If you’ve ever booked a flight, hotel, or rental car online, chances are your travel data journeyed through a Global Distribution System (GDS). Among the most popular GDS providers is Travelport, a company powering travel content for thousands of agencies and platforms worldwide. What makes this seamless access to travel inventory possible? The answer lies in Travelport APIs.
In this blog, we’ll break down what Travelport API integration is, how it works under the hood, why it’s important, and how developers can get started.
What is Travelport?
Travelport is a travel technology company that provides GDS (Global Distribution System) services to travel agencies, airlines, hotels, and other travel providers. It aggregates data from:
- Airlines
- Hotels
- Car rental companies
- Rail providers
- Cruises
Travelport connects this data to travel platforms, agencies, and apps via its APIs.
It operates three major GDS platforms:
- Apollo
- Galileo
- Worldspan
These systems provide the same functionality but may differ slightly in architecture, region-specific content, or legacy usage.
What is Travelport API Integration?
Travelport API integration allows third-party developers and travel agencies to pull travel data (like flights, fares, availability, booking, and ticketing) directly into their applications or platforms.
Through APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), you can:
- Search real-time flight/hotel availability
- Compare prices across providers
- Book tickets
- Cancel or modify reservations
- Access PNR (Passenger Name Record) details
- Issue e-tickets
- Handle payment and invoicing
These APIs help travel platforms provide a seamless user experience without the need to log into multiple airline or hotel portals.
Key Travelport APIs and Their Use
Let’s look at some core APIs Travelport offers (under the Universal API suite):
1. Air API
Provides complete flight search and booking functionality.
- Search flights by date, class, and location
- Real-time availability and pricing
- Fare rules and baggage info
- Seat selection and booking
- E-ticketing and rebooking
2. Hotel API
Enables hotel searching and booking.
- Room availability, amenities, and pricing
- Hotel descriptions, images, and reviews
- Booking, cancellation, and refund support
3. Car Rental API
For car hire services.
- Real-time inventory
- Location-wise search
- Booking and return management
4. Rail API (Region-specific)
Used in regions like Europe.
- Seat maps, pricing, booking
5. Profile API
Used for managing customer profiles, storing frequent traveler info, preferences, and history.
6. Air Segment Sell / PNR APIs
Useful for large agencies with direct access to PNR creation, segmentation, and modification.
How Travelport API Integration Works
Here’s a high-level workflow to understand how it all connects:
- User Search on Platform
- User enters origin, destination, date, and preferences.
- Travel Platform Calls Travelport API
- Backend uses the Universal API (Air/Hotel/Car) to fetch options from multiple providers.
- Travelport Connects to GDS
- The API pings connected airlines, hotels, etc., via GDS systems like Galileo.
- Data is Returned to the Platform
- The user sees options in real-time: fare, timings, seats, ratings.
- Booking Action
- Once the user selects an option, the platform sends a booking request via Travelport APIs.
- PNR is Generated
- Travelport handles booking with the provider, generates PNR, and returns booking info.
- Ticket Issuance
- E-ticket is issued via Travelport. You can also modify/cancel using the same integration.
Developer Requirements for Integration
To integrate Travelport APIs, here’s what you typically need:
1. Travelport Developer Account
You must be an approved Travelport partner. Register via their official developer portal.
2. Universal API Credentials
Once approved, you’ll receive:
- TargetBranch ID
- User ID
- Password
- API Keys (for authentication)
3. SOAP/XML Handling
Travelport APIs are mainly SOAP-based (XML messages). You’ll need to:
- Construct XML request bodies
- Handle XML responses
- Validate against provided XSDs
Optional: Some newer APIs support REST, but SOAP is still dominant.
4. Certification Process
You can't go live immediately. You’ll build in sandbox (test) mode and then go through Travelport’s UAT (User Acceptance Testing) phase. Once approved, you’re granted production access.
Sample Air API Request (Simplified)
Here’s a simplified example of what an Air Search request might look like (SOAP):
xml
<soapenv:Envelope xmlns:soapenv="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/"
xmlns:air="http://www.travelport.com/schema/air_v52_0"
xmlns:com="http://www.travelport.com/schema/common_v52_0">
<soapenv:Header/>
<soapenv:Body>
<air:LowFareSearchReq TraceId="test123" TargetBranch="P1234567" >
<com:BillingPointOfSaleInfo OriginApplication="UAPI"/>
<air:SearchAirLeg>
<air:SearchOrigin>
<com:Airport Code="DEL"/>
</air:SearchOrigin>
<air:SearchDestination>
<com:Airport Code="LHR"/>
</air:SearchDestination>
<air:SearchDepTime PreferredTime="2025-07-20"/>
</air:SearchAirLeg>
<com:SearchPassenger Code="ADT"/>
</air:LowFareSearchReq>
</soapenv:Body>
</soapenv:Envelope>
Response
You’ll get a list of flight options, each with price, duration, segments, airlines, etc.
Challenges and Considerations
- Steep Learning Curve
- If you’re new to SOAP/XML, there’s a bit of overhead compared to JSON/REST APIs.
- Testing and Debugging
- APIs are extensive, and error messages may be cryptic at first.
- Certification Delay
- Getting production access can take time (weeks sometimes).
- Compliance
- You’ll need to comply with IATA standards, PCI DSS (for payments), and airline-specific rules.
Why Use Travelport?
If you’re building or scaling a travel platform, Travelport offers:
- Global Inventory: Flights, hotels, and cars from all major suppliers.
- Single Integration: Unified interface for multiple services.
- Scalability: Handles millions of transactions daily.
- Real-time Data: Critical for price accuracy and availability.
- Payment and Ticketing: Streamlined operations with back-office systems.
When Should You Consider Travelport?
- You run a travel agency looking to digitize or expand globally.
- You’re building a travel startup (web or mobile) and need comprehensive inventory access.
- You manage corporate travel with multiple bookings, PNRs, or account integrations.
- You’re integrating with multiple GDS platforms and want to unify them.
Final Thoughts
Travelport API integration is not just about connecting to flights and hotels it's about unlocking a powerful, global travel ecosystem that can scale with your business. While it takes some setup effort and technical knowledge (especially around XML/SOAP), the result is a robust platform that gives users the experience they expect from a modern travel service.
Whether you're a startup or an established travel player, Travelport offers the tools and access you need to build something great.
Need help integrating Travelport APIs or building your travel platform?
Our team of experienced travel tech developers can guide you from API setup to a fully functional system. Contact us to learn more.