NDC (New Distribution Capability) is a travel industry-supported distribution standard launched by IATA for the development and market adoption of a new, XML-based (Extensible Markup Language) data transmission standard. NDC can improve the customers’ travel experience by transforming the shopping and servicing between airlines and travel agents, allowing for product differentiation, providing access to full and rich content, and offering a transparent shopping experience.

Air Canada is modernizing its product distribution strategy to encourage the use of advanced technology and enable agents to better meet evolving customer needs and address increasing global competition. With its improved NDC program, Air Canada will provide a competitive alternative to legacy GDS EDIFACT distribution models to mitigate increased costs and technological limitations, which currently reduce access to Air Canada’s complete offerings at the best possible prices.

Air Canada’s NDC program offers a modern shopping and servicing experience that allows for personalized content and fares, richer product information and optional services for leisure and corporate customers.

Air Canada’s NDC program is currently offered in Canada, with the planned expansion into the following regions throughout 2023: United States, Australia, and United Kingdom.

Starting in 2024, we will begin expanding into the following regions: Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Peru, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Taiwan (China).

To help incentivize agency transition, Air Canada will implement favourable business rules to ensure its best available seat inventory is made available for bookings made via its NDC program as well as its other direct channels. While seat inventory availability rules from legacy channels will remain unchanged, these additional business rules will result in booking classes being available longer in NDC and other direct channels.

Yes, Air Canada is committed to the long-term future of NDC technology and are investing in additional features and capabilities.

Air Canada’s NDC program offers easy access to all offers and rules, making Air Canada accountable for the compliance associated with booking and servicing, the avoidance of select debit memos, control of the booking to support and service customers, and real-time messaging via Order Change Notifications.

Bookings made using Air Canada’s NDC channel are not subject to select debit memos such as refund, exchange, commission application, tax and fare calculation errors, and select CRS (Computer Reservation Systems) cost recovery memos.

As part of Air Canada’s overall effort to modernize product distribution, a Distribution Cost Recovery (DCR) will be introduced to address the cost of legacy distribution models, which have risen at several times the rate of inflation over the past decade and are no longer sustainable. This DCR is applicable to all tickets issued globally via GDS EDIFACT channels, effective as of June 14, 2023.

The DCR does not apply to bookings made via any of Air Canada’s NDC connection options including NDC-sourced content in a GDS solution, as well as through Air Canada’s other direct booking channels such as aircanada.com, aircanada.com/agents, Air Canada for Business, and the Air Canada mobile app, or group bookings made on G-Cubed for Canadian and US-based agencies.

EDIFACT (Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce, and Transport) is the legacy technology that has been used by the industry since the 1980s. It is the main third-party distribution method used by Global Distribution Systems (GDS) to access airline content like schedules, fares and availability from the airline. EDIFACT technology is limited as its text based and does not allow for rich content to be displayed.

Travel agencies using Air Canada’s direct booking channels (such as Air Canada for Business or as a travel agent via AirCanada.com or Air Canada Connex) will continue to have access to the full range of Air Canada content and fares and will not be subject to Air Canada’s distribution cost recovery for any booking made via its direct channels.

Amadeus is Air Canada’s first GDS partner to connect to Air Canada’s NDC program as of June 14, 2023.

We've also partnered with Sabre as an additional GDS partner, providing agencies and travel buyers with another GDS-based NDC connection option. Agents will be able to access a full range of Air Canada’s NDC-sourced content via their existing Sabre access beginning later in 2023*.

Air Canada is looking to provide other GDS connection options in the future.

*Available in the coming months

To support agency transition, NDC coupon incentive will be applicable to eligible NDC bookings made directly with an Air Canada NDC API connection or via select NDC certified technology partners.

The incentive will be paid to the travel agency per flight coupon as specified per planned eligible regions below. The NDC coupon incentive will be available in Canada beginning on June 14, 2023, and expected to remain in market until at least December 31, 2024.

For full eligibility and offer details, please contact your Air Canada account manager. Additional region implementation dates will be publicized on a progressive basis.

