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What is the best api for airline tkt search for medileast and North Africa

API 

We are looking for a cost effective way to make it easier for our users to provide accurate flight details for itineraries that they have already booked; their manual data entry is frequently inaccurate, which leads to downstream confusion. 
<ul>
<li>We collect minimal info - carrier, flight number, and arrival and departure data (airport, date/time). Our volume is fairly low, on the order of a few hundred requests a month.</li>
</ul>
We see 2 options so far -
1. Parse the users' confirmation emails with an API such as AwardWallet or Amadeus trip parser API. 
<ul>
<li>These have their limitations for us - AW is too expensive for our low volume, and (in the test environment) the Amadeus trip-parser is slow and often incomplete.   I see reports on stack overflow that only a limited set of providers are covered in Amadeus. </li>
<li>This approach also seems inherently unstable and inefficient, given how varied providers' confirmation email formats are, and much other non-itinerary content they contain.</li>
</ul>
2. Retrieve the PNR data using the user's record locator, and parse it into our data structure. 
<ul>
<li>This approach seems more straightforward and reliable, and there seem to be several PNR parsing APIs out there. </li>
<li>But it is not clear to me what the most appropriate options are for posting a record locator and last name, and retriving the PNR record.</li>
<li>Some of the bigger APIs will be too expensive for us, and our use case is very narrow - just a simple read-only retrieval.</li>
</ul>
Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions about either of these approaches?  Are there other approaches we should consider?
Thanks.

Need an accurate and easy way to get flight into fro previously booked trips

What is the best short term vacation rental software?

Which hotel aggregator is the best?


I want to know if it's compulsory to book a return flight ticket even if you are traveling for employment purpose which will take you to be in the country for more than one year.

Is it necessary to book a return ticket?

What hotels use OPERA PMS?

Is there a solid SaaS Car Rental system that has a quality API which allows for building your own booking and checkin flows? &nbsp;We've looked at a number of options. &nbsp;Most seem like custom pro-serve implementations to startup up and they seem to have little to no API.

SaaS Car Rental

We are India based searching ePower API for our travel website. In Indian Amadeus office nobody knows details of ePower.

ePower API for our travel website

does someone know if ElAl has open api of flights and others.. 
and how to access it?

where to get open api services of elAL

Why there is no Travel Management Company for leisure travellers

How to implement HomeAway API integration?

How to do MakeMyTrip API integration?

How to integrate Cleartrip API into your web app, desktop app, or mobile app?

Hi Marco, What kind of content are we talking about here? Hotels or airlines? For hotels, check<a href="https://developers.expediagroup.com/docs/products/rapid/lodging/content"> Expedia Rapid API</a>, <a href="https://developer.hotelbeds.com/documentation/hotels/content-api/">Hotelbeds Content API</a>. For airlines, you may need <a href="https://developers.oag.com/">OAG APIs</a> or <a href="https://www.atpco.net/solutions/distribution/apis">ATPCO</a>. What are the limitations of your current provider?

Editor

Is there an API or another possibility to update the static data more easily?

Is there an API for updating static data on OTAs in real time?

Hi Ming Jie, thanks a lot for your answer!! I'll have a look.

To retrieve reservation data using the booking reference provided by the booking provider, you can utilize the Booking.com Connectivity APIs or similar services offered by other providers. These APIs enable connectivity partners to send and retrieve data for properties listed on the platform, allowing them to manage room availability, reservations, prices, and other relevant information. Additionally, the Booking.com Developers API provides all the necessary information to make full use of their API, including detailed explanations of functions, calls, formats, and data available.
It's important to note that the availability of such APIs may vary between different providers. Some providers may require specific agreements or offer their own API solutions for reservation retrieval. Therefore, it's advisable to explore the specific offerings of individual providers and consider integrating the APIs that best align with the requirements of your website and the providers you work with.
In summary, companies like Booking.com provide connectivity APIs that enable partners to retrieve reservation data using booking references, simplifying the process of accessing reservation information from various providers.

I'm looking for a solution to retrieve reservation data using the booking reference provided by the booking provider. For example, if I book a flight on the Lufthansa website, I receive a booking reference from Lufthansa (e.g., OGHLNA). I would like to be able to enter this booking reference on my website and retrieve the corresponding reservation data from the Lufthansa website using an API. 
As far as I know, the only way would be to have specific agreements with every provider. Is there any compay providing such an API service? Any idea?

