Japan Airlines NDC: how agencies and developers access JAL content
Amadeus Altéa NDC, the Travelfusion connection, Amadeus GDS NDC sales from October 2026, and the ways to connect.
By the Tripgic team · Last updated
What is Japan Airlines NDC?
Japan Airlines NDC is JAL’s IATA New Distribution Capability content, built on Amadeus Altéa NDC. Travel agencies sell JAL NDC international tickets through aggregators: Travelfusion, and from October 2026 the Amadeus Travel Platform in 26 countries and regions.
JAL runs on Amadeus Altéa and chose Amadeus to build its NDC system in 2020, with Travelfusion as its first aggregator connection. In September 2026 JAL and Amadeus announced NDC ticket sales through the Amadeus Travel Platform, starting in Japan on 1 October 2026 and overseas on 13 October 2026, which they describe as a first for a Japanese airline. See our plain-English guide to NDC for the standard itself.
Japan Airlines NDC timeline: key dates
| Date | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2014 | JAL signs with Amadeus for the full Altéa suite, replacing a passenger service system in use since 1969. | source |
| Feb 2020 | JAL adopts Amadeus Altéa NDC and will feed its NDC content to the Amadeus Travel Platform through Amadeus NDC Connect; Amadeus becomes its preferred distribution partner for agencies in Japan. | source |
| Feb 2020 | JAL plans to connect its NDC first to aggregator Travelfusion, then to other aggregators, GDSs and selected travel companies directly. | source |
| Dec 2025 | JAL opens its NDC information site at ndc.jal.com. | source |
| Sep 2026 | JAL and Amadeus announce NDC sales of JAL international tickets through the Amadeus Travel Platform in 26 countries and regions, from 1 October 2026 in Japan and 13 October 2026 overseas. | source |
| Oct 2026 | Travelfusion expands JAL NDC sales to the same 26 countries and regions from 13 October 2026. | source |
JAL lists its current NDC connection partners on its NDC information site. Japan Airlines — NDC information site.
Ways to access Japan Airlines content
You can reach JAL NDC content through an NDC aggregator such as Travelfusion, through Amadeus (NDC from October 2026) or another GDS (traditional content), or through an aggregator like Tripgic.
| JAL NDC (via aggregator) | GDS | Aggregator (Tripgic) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Agencies that want JAL NDC content and can work with an NDC aggregator | Agencies already working in a GDS | OTAs, B2B platforms and startups that want REST/JSON |
| What you build | An integration with a JAL NDC partner such as Travelfusion | Amadeus users can sell JAL NDC without applying to JAL; we found no JAL NDC in Sabre or Travelport | One REST API; JAL fares blended with GDS, NDC and LCC content |
| Airline changes | You track JAL’s NDC releases | Handled by the GDS | Handled in Tripgic’s connector; your JSON stays the same |
| Other airlines | Depends on the aggregator | Full GDS content | Other NDC airlines, 3 GDS networks and 67 LCCs |
Official Japan Airlines agent portal and access
The airline’s own starting point is Japan Airlines — NDC information site. Travel agencies use it to read the airline’s agent policies and distribution rules and to contact the airline about access. Access is granted by the airline itself, usually only to accredited agencies, and a direct connection still needs your own integration.
Tripgic returns Japan Airlines fares alongside GDS, NDC and low-cost content in one REST API, so you can sell Japan Airlines without a separate airline connection. See the flight booking API.
Also searched as: JL NDC, JAL NDC.
Japan Airlines NDC vs GDS (EDIFACT) bookings
- Richer content: JAL built its NDC to show richer visual information on seats, lounges and other products.
- Amadeus NDC: from October 2026 Amadeus agencies in 26 countries and regions can sell JAL NDC international tickets, with no application to JAL needed.
- Scope: the Amadeus NDC launch covers international tickets.
- No published surcharge: we found no JAL surcharge on GDS bookings, and no JAL NDC launch in Sabre or Travelport.
How NDC differs from the GDS in general: NDC vs traditional GDS.
Frequently asked questions
What is Japan Airlines NDC?
It is JAL’s NDC content, built on Amadeus Altéa NDC. Travel agencies sell JAL NDC international tickets through aggregators such as Travelfusion and, from October 2026, the Amadeus Travel Platform.
Can I book JAL NDC fares in Amadeus?
Yes. JAL NDC sales through the Amadeus Travel Platform started on 1 October 2026 in Japan and 13 October 2026 in other markets, across 26 countries and regions. JAL says agencies already using Amadeus do not need to apply to JAL.
Is JAL NDC available in Sabre or Travelport?
We found no announced JAL NDC launch in Sabre or Travelport. JAL distributes traditional content through GDSs, and its NDC partners are listed on ndc.jal.com.
Does JAL charge a fee on GDS bookings?
We found no published JAL surcharge on GDS or non-NDC bookings.
How do I access Japan Airlines through Tripgic?
Japan Airlines is available through Tripgic. You integrate one REST API with sandbox credentials, and Japan Airlines fares come back blended with GDS, NDC and low-cost carrier content in the same normalized JSON.
Sources
- Asia Travel Tips — JAL to modernise passenger service system (Aug 2014)
- Amadeus — Japan Airlines accelerates its retail transformation through NDC with Amadeus (Feb 2020)
- Travel Voice — JAL introduces NDC on a basic system developed by Amadeus (Feb 2020)
- Japan Airlines — Amadeus and JAL to commence ticket sales via NDC (Sep 2026)
- Travel Voice — JAL starts selling NDC international air tickets via Amadeus for 26 countries and regions (Oct 2026)
- Japan Airlines — NDC information site
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
- Air India NDC
- Biman Bangladesh Airlines NDC
- flydubai NDC
- Gulf Air NDC
- Oman Air NDC
- Malaysia Airlines NDC
- Air Canada NDC
- Delta Air Lines NDC
- Virgin Atlantic NDC
- ANA NDC
- Korean Air NDC
- Thai Airways NDC
- Vietnam Airlines NDC
- SriLankan Airlines NDC
- Ethiopian Airlines NDC
- Royal Jordanian NDC
- EgyptAir NDC
- LATAM Airlines NDC
- China Southern Airlines NDC
Related
Sell Japan Airlines fares through one API
Japan Airlines fares alongside GDS, NDC and LCC content in one normalized REST API. Sandbox credentials at no charge.
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