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Airline NDC guide · LH/LX/OS/SN

Lufthansa Group NDC: how agencies access Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian and Brussels Airlines

The Distribution Cost Charge, NDC-only fares, GDS NDC availability, NDC 24.1, and the three ways to connect.

By the Tripgic team · Last updated

What is Lufthansa Group NDC?

Lufthansa Group NDC is the shared IATA New Distribution Capability channel for Lufthansa (LH), SWISS (LX), Austrian Airlines (OS) and Brussels Airlines (SN). Agencies use it to book group flights with continuous pricing, NDC-only fares and ancillaries, and to avoid the Distribution Cost Charge the group applies to GDS EDIFACT tickets.

Lufthansa Group started the industry’s push towards NDC: it introduced a per-ticket charge on GDS bookings in 2015, reached IATA’s highest NDC certification in 2017, and by mid-2026 said half of its indirect bookings went through NDC. See our plain-English guide to NDC for the standard itself.

Lufthansa Group NDC timeline: key dates

DateWhat changedSource
Jun 2015Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian and Brussels Airlines announce a Distribution Cost Charge (DCC) of €16 per GDS-issued ticket from 1 September 2015; airline websites, airport counters and the group’s agent portal are exempt.source
2017Lufthansa Group reaches the highest level of IATA NDC certification.source
May 2018The group launches its NDC Partner Programme and NDC Smart Offer in the UK and Ireland, with discounts on European Light and Classic fares not offered in the GDS.source
Oct 2020The DCC rises from €16 / £14 / US$17.50 to €19 / £17 / US$21 per GDS ticket; the Direct NDC API, the agent portal and airline websites stay exempt.source
Sep 2022Lufthansa Group and Amadeus agree to add group NDC content, including continuous pricing and ancillaries, to the Amadeus Travel Platform, starting in selected European markets.source
Dec 2023Sabre switches on Lufthansa Group NDC content for LH, LX, OS, SN and Air Dolomiti, starting in Italy, with worldwide waves through 2024.source
Dec 2023Travelport launches Lufthansa Group NDC shopping, booking and servicing on Travelport+ in Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK.source
Jan 2025DCC on EDIFACT tickets set at €22 via Sabre, €17.50 via Amadeus and €23 via Travelport; NDC bookings made through a GDS carry a smaller €8 charge.source
Feb 2025Sabre adds Lufthansa Group NDC in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Belgium, the last markets to go live.source
May 2026The Amadeus DCC rises to €19 per ticket from 5 May 2026; Sabre is quoted at €22.50 and Travelport at €23.source
Jun 2026Lufthansa Group says half of its indirect bookings now go through NDC and that it has rolled out NDC 24.1; Offer and Order is the next step, with no date given.source

DCC amounts differ by GDS and change often. Confirm current charges on the Lufthansa Group NDC portal. Lufthansa Group — NDC portal.

Three ways to access Lufthansa Group NDC

You can connect to Lufthansa Group 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 Lufthansa GroupGDS NDCAggregator (Tripgic)
Best forLarge agencies and TMCs with their own NDC engineering teamAgencies already working in a GDS desktop or GDS APIOTAs, B2B platforms and startups that want REST/JSON
What you buildThe Lufthansa Group Direct NDC API plus partner onboardingThe GDS’s NDC workflow, separate from EDIFACTOne REST API; Lufthansa Group NDC blended with GDS and LCC fares
Group fee and schema changesYou track themHandled by the GDSHandled in Tripgic’s connector; your JSON stays the same
Other airlinesOne integration per airlineNDC carriers that GDS supportsOther NDC airlines, 3 GDS networks and 67 LCCs

Lufthansa Group NDC vs GDS (EDIFACT) bookings

How NDC differs from the GDS in general: NDC vs traditional GDS.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lufthansa Group NDC?

It is the shared NDC channel for Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines. Agencies use it to book group flights with continuous pricing, NDC-only fares and ancillaries without the Distribution Cost Charge on GDS EDIFACT tickets.

How much is the Lufthansa Group Distribution Cost Charge?

It started at €16 per GDS ticket in September 2015 and now varies by GDS. Reported 2026 levels are about €19 via Amadeus (from 5 May 2026), €22.50 via Sabre and €23 via Travelport. Confirm current amounts with Lufthansa Group.

Which NDC version does Lufthansa Group use?

Lufthansa Group said in June 2026 that it has rolled out NDC 24.1 and sees IATA Offer and Order as the next step.

Can I book Lufthansa Group NDC in Amadeus, Sabre or Travelport?

Yes. Amadeus agreed to carry group NDC from 2022, Travelport launched it in December 2023, and Sabre completed its worldwide rollout in February 2025.

How do I access Lufthansa Group NDC through Tripgic?

Tripgic holds the Lufthansa Group NDC connection. You integrate one REST API with sandbox credentials, and Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian and Brussels Airlines 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

Other airline NDC guides

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Lufthansa Group NDC, GDS and LCC content in one normalized REST API. Sandbox credentials at no charge.

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