Airline NDC guide · QR

Qatar Airways NDC: how agencies and developers access Oryx Connect

Oryx Connect, schema versions, GDS NDC availability, servicing, and the three ways to connect.

By the Tripgic team · Last updated 10 October 2026

What is Qatar Airways NDC?

Qatar Airways NDC is the airline’s IATA New Distribution Capability programme for trade partners, branded Oryx Connect. Agencies and travel platforms use it to shop, book and service QR flights with fare families, dynamic pricing, published and private fares, and ancillaries such as preferred seats and extra baggage.

Qatar Airways was certified early, at IATA NDC Level 3 on schema 17.2 in 2017. It now runs NDC on Amadeus Altéa NDC with schema 18.1, is preparing version 21.3, and says it holds IATA ARM certification for full Offer and Order management. We found no QR surcharge on GDS bookings, and its NDC FAQ mentions none. See our plain-English guide to NDC for the standard itself.

Qatar Airways NDC timeline: key dates

Date	What changed	Source
2017	Qatar Airways receives IATA NDC Level 3 certification on schema 17.2, with TPConnects as technology partner.	source
Jun 2021	Qatar Airways and Amadeus sign a letter of agreement to distribute QR NDC content through the Amadeus Travel Platform, with Amadeus Altéa NDC adopted from 2022.	source
Jun 2021	QR launches Oryx Connect, its NDC programme with full offer and order management, via a web portal and aggregators including Duffel, Travelfusion and Verteil.	source
Jul 2022	QR NDC offers become bookable worldwide on Sabre from 7 July 2022, making QR the first EMEA-based carrier with NDC products on Sabre.	source
Mar 2024	Travelport adds QR NDC content and servicing to Travelport+, launching first in 19 countries including Bangladesh, the UAE, India, Pakistan and the UK.	source
Aug 2025	QR approves Flocash as its first NDC aggregator in Africa.	source
Dec 2025	QR adds self-reaccommodation to NDC: agents can rebook disrupted passengers at no charge and without a waiver code, within QR’s disruption policy.	source
Aug 2026	From 16 August 2026, agencies must raise all NDC-related requests through Case Management in the QR Trade Portal.	source
2026	QR’s NDC FAQ states schema 18.1 on Amadeus Altéa NDC, preparation for version 21.3, and IATA ARM certification for full Offer and Order management.	source

Programme rules change. Confirm current terms on the Qatar Airways Trade Portal. Qatar Airways Trade Portal — NDC Oryx Connect.

Three ways to access Qatar Airways NDC

You can connect to Qatar 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 Qatar 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	Oryx Connect NDC flows plus onboarding with QR	The GDS’s NDC workflow, separate from EDIFACT	One REST API; Qatar Airways NDC blended with GDS and LCC fares
QR schema changes (18.1 → 21.3)	You migrate	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

Qatar Airways NDC vs GDS (EDIFACT) bookings

No surcharge found: unlike several carriers, QR has not published a surcharge on GDS bookings; joining its NDC programme is free, though a technology partner may charge.
Offers: fare families, dynamic pricing, published and private fares (private fares need an account code) and ancillaries come through NDC.
Servicing: NDC supports order servicing, including self-reaccommodation for disrupted passengers since December 2025.
South Asia: QR NDC on Travelport+ launched in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan among its first 19 markets.

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

Frequently asked questions

What is Qatar Airways Oryx Connect?

Oryx Connect is Qatar Airways’ NDC programme for trade partners, launched in June 2021. It offers full offer and order management through a web portal, a direct API and approved aggregators.

Does Qatar Airways charge extra for GDS bookings?

We found no Qatar Airways surcharge on GDS bookings, and its NDC FAQ mentions none. QR says joining its NDC programme is free, although a technology partner may charge for its own services.

Which NDC version does Qatar Airways use?

Qatar Airways’ NDC FAQ says it uses schema 18.1 on Amadeus Altéa NDC and is preparing to launch version 21.3. No migration date has been published.

Can I get Qatar Airways NDC through a GDS?

Yes. QR NDC has been bookable worldwide on Sabre since July 2022 and on Travelport+ since March 2024, where Bangladesh was among the launch markets. QR agreed in 2021 to distribute NDC content through the Amadeus Travel Platform.

How do I access Qatar Airways NDC through Tripgic?

Tripgic holds the Qatar Airways NDC connection. You integrate one REST API with sandbox credentials, and QR 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

Sell Qatar Airways NDC fares without an Oryx Connect integration

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

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