How Non-IATA Travel Agents Operate

As the name suggests, non-IATA/independent travel agents are agents who are not accredited by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). IATA is considered to be one of the most basic resources for a travel agent because most airline bookings are done through the IATA portal.

In order to book from IATA, the travel agent must get registered with IATA as an IATA travel agent. However, it is also possible to buy and sell tickets without getting affiliated with IATA. All travel agents who do so are known as non-IATA/independent travel agents. These agents either purchase tickets from other IATA travel agencies or from the airline.

Non-IATA travel agents have had a major impact on the travel business, and their numbers have constantly grown over the years. In the traditional sense, a non-IATA travel agency basically functions by collecting orders, sending the booking to IATA travel agencies and forwarding the booked tickets to the customer.

However, traditional methods are now giving way to modern day technologies and one can make use of innovations in the non-IATA/independent travel agents market as well. With the increase in the number of non-IATA travel agents around the world, consolidators/host agencies and larger travel agencies are placing a lot of stress on getting more and more non-IATA travel agents under their umbrella.

Modern technological solutions also allow travel agents to build their business from the ground up. They can leverage basic operations, integrate ticket issuing systems, enjoy an excellent operational flow and boost their productivity. One solution that allows non-IATA/independent travel agents with such possibilities is the TTS Consolidator.

TTS Consolidator is basically a solution that enables a travel agency to take care of its ticketing business without having to get affiliated to IATA and without being forced to make any sort of changes to its way of operating.

Such solutions have become extremely beneficial and popular among agents who are not affiliated with IATA because they are extremely easy to use and flexible. They don’t require any prior knowledge of booking systems like Galileo GDS they can be accessed 24 x 7. Moreover, all the ticketing is done in real time. This helps the travel agent to eliminate the possibilities of lag time, a major worry for non-IATA/independent travel agents still working with traditional mediums.

For most parts, the non-IATA/independent travel agents market is dominated by home-based travel agents. These agents are the ones who can benefit the most from these technological innovations because solutions like the TTS Consolidator make processes really simple. They help the travel agent to eliminate the need to become an IATA travel agent and offer them with an IATA-like experience minus the hassles, financial implications, and extra processes.

A number of travel agencies were dropping out of the business and not getting affiliated with IATA because of the financial impacts of an IATA affiliation. However, with the development of such solutions, non-IATA/independent travel agents can actually operate without feeling the need for an IATA certification or increasing their dependence on IATA travel agencies.

Read also: To IATA or Not to IATA – That Is The Question


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13 Comments

  1. Afroz Theem June 15, 2016 at 4:00 am - Reply

    i have done my iata in travel and tourism consultant.—–i want to know that what will be the profit to become a non iata agent —–how much commission will consolidator will be give me ????

    • Joana Ferreira October 17, 2016 at 12:02 pm - Reply

      Hi Afroz! There are several benefits in becoming a non-IATA travel agent. Please check http://consolidator.tts.com/ for more information about this topic and contact our sales team at sales@tts.com for any questions you may have. Thank you for your interest in our solutions.

    • Nihal Ahmed September 28, 2020 at 6:29 am - Reply

      I need to start travel agency

      • TTSadmin November 27, 2020 at 1:22 pm - Reply

        Hello, Nihal. Please check our blog post about this. Thank you.

  2. Rosalinda Keyser October 11, 2016 at 2:34 am - Reply

    Kindly give more information on how a non-aiata travel agency run without Iata. how to book easily and get the airline rate easily so the client could easily get the rate for travel anywhere.

    • Joana Ferreira October 17, 2016 at 12:01 pm - Reply

      Hello Rosalinda! Please check http://consolidator.tts.com/ for more information about this topic and contact our sales team at sales@tts.com for any questions you may have. Thank you for your interest in our solutions.

  3. Melania October 29, 2016 at 4:36 pm - Reply

    Hi Guys, can TTS be used just for airlines ticket? What about Hotel’s booking? Thanks Melania

    • Joana Ferreira November 22, 2016 at 2:51 pm - Reply

      Hi Melania, you can check which of our solutions best suits your needs. Just go to the Solutions Tab and read the available information. If you have any questions please contact our sales team at sales@tts.com. Thank you for your interest.

  4. Kinzo February 10, 2017 at 11:43 am - Reply

    Does TTS technology works with Amadeus GDS?

    • TTSadmin July 20, 2017 at 9:36 am - Reply

      Hi Kinzo, currently our solutions only work with Travelport GDSs but keep tuned.

  5. Samia December 2, 2020 at 12:15 pm - Reply

    Hi. i have IATA foundation diplom. can I work from home travel agent?

    • TTSadmin December 2, 2020 at 3:41 pm - Reply

      Hello Samia. If you are an IATA certified travel agency you can work from home with TTS tools. Please fill this form and our sales team will be in contact with you. Thank you.

  6. n June 9, 2022 at 2:22 am - Reply

    WOW just wһat I was looking for. Came here by searching for consolidation business

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