B2B flight tickets let travel agents search, quote and issue air fares at trade prices — without becoming an IATA-accredited airline agent overnight or signing direct deals with every carrier. Here's how agents access net air fares and start ticketing.
What are B2B flight tickets?
B2B flight tickets are airline seats sold to travel trade partners, often at net or negotiated fares that aren't visible on consumer sites. Agents add a service fee or markup and sell to their clients, keeping the difference.
GDS, NDC and airline APIs
Modern flight content reaches agents through three main channels, usually unified by a B2B platform:
- GDS (Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport) — the traditional global distribution systems carrying hundreds of full-service airlines.
- NDC (New Distribution Capability) — the airline-led XML standard that unlocks richer fares, bundles and ancillaries direct from carriers.
- Direct airline APIs — including most low-cost carriers that sit outside the GDS.
A good B2B platform aggregates all three so you search one screen instead of logging into many systems.
Full-service vs low-cost carriers
Full-service carriers are typically reached via GDS/NDC with standard ticketing, while low-cost carriers (LCCs) are reached via direct APIs. Agents need both to quote the best option on any route — which is why single-source access matters.
Issuing tickets without big contracts
Traditionally, ticketing meant IATA accreditation, bonds and consolidator relationships. B2B platforms remove that barrier: you book through the platform, which handles ticketing and post-booking servicing (changes, cancellations, refunds) on the backend.
Getting started
With Tripovo, agents get free access to 950+ airlines and 30,000+ routes across GDS, NDC and direct APIs — search live fares, quote with your own markup, and issue tickets 24/7 with no upfront contracts. You only pay when your client books.