API to retrieve booking data based on provider booking reference

Thanks for sharing the background of your idea! It sounds like a great concept to create a unified platform for bookable services across industries. I understand the challenge with fragmented sectors like beauty, where multiple booking systems are in place. Focusing on the travel industry first makes sense, as GDS systems offer a lot of readily available content. It’s a smart approach to start with an industry that’s already structured for easy integration before expanding to others. Best of luck with your platform!

Hi Adnan, There’s no simple answer to all of your questions. I’ll try to answer a few those: What are the differences between these companies and consolidators? We know that consolidators buy flights seats in bulk. Other than that then what? We call companies like Duffel or Travelfusion aggregators. Normally, they connect to various providers to enable access to all that content via a single API. In the most basic terms, consolidators traditionally sell private fares, those that you can’t display publicly on a website but you can sell via a phone or as part of a larger tour package. Aggregators, on the other hand, collect all content, both private and public fares. But that’s a very simplified definition because those companies that have traditionally been consolidators can also sell published fares or offer other services.  Which would benefit us more in terms of rates, flight inventory, and customization (markups, commissions)? It all depends. Different providers have different strengths. If you want to display flight prices online, you’re dealing with published fares. Agent commissions there are very thin. If you act as a merchant of record and add your own markups, it’s easy to fail because of the fierce competition and travelers' price sensitivity. You have to find a handful of suppliers, negotiate directly and win exclusive deals that will drive sales for you. Are there better options than these companies? Again, it depends. You may also explore host travel agencies besides consolidators, aggregators, and GDSs. If you don’t have IATA accreditation, you can’t ticket flights, so you’ll need somebody to help you with ticketing. Should we combine APIs from different sources? Any tips? It’s definitely harder. Smaller businesses usually connect to a single API. 
 Is Hotelbeds the best overall choice for us? They do have a large inventory, so I’d look in that direction. Also, check WebBeds, another large bed bank. If combining suppliers, which would be the best combination? It depends on the specific markets that you target. You can consider some aggregator or large OTA (e.g. Expedia) that works with your target suppliers, integrate their API, and then directly negotiate with those suppliers to get better deals. You may also contact our experts at <a>solutions@altexsoft.com</a>.

Hello again altexsoft team
So if we've understood everything correctly commissions are very thin for agents selling flights generally. Which we agree with. You won't see suppliers offering more than 10% for each flight sale. This is why we where leaning towards adding markups. We thought if it as a solution to complement the thin commissions. But it is as you mentioned. Prices between OTA's are competitive and customers are price sensitive so having markups isn't a great idea. This means that our only solution should be working on commissions.  The thing is, who do we negotiate with. There are hundreds of services out there that offer flight content. Some of them are aggregators and others are consolidators and some just combine multiple sources into one api. Where do we begin. And even better, who would negotiate with a startup that has no selling volume. It seems like we have hit a road end.  
Maybe our thought process for the startup was all wrong. Maybe our goal of having a broad and big inventory wasn't the greatest idea for a startup OTA and we should think more strategically. We've thought a bit and aince we are a startup in Sweden we maybe need to focus on destinations that Scandinavians often travel to. And pick suppliers that will be the best for these destinations. Now we have a more clear audience and researching what those  destinations, countries and cities that Scandinavians often travel to won't be a problem. The problem is who to choose from the big sea of flight suppliers out there.  And if they are even willing to negotiate.
We saw you mention something about travel host agencies and we went up to learn more about them and we stumbled upon an article from you guys. They seem to mainly work with newcomers just like us. We also saw high commissions being brought up but we didn't understand what was high. Is the commission itself per sale that is high or are we just talking about the commission split between you and the supplier with you being the one taking the biggest part of the split?
Another question, how does it look for hotels. Is it the same fierce price competition between ota's that won't make you able to add markups? Doesn't suppliers like hotelbeds give you cheap rates making it possible to add markups since they buy in wholesale? I've heard that commissions on hotel sales are generally higher than flights.
Any opinions and inputs are very appreciated. Thanks in advance

Hello AltexSoft team and community,
 
We've been following your site and reading your insightful articles on GDSs, OTAs, booking engines, APIs, and more. Each article has sparked our curiosity and interest further.
 
