Ten years ago, airline distribution looked very different. Travel agencies relied almost entirely on Global Distribution Systems (GDS) to search, price, and book flights. Fares were predictable, content was standardised, and the workflow — while not flashy — was reliable.
Then NDC entered the conversation.
At the time, it was easy to dismiss NDC as another industry initiative that would take years to materialize. And in many ways, that assumption was correct. Adoption was slow. Implementation was uneven. But a decade later, one thing is clear: NDC wasn’t a passing experiment. It was a signal of where airline retailing was heading.
Looking back at the transition from GDS to NDC offers valuable insight into where travel agencies are headed next — and how they can prepare.
For decades, GDS platforms formed the backbone of the travel industry. They enabled agencies to scale globally, access airline inventory in real time, and manage bookings efficiently across suppliers.
GDS worked exceptionally well for what the industry needed at the time:
This model allowed agencies to focus on service, relationships, and expertise — not technology.
As traveller expectations evolved, cracks began to appear. Airlines were no longer just selling seats; they were selling experiences. And GDS infrastructure wasn’t built for that kind of retailing.
Limitations became harder to ignore:
While GDS remained essential, it was clear the model wasn’t designed for the next phase of airline commerce.
The push for NDC wasn’t about cutting agencies out — it was about regaining control over how airline products were sold.
Airlines needed a way to:
As airline websites evolved into full retail platforms, the gap between direct and indirect distribution became increasingly obvious. NDC emerged as a way to close that gap.
A decade later, the story of NDC is less about speed and more about direction.
NDC did not roll out overnight. Early versions were limited, workflows were inconsistent, and agency support varied widely by airline. But despite those challenges, airlines continued investing.
That persistence matters. In an industry where initiatives come and go, sustained investment signals long-term strategy — not experimentation.
Today, airlines think like retailers:
This shift confirms what the last ten years have shown: airline distribution is no longer just about availability. It’s about offers.
Despite predictions to the contrary, GDS isn’t disappearing.
Instead, it’s evolving.
The future is not GDS versus NDC. It’s a hybrid reality where agencies must work with:
In this environment, access alone is no longer enough.
The real challenge for agencies today isn’t finding NDC content — it’s managing multiple content sources without fragmenting workflows.
Switching between systems:
Modern agency platforms must aggregate all content into a single, usable booking flow.
NDC’s importance isn’t defined by how fast it replaced legacy systems — but by what it enabled.
Over the last decade, NDC has demonstrated:
The takeaway is simple: airline retailing will only become more flexible, more personalised, and more dynamic from here.
Agencies that prepare for that reality will be better positioned to compete.
The next phase of airline distribution actually plays to agency strengths.
With the right tools, agencies can:
Agents already understand travel. What they need is infrastructure designed for modern retailing, not legacy limitations.
This is where white-label booking platforms become critical.
ORX Travel was built for agencies operating in today’s hybrid distribution environment.
Our platform enables agencies to:
Rather than forcing agencies to choose between old and new, ORX Travel bridges the gap — supporting current workflows while preparing agencies for what’s next.
GDS laid the groundwork for global travel distribution. NDC represents the next stage in how airline products are sold and experienced.
The last ten years have shown that this shift isn’t about replacing systems — it’s about evolving how agencies sell travel.
Agencies that invest in modern infrastructure today won’t just keep up. They’ll lead.
Book a demo with ORX Travel and explore a white-label platform designed to support both today’s GDS workflows and tomorrow’s NDC-driven retailing.
