and NDC (Oct 2023)
- Bangladesh Monitor — Air India expands distribution through GDS partnerships (Oct 2023)
- Business Travel News Europe — Travelport agrees NDC deals with Air India and EVA Air (Oct 2023)
- Air India — Air India becomes first Indian airline to implement NDC (Sep 2024)
- Travelport — Travelport and Air India fast-track NDC on Travelport+ (Oct 2024)
- Travolution — Air India advances partnership with Sabre with NDC content (Nov 2024)
- Air India — Air India NDC APIs: FAQs
- Air India — NDC portal
Other airline NDC guides
- British Airways NDC
- Emirates NDC
- Qatar Airways NDC
- Riyadh Air NDC
- Saudia NDC
- Etihad Airways NDC
- Turkish Airlines NDC
- Lufthansa Group NDC
- Air France-KLM NDC
- Singapore Airlines NDC
- American Airlines NDC
- United Airlines NDC
- Qantas NDC
- Cathay Pacific NDC
- Iberia NDC
- Finnair NDC
- Biman Bangladesh Airlines NDC
- flydubai NDC
- Gulf Air NDC
- Oman Air NDC
- Malaysia Airlines NDC
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Air India fares alongside GDS, NDC and LCC content in one normalized REST API. Sandbox credentials at no charge.
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