Etihad NDC: how agencies and developers access Etihad Connect
Etihad Connect on NDC 21.3, certification history, GDS NDC status, and the three ways to connect.
By the Tripgic team · Last updated
What is Etihad NDC?
Etihad NDC is Etihad Airways’ IATA New Distribution Capability programme, called Etihad Connect. Agencies, TMCs and aggregators use it to shop, order and change Etihad bookings through an Offer and Order connection on IATA NDC release 21.3.
Etihad worked up IATA’s certification ladder (Level 1 in 2017, Level 3 in 2020, Level 4 in March 2021), then relaunched Etihad Connect on NDC 21.3 when it moved to the Amadeus Altéa passenger service system in March 2023. See our plain-English guide to NDC for the standard itself.
Etihad Airways NDC timeline: key dates
| Date | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 2017 | IATA awards Etihad NDC Level 1 certification after testing with Sabre. | source |
| Jul 2020 | Etihad partners with Travelfusion to give agents and corporates NDC access to fares, fare rules, cabin details and baggage allowances; it had reached Level 3 earlier in 2020. | source |
| Nov 2020 | Etihad expands NDC distribution through Verteil Direct Connect, with a focus on India. | source |
| Mar 2021 | IATA awards Etihad NDC Level 4: partners can shop, order and change bookings through its Offer and Order connection. | source |
| Sep 2021 | Etihad signs a multi-year deal to move to the Amadeus Altéa PSS and adopt Amadeus Altéa NDC. | source |
| Mar 2023 | Etihad relaunches Etihad Connect on NDC release 21.3 with its switch to Amadeus Altéa on 9 March 2023, onboarding a limited group of agents and aggregators first. | source |
| Jan 2024 | Etihad renews with Travelport to add NDC content and servicing on Travelport+; no launch date given. | source |
| Jun 2024 | Etihad NDC goes live on Sabre APIs, Sabre Red 360 and GetThere, starting with agencies in Oman and Bahrain. | source |
| Oct 2024 | Etihad joins the APG Platform NDC portal, with booking on hold, ancillaries and after-sales servicing. | source |
GDS NDC rollouts are phased by market. Confirm current status with Etihad. Etihad Hub — Etihad Connect (NDC).
Three ways to access Etihad Airways NDC
You can connect to Etihad Airways 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 Etihad Airways | 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 | Etihad Connect NDC 21.3 flows plus onboarding with Etihad | The GDS’s NDC workflow, separate from EDIFACT | One REST API; Etihad Airways NDC blended with GDS and LCC fares |
| Airline changes | You track Etihad Connect changes | 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 |
Etihad NDC vs GDS (EDIFACT) bookings
- No surcharge found: we found no Etihad surcharge on GDS bookings.
- Offer and Order: Etihad Connect lets partners shop, order and change bookings on NDC 21.3.
- Servicing: NDC portals such as APG support booking on hold, ancillaries and after-sales servicing.
- GDS NDC: phased: Sabre from June 2024 (Oman and Bahrain first); Travelport agreed in January 2024 without a launch date.
How NDC differs from the GDS in general: NDC vs traditional GDS.
Frequently asked questions
What is Etihad Connect?
Etihad Connect is Etihad Airways’ NDC programme. Relaunched in March 2023 on NDC release 21.3, it lets agencies, TMCs and aggregators shop, order and change Etihad bookings through an Offer and Order connection.
Which NDC version does Etihad use?
Etihad relaunched Etihad Connect on IATA NDC release 21.3 when it moved to the Amadeus Altéa passenger service system on 9 March 2023.
Does Etihad charge extra for GDS bookings?
We found no Etihad surcharge on GDS bookings in published sources. Check Etihad’s current agency terms before relying on this.
Can I book Etihad NDC through a GDS?
Partly. Etihad NDC went live on Sabre in June 2024, starting with Oman and Bahrain. Travelport agreed to add Etihad NDC to Travelport+ in January 2024 without a launch date, and Etihad adopted Amadeus Altéa NDC under its 2021 Amadeus deal.
How do I access Etihad NDC through Tripgic?
Tripgic holds the Etihad NDC connection. You integrate one REST API with sandbox credentials, and Etihad NDC offers come back blended with GDS and low-cost carrier fares in the same normalized JSON, with no per-airline NDC certification on your side.
Sources
- Aviation Week — Etihad secures IATA certification (Jul 2017)
- Travolution — Etihad and Travelfusion NDC partnership (Jul 2020)
- Business Travel News Europe — Etihad expands NDC distribution (Nov 2020)
- Etihad Airways — Etihad achieves IATA Level 4 NDC certification (Mar 2021)
- Etihad Airways — Etihad signs landmark deal with Amadeus (Sep 2021)
- Etihad Hub — Etihad Connect (NDC)
- Travelport — Travelport and Etihad renew agreement with NDC offers (Jan 2024)
- Business Travel News Europe — Sabre to offer Etihad NDC content (Jun 2024)
- TravelDailyNews — Etihad now available on the APG Platform (Oct 2024)
Other airline NDC guides
- British Airways NDC
- Emirates NDC
- Qatar Airways NDC
- Riyadh Air NDC
- Saudia 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
- Air India NDC
- Biman Bangladesh Airlines NDC
- flydubai NDC
- Gulf Air NDC
- Oman Air NDC
- Malaysia Airlines NDC
Related
Sell Etihad NDC fares without an Etihad Connect integration
Etihad Airways NDC, GDS and LCC content in one normalized REST API. Sandbox credentials at no charge.
Book a kick-off call