There are currently four NDC access methods. Your agency can choose the solution that best fits its business model:

1. Direct integration: Reliable Air Canada NDC API services with 24/7 monitoring and support.
2. Existing technology aggregator partners: Certified technology partners offering a wide range of functionality and technical options.
3. GDS solution: Amadeus Travel Platform offers agencies an integrated solution with their business processes. Contact to your Amadeus account manager for more information.
4. Free desktop platform: Air Canada Connex provides agencies with a free, web-based intuitive booking tool with easy registration.

The Air Canada NDC API is open to agencies, any third-party intermediaries or IT providers and third-party applications like Metasearch, Corporate Booking Tools (CBTs) or Online Travel Agencies (OTAs). The NDC API enables the travel industry to transform the way Air Canada’s products are retailed to corporations, leisure, and business travellers, by offering an improved shopping experience.

The timeframe to implement Air Canada’s NDC content into your booking tool using the Air Canada NDC API, or with the help of one of Air Canada's certified technology partners, will vary with each provider.

Yes, Air Canada offers comprehensive servicing capabilities which enables customers and agencies to make voluntary changes to itineraries for all markets before or after travel commences. This includes adding or changing optional services and/or seat selection.

Learn more about new and upcoming features.

The following forms of payment are currently accepted:

• Credit card
• BSP Cash in Canada 
• UATP 

Although Air Canada’s NDC features are made available to all certified technology providers connected to our Air Canada NDC API services, they manage their roadmap and may opt to support some or all features. Refer to your technology provider for more information and to get access to the latest features they support and offer.

If your agency is using a third-party provider or a GDS connection, you will need to work with them directly to evaluate options offered by their technology services to facilitate integration with your accounting system.

For Air Canada NDC API users, Air Canada will introduce a tool later this year to export the reservation data into a formatted file which your accounting system can intake.

For AC Connex agency subscribers, you will have access to a file with formatted data that is compatible and can integrate with most back-office providers. This will be part of your agency configuration profile set up.

The use of passive segments is not supported except for group PNRs with OAL segments. Certain other exceptions may exist depending on your GDS provider. Please contact your GDS provider for procedural information to address your specific requirements including invoicing or back-office needs. Please contact your sales account manager for questions regarding the Air Canada CRS Booking & Ticketing Policy.

When booking via Air Canada’s NDC program, Air Canada is responsible to price all offers and issue the ticket, removing the possibility of pricing errors and allowing agencies to avoid select debit memos related to these types of errors.

Air Canada will handle all bookings that are impacted with a schedule change and will rebook the customer. Your agency provider will be notified via an Order Change notification to update your records. The customer will be notified and is redirected to the Air Canada website to make a change (free of charge) or refund the booking if it no longer meets their travel arrangement.

Air Canada Connex is our free, web-based intuitive booking tool designed for travel agencies to get access to Air Canada’s additional content and a whole host of functionality, features and capabilities for your business. Following a successful pilot phase, Air Canada Connex is now available to all agencies in Canada.

Signing up for Air Canada Connex is easy. Simply register online, and your agency will receive login credentials within 7 business days to set up your account and get you started after validation by Air Canada.

Learn more about Air Canada Connex.

Air Canada Connex is currently only available for agencies in Canada. Air Canada is working on expanding our NDC program to support settlement and reporting solutions by the latter part of this year for the major Points of Sale, including the United States and international hubs.

Yes, your travel agents can make voluntary changes to an itinerary for all markets before or after travel commences. This includes the ability to add or change optional services and seat selection.

We currently accept the following forms of payment:

• Credit card
• BSP Cash in Canada
• UATP

Technical support and queries related to Air Canada Connex are supported by Farenexus, a web tool service provider. To report an issue or query related to Air Canada Connex, please contact the support team via email at acconnex@aircanada.ca or directly through the online service desk.

Please note that providing as much information as you can, including screenshots when relevant, will help in assisting you in a timely manner.