How Leading Airlines Are Getting Practical, Taking Control, and Building the Foundations of Modern Retailing

Travel in Motion (TiM) is a leading consulting firm focused on airline retailing transformation. They advise carriers around the world on how to shift from legacy distribution models to modern, customer-centric retail strategies. Their view is clear: airlines need a clear strategy, not just a system upgrade.

“NDC alone, with the best intent and best partners, will not succeed without a holistic distribution strategy. Airlines must ask: what do we want to be as retailers?” — Travel in Motion (TiM)

TiM highlights that too many airlines jump to technology without first answering the foundational questions: how do we want to serve travellers? How do we make the indirect channel work for us? And how do we differentiate in a way that customers and travel sellers value?

At Accelya, we agree. A clear strategy must come first—rooted in a vision for retailing, and aligned with customer and partner needs. Technology follows. And while NDC is the essential building block for this shift, it’s only a foundation. As TiM puts it:

“Even with the best NDC execution, success depends on strategy, clarity, and alignment with how travel is actually bought and serviced. Airlines must decide what they want out of modern retailing—and build from there.”

NDC as the Core Enabler

NDC is enabling the shift from legacy distribution to retail-grade commerce. It’s not the whole story—but it’s where the story starts. At Accelya, we see this firsthand: we power more than 53% of global NDC transactions. Our customers are seeing faster, broader adoption of NDC than the market average, not because they deploy the tech—but because they deploy it strategically.

When NDC is used to serve a retailing strategy—rather than as an end in itself—it creates flexibility, control, and competitive advantage.

Five Principles Driving Airline Retailing Success

We’ve seen that leading airlines apply a set of retail-driven principles to guide their strategy:

1. Differentiated Content
   Richer bundles, ancillaries, and fare options—available only through modern channels.
2. Exclusive Fares
   Targeted offers that drive loyalty and create pricing advantages in preferred channels.
3. Dynamic Pricing and Personalisation
   Real-time pricing models that reflect customer intent and demand—inspired by e-commerce.
4. Omnichannel Consistency
   Seamless traveler experiences across direct and indirect channels.
5. Incentives for Travel Sellers
   New commercial models that reward adoption, create shared value, and strengthen distribution partnerships.

These aren’t just theory—they’re being used to drive concrete progress.

Real-World Examples of NDC Success

The adoption of NDC principles is not theoretical; it’s already driving success for leading airlines. For instance: 
Our Product and Operations teams are already seeing the benefits of AI: 

• Aegean Airlines & Olympic Air introduced a €10 Distribution Channel Fee (DCF) per GDS-issued segment. It’s a strategic move to shift value to modern channels, encouraging a shift to direct and preferred channels. Only these channels offer full content, richer fare families, and ancillaries while GDS bookings are limited and surcharged.
• Copa Airlines launched Copa Connect, a program that gives travel agencies access to exclusive fares, ancillaries, and promotions only available through NDC—not through legacy systems. It’s a win-win that supports adoption while creating clear benefits for partners.
• Qantas rolled out its new NDC-powered distribution model on 1 July 2025. It prioritises modern content, differentiated pricing, and commercial incentives that reward NDC adoption. Travel sellers can choose from EDIFACT, Standard NDC, or invitation-only Premium NDC—with exclusive content only available via NDC. 

Each of these examples reflects a clear strategy, with NDC as the enabler—not the end goal.

What Airlines Must Get Right

TiM stresses that even the most NDC-mature airlines have yet to fully capitalise on the potential to better serve both travel buyers and consumers. A key gap remains: most airlines still under-deliver on personalised offers and servicing capabilities when compared to what modern systems could enable.

“There is a huge opportunity which airlines, even the most NDC mature, have not grasped to this day… The lack of focus on what the travel buyer wants—both product and serviceability—is a reason NDC has had a challenging growth path.”
— Travel in Motion

A successful distribution strategy should answer:

• How do we want to differentiate our brand across channels?
• What value do we offer travel sellers and buyers?
• How do we deliver a consistent experience from offer to order to servicing?

Without clarity on these questions, airlines risk deploying modern tools without delivering real retail impact.

At Accelya, we don’t just provide the tools, we enable the transformation. Our strength lies in helping airlines turn strategy into measurable outcomes: richer content in market, stronger partnerships with sellers, and tangible gains in retail performance. This is where we lead, with proven technology, deep industry experience, and a commitment to helping airlines take control of their distribution and unlock real value.