Our Vision:
A little very non detailed short backstory of our idea, in summary, our idea is to create a platform that displays bookable services no matter the industry. From travel related services to beauty related services and everything in between. Our ultimate goal is to create a single big platform that connects businesses with bookable services to customers creating a one stop solution and a platform where all individual businesses and booking systems can reach out to customers. Therefore, for our startup to fulfill its goal we need to fill our website with content. The problem is that with other industries everything is fragmented. The beauty industry for example, businesses are fragmented. Some businesses use booking systems and others use booking systems with customer platforms that lets customers browse through saloons that have subscribed to its booking system only, while other businesses use their own created booking system etc meaning that getting content would require us to contact many platforms and individuals asking to get access to or invite them to display their services on our platform. This is all hard and we will save this for later. But, what made us interested in the travel industry and the content there is availability. We have gds's for example. You get plenty of content by integrating with one of these gds's. Generally, the travel industry is made in a way for other businesses to sell. So the content is already there and ready to be sold.
 
Phase One: Online Travel Agency:
Our goal is to provide a comprehensive range of travel services, including flights, hotels, activities, public transportation, transfers, car rentals, cruises, ferries and whatever fall under the industry of travel. We aim to integrate these services via APIs to capture the entire booking experience on our site. While managing bookings is not our priority, controlling pricing to add markups is essential.
 
Questions:
 
<ol>
<li>Integrating with Major GDSs:</li>
</ol>
   - We understand that integrating with major GDSs (Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport) requires credentials that can be costly and time-consuming. Alternatives include:
     - Consolidators: Like Mondee, picasso travel etc, which buy fares wholesale.
     - Companies (dont know what to call them): Duffel, Travelfusion, Flightslogic, Mystifly.
each of these companies have their strengths like presence in a specific region or partnerships with specific types of airlines etc
   
   Questions:
   - What are the differences between these companies and consolidators? We know that consolidators buy flights seats in bulk. Other than that then what?
   - Which would benefit us more in terms of rates, flight inventory, and customization (markups, commissions)?
   - Are there better options than these companies?
   - Should we combine APIs from different sources? Any tips?
 
<ol>
<li>Hotel Integration:</li>
</ol>
   - We are considering Hotelbeds because of what we heard about their large inventory and good prices, as they also offer other services.
   
   Questions:
   - Is Hotelbeds the best overall choice for us?
   - Do they lack anything specific in their inventory?
   - Would combining suppliers to complement each other's weaknesses be a good idea? For example, combining with Agoda for their strong Asian market inventory.
   - If combining suppliers, which would be the best combination?
   - If starting with one supplier, which offers the best overall rates, inventory size, and global reach?
 
<ol>
<li>Differentiation and Value Addition:</li>
</ol>
   - To stand out from competitors, we need to offer unique value. What current problems or gaps in the travel industry could we address?
   - For example, focusing on public transportation to help customers plan their entire trip seamlessly.
   
   Questions:
   - What problems or unmet needs exist in the travel industry that we could solve?
   - How can we differentiate ourselves by offering something unique to our customers?
 
Your professional opinions and tips will greatly help us move forward. We have struggled to find experts to consult, and we would be very grateful for your guidance.
 
Thank you in advance for your assistance!

Seeking Expert Guidance on Developing a Comprehensive Bookable Services Platform

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Hello,
There are Several APIs provide access to flight routes and schedule data, including FlightAware, Skyscanner, Amadeus for Developers, FlightStats, and OpenSky Network. These APIs offer real-time and historical flight information, enabling developers to access data on routes, schedules, availability, and pricing. Each API has its own features, pricing, and data coverage, so users should choose based on their specific requirements.
I hope this will help out
 
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Software Developer

Yes, there are several APIs available that provide flight routes and schedule data. Some popular options include:
<ol>
<li>
FlightAware API: FlightAware offers a comprehensive API for accessing real-time and historical flight data, including routes, schedules, and more.
</li>
<li>
Amadeus for Developers: Amadeus provides APIs for accessing travel industry data, including flight schedules, routes, availability, and pricing.
</li>
<li>
Skyscanner API: Skyscanner offers APIs for accessing flight search and pricing data, which can also provide information on routes and schedules.
</li>
<li>
Aviationstack: Aviationstack is another API service that provides real-time flight data, including routes, schedules, and more.
</li>
</ol>
Before using any of these APIs, make sure to review their documentation, pricing, and terms of use to ensure they meet your specific requirements.

Is there any API for flight routes and schedule data?

