NDC Is Purpose-Built for Airline Dynamic Pricing

NDC has been a buzzword in the airline industry for years, but here’s something you might not have considered—NDC is purpose-built for dynamic pricing, and it’s transforming how airlines sell.

I’m quite sure that at the time of NDC’s inception, dynamic pricing wasn’t on anyone’s mind. Back then, it was more about ancillaries and bundling, both of which have gained significant traction in the world of NDC.

While ancillaries and bundling have made strides, many airlines are still refining how to offer them in ways that truly meet consumer demand. The goal has always been personalization—delivering the right offer to the right customer at the right time. This ambition naturally set the stage for dynamic pricing.

Ancillaries and bundles weren’t just an end goal—they became a stepping stone toward something bigger. By focusing on personalizing these offers, airlines unlocked the potential for dynamic pricing, where every aspect of an offer, including the fare itself, can be tailored in real-time.

The popularity of airline dynamic pricing is skyrocketing. Every airline I speak with has dynamic pricing as a core strategy, with revenue management, IT, distribution, sales, and marketing teams fully engaged in its execution. Even corporate travel managers now have dynamic pricing in their everyday vocabulary. A few airlines are leading the way, but make no mistake—the tidal wave is coming.

Dynamic pricing offers airlines the best way to meet the value demands of customers while protecting the revenue integrity of flights.

But dynamic pricing isn’t without its challenges. For one, airlines may struggle to determine the best methodology to adopt for their programs. Another major hurdle is delivering these pricing models beyond their own websites—especially when it comes to corporate clients.

Enter NDC—the purpose-built delivery system for airline dynamic pricing, particularly for corporations using TMCs. Who would have guessed? It’s all there by design. Accelya’s NDC goes a step further—it’s pricing-system- and dynamic-pricing-methodology-agnostic right out of the box. That means airlines can implement any dynamic pricing strategy they choose, without being locked into a single system or approach. This means airlines using NDC for distribution aren’t constrained when delivering their dynamic pricing models across any connected distribution outlet, whether that’s OTAs, GDSs, TMCs, Spotnana, Navan, Travelfusion, or others.

What sets Accelya apart is the flexibility of our NDC framework. Airlines can bring their own dynamic pricing strategies—whether simple rule-based or complex AI-driven models—and integrate them seamlessly. And for airlines looking to enhance their capabilities, Accelya also offers advanced analytics and AI-powered tools to optimize dynamic pricing decisions. The choice is entirely yours, without limitations.

Amazing, isn’t it? But there’s even more to love about dynamic pricing with NDC. Not only does it help meet consumer demands for value, but it also boosts the airline’s Offer Take Rate (OTR), leading to higher revenues and happier customers.

Now, I’ll ask again—who would have guessed? NDC isn’t just about ancillaries and bundles anymore—it’s the foundation for truly dynamic, personalized airline retailing. Ready to see how Accelya’s NDC can unlock new revenue streams for your airline? Talk to your client team or reach out to me directly.