New Distribution Capabilities (NDC) are changing the way airline content is distributed and consumed in the global travel ecosystem. For travel managers, travel bookers and procurement leaders, this shift marks one of the most significant changes in decades, unlocking new value while introducing new operational considerations.
This blog translates key insights from our recent e-book into a practical, forward-looking overview to help corporate travel programs lead the next era of air distribution.
What is NDC? Why does it reshape air distribution?
Historically, corporate aviation content has been delivered through EDIFACT, a system established long before the Internet era. While reliable, it limits transparency, flexibility and the ability of airlines to retail products in a modern way.
The NDC introduced by IATA replaces this static approach with a dynamic XML-based data standard, giving airlines greater control over how their content is presented. This shift enables:
- A wider range of retail-style offers, including bundles, ancillary services and loyalty benefits
- More personalized content in corporate booking tools
- Dynamic pricing instead of fixed fare declarations.
Industry momentum is accelerating. According to research by Garner and Accelya, enterprise NDC bookings will grow by 500% between 2022 and 2024. Additionally, NDC transactions accounted for nearly 20% of Aviation Reporting Corporation (ARC) settled transactions in February 2025, up 7% year-on-year. Additionally, early CTM data* also shows average savings per ticket of approximately 8.68% in certain markets.
These trends indicate that NDC is no longer experimental; it is becoming an important part of airline retail and business travel strategies.
The potential of NDC for travel managers, bookers and travelers
For travel managers and bookers
NDC opens the door to more flexible, value-based contracts and greater control over project performance.
Benefits include:
- Get richer fare packages and transparent shopping
- Reduce off-channel leakage when relevant content appears in approved tools
- Ability to design smarter supplier agreements based on total value rather than just base fare.
for travelers
Travelers experience a more intuitive, consumer-style journey.
- Loyalty recognition and personalized offers
- Get a clearer picture of assistive devices, upgrades and inclusions
- Provide a more seamless shopping experience within the tools they already use
This may lead to higher satisfaction without compromising policy compliance.
NDC practice: progress, challenges and expectations
NDC is still evolving, and adoption varies across airlines and regions. Today’s biggest developments include:
- Service improvements (changes, cancellations, refunds)
- Workflows aligned with booking, approval and duty of care systems
- Expand airline participation and close functional gaps.
However, some challenges still exist, such as:
- Some markets have limited service or ticket credit processing capabilities
- Additional manual processes for certain NDC transactions
- Content availability varies across channels.
Think of NDC as a marathon, not a sprint. Business plans should expect incremental progress, not immediate transformation.
Will NDC save money? What early data shows
Early results show huge potential, but cost savings depend on route mix, timing and airline strategy.
Example: Australia
On high-volume domestic routes (Sydney-Melbourne-Brisbane), NDC fares save an average of approximately 9.03%* compared to EDIFACT.
Other benefits include:
- Avoid EDIFACT surcharge
- Get exclusive bundles, ancillary services or loyalty benefits
- Dynamic offers are sometimes priced lower than older content.
Travel managers should view NDC as a value-unlocking tool rather than a blanket discount mechanism. Technology maturity, service capabilities and project design will affect the final outcome.
The role of technology: a bridge between promise and practice
NDC cannot succeed in the business travel space without strong technology support. Airlines can provide content, GDSs can aggregate it, but it’s the booking tools and service platforms that determine whether businesses can actually use it.
The main requirements include:
- Integrated content workflow Combine NDC and non-NDC fares
- reliable service (Change, cancellation, interruption, points)
- Automation and reporting Flow into duty of care, analysis, policy control
- User friendly interface This reflects consumer expectations.
CTM’s early integration of Qantas NDC live content into Lightning OBT is an example of how the booking tool can bring NDC into seamless enterprise workflows.
What to do next? The future of NDC
The industry is going through three key stages:
short term
- Close the service gap
- Increase adoption among global airlines
- Improve ticket credit management
medium term
- Enhanced content (additional content, status points, ancillary content)
- Improve functionality consistency across airlines
- Faster fare adjustments
long
- A completely retail-like booking experience
- Retire old systems
- Deliver personalized offers without adding complexity
NDC is not a destination, but a pathway to modernizing aviation retail. A plan that remains proactive will have the best ability to unlock its full value.
How travel managers can prepare now
- Monitor savings, service performance and credit utilization
- Evaluate airline portfolios to identify quick win opportunities
- Be consistent with your TMC on current features and upcoming releases
- Stay informed as airline adoption expands and capabilities mature
With the right strategy, NDC can enhance the traveler experience, unlock new savings, and modernize your program’s contracting approach.
*CTM NDC booking data from July to October 2025