<ol>
<li>
Airbnb: Airbnb is one of the most well-known and widely used vacation rental platforms, offering a user-friendly interface, robust booking system, and extensive reach to potential guests.
</li>
<li>
Vrbo (formerly HomeAway): Vrbo is another leading vacation rental platform that specializes in whole-home rentals. It provides tools for property owners to list their properties, manage bookings, and communicate with guests.
</li>
<li>
Booking.com: While primarily known for hotels, Booking.com also features a significant number of vacation rental listings. It offers a reliable booking system, global reach, and extensive marketing resources.
</li>
<li>
Guesty: Guesty is a comprehensive vacation rental management platform that provides tools for property management, channel management, guest communication, and automation. It's suitable for hosts managing multiple properties across different platforms.
</li>
<li>
Hostaway: Hostaway is a vacation rental software designed to streamline property management tasks, including reservation management, channel management, automated messaging, and reporting. It integrates with various booking platforms and offers customizable solutions for different property types.
</li>
<li>
Lodgify: Lodgify is a vacation rental software focused on helping hosts create and manage their own branded booking websites. It offers website templates, booking engine integration, channel management, and payment processing features.
</li>
<li>
Rentals United: Rentals United is a channel management platform that helps property managers distribute their listings across multiple vacation rental websites, including Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, and others. It streamlines the booking process and minimizes double bookings.
</li>
</ol>
Ultimately, the best vacation rental software depends on factors such as the size of the rental portfolio, budget, desired features, and specific needs of the property owner or manager. It's essential to research and evaluate different options to find the one that best suits your requirements.

Making a decision requires taking stock of your unique requirements while weighing pros and cons in terms of price, features, and user feedback. The vacation rental industry is constantly changing, so it's important for owners to try new things until they find what works best for them in terms of reservations, administration, and success.

Hello!
 Here's a concise list:
<ol>
<li>Airbnb</li>
<li>Vrbo (formerly HomeAway)</li>
<li>Booking.com</li>
<li>Guesty</li>
<li>Lodgify</li>
<li>Hostaway</li>
<li>Escapia</li>
</ol>

What is the best short term vacation rental software?


Hey Olexander,
Thanks for the quick response,
Currently, we're connected with Duffel as our supplier. They handle payments through an API connectio nand use a Top-Up (Balance) system with Stripe.
Our supplier currently is Duffel, we do have API connection with them, the way they handle the payment is using Top-Up to a balance inside their account using Stripe. This means when you book a flight or hotel through their API, the cost is deducted from your account balance. So, having enought funds in your balance is crucial before making an order.
They also offer "Duffel Payments", a service that lets you instantly top-up your balance. But, it reuired using Duffel as the Payment Service Provider via the "Duffel Component" on the client side. However, this isent the best fit for us, as we're looking for a more flexible PSP solution.
Given your explanation, I'm curious about their choice to use this method rather than offering delayed ticketing.
I'd appreciate your input on this. What do you think about switching providers, finding an instant payment PSP, or exploring loans as potential options?

Hi Peter, You don't have to wait until Stripe transfers funds to your account. Normally, you can reserve flights or rooms immediately in your supplier's system via API and pay for them later. This reservation fixes the price at the current level, which solves the problem you're talking about. For example, Amadeus GDS allows you to make a reservation in the airline's PSS and generate a PNR while delaying ticketing for several days.  One scenario when this doesn't work is when you book LCCs (low-cost carriers) that don't have ticketing and immediately require a money transfer to make a reservation. You can set up instant money transfers to the carrier if they use Stripe.  What kinds of suppliers do you have? Do you have an API connection with them? And why do they require you to transfer funds instantly to make a booking?

Hey!
We are working on a travel startup that allow customers to buy bundle of hotels, flights, eSims etc' from different suppliers in one checkout.
After getting paid online, we need to pay our suppliers. The money takes a few days to transfer to our bank using services like Stripe.
This delay can lead to price changes by the time we pay the suppliers. 
How can we and others handle this payment problem?

Techtalks: Traveltech

Other topics:

How do you find and try something new, a new hobby?

API

Need an accurate and easy way to get flight into fro previously booked trips

What is the best short term vacation rental software?

Which hotel aggregator is the best?

Is it necessary to book a return ticket?

What hotels use OPERA PMS?

SaaS Car Rental

ePower API for our travel website

where to get open api services of elAL

Why there is no Travel Management Company for leisure travellers

How to implement HomeAway API integration?

How to do MakeMyTrip API integration?

How to integrate Cleartrip API into your web app, desktop app, or mobile app?

Is there an API for updating static data on OTAs in real time?

API to retrieve booking data based on provider booking reference

Seeking Expert Guidance on Developing a Comprehensive Bookable Services Platform

Is there any API for flight routes and schedule data?

What is the best short term vacation rental software?

Managing Payment collection delay and distributing to multiple suppliers