The Complete Guide to GDS, NDC, and Travel CRMs in 2025

ervinloke8
Oct 3
6 min read

If you’re here, chances are you’re trying to untangle the alphabet soup of GDS, NDC, APIs, and CRMs—and figure out how these systems actually affect your travel business.

You’re not alone. The travel tech stack in 2025 is more complex than ever, and with Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport still dominating conversations (and invoices), it’s easy to get stuck in legacy thinking.

This guide is built to help you cut through the noise. By the end, you’ll know:

What a GDS really is (and why it still matters).
How NDC and direct-connect APIs are changing the rules.
Where Travel CRMs fit into the picture.
How to decide between them—or more realistically, how to combine them.

Whether you’re a TMC owner, a corporate travel manager, or a startup product lead, this is your 2025 travel tech survival kit.

What Is a GDS (Global Distribution System) Today?

Let’s start with the basics. A Global Distribution System (GDS) is a centralized network that connects travel suppliers (airlines, hotels, car rentals) with travel sellers (TMCs, OTAs, agents).

The big three you’ll hear about:

Amadeus – Europe-strong, airline-heavy, and increasingly dipping into hospitality.
Sabre – North America’s giant, with deep airline ties.
Travelport – The “third sibling,” smaller in footprint but strong in agency relationships.

Traditionally, the GDS was the lifeblood of corporate travel. Why? Because it gave travel managers a single system to book, ticket, and service flights with guaranteed content.

Even in 2025, they remain relevant for:

Consolidated access to full-service carriers.
Back-office integration for invoicing, reporting, and duty of care.
Consistency in policy enforcement.

But here’s the reality: GDSs are no longer the only game in town. Which brings us to NDC.

The Rise of NDC and Direct-Connect APIs

You’ve probably heard the term NDC (New Distribution Capability) tossed around more times than you can count. In plain English, NDC is an airline-driven initiative (via IATA) that lets carriers sell directly to you, without the GDS filter.

Here’s what makes it attractive:

Rich content – think seat maps, photos, baggage bundles, upgrades.
Dynamic pricing – fares that adjust in real time (just like online shopping).
Ancillaries unlocked – finally, a way to book Wi-Fi, meals, or preferred seating without calling support.

But it’s not all smooth sailing:

Servicing is messy – exchanges, refunds, and disruptions are harder without GDS infrastructure.
ADM (Agency Debit Memos) risk – agencies face new accounting headaches.
Patchy adoption – some carriers are all in, others… not so much.

If you’re in APAC/SEA, this becomes even trickier. With low-cost carriers (AirAsia, Scoot, Lion Air) holding major market share, direct APIs often cover more ground than GDS content. Which means you’re now juggling multiple sources.

Travel CRMs and Modern Platforms: The Missing Link

Here’s where many decision-makers get stuck: it’s not just about distribution anymore.

A Travel CRM isn’t just a sales tool—it’s the backbone that connects booking, approvals, expense, and reporting. Think of it as the glue between your content sources (GDS, NDC, LCC APIs) and your traveler experience.

In practice, a travel CRM should:

Store and manage traveler profiles and preferences.
Automate approvals, policies, and duty of care.
Sync with finance for expense and invoicing.
Provide analytics that actually make sense to humans.

Platforms like Accomy take this a step further by bridging the gap. Instead of choosing between GDS and NDC, you get a hybrid model: integrated access, policy control, and traveler-friendly UX all in one place.

Feature	GDS (Amadeus/Sabre/Travelport)	NDC / Direct APIs	Travel CRM Platforms
Content Access	Full-service carriers, global	Rich airline offers, LCCs (Low Cost Carriers)	Mix of both via integrations
Servicing	Strong (exchanges, refunds)	Weak (varies by carrier)	Centralized, with automation
Policy Compliance	Built-in	Manual setup	Automated, customizable
Traveler Experience	Standardized, basic	Dynamic, personalized	Smarter UX, personalized

Rule of thumb:

SMEs: API + CRM often beats full GDS (cheaper, more flexible).
Enterprises: GDS + CRM = compliance + scale.
OTAs/Startups: APIs + modular CRM are usually the fastest way to launch.

Regional Realities: Why APAC/SEA Is Different

Marina Bay Sands silhouetted against a stunning sunset with the Singapore skyline

If you’re based in North America or Europe, GDS like Amadeus and Sabre still feels like the default.

But in Asia-Pacific, the rules change.

LCC dominance – Try booking AirAsia or Scoot through a GDS. Spoiler: you can’t. APIs win here.
Local invoicing – Tax and regulatory compliance differs by country. CRMs with regional setups save you headaches.
Fragmented supply – Dozens of mid-tier carriers and local hotels mean no single system gives you full coverage.

A Singapore-based TMC may need to blend GDS for long-haul flights with LCC APIs for regional hops, all tied together with a CRM for invoicing and policy enforcement. A Malaysian SME, on the other hand, may find pure API + CRM enough for 80% of trips.

The Traveler’s Perspective: Why Distribution Choices Matter

At the end of the day, all of this tech isn’t just about you—it’s about your travelers.

Seat maps & ancillaries – NDC makes it easier for employees to actually pick the seat they want.
Faster approvals – A CRM automates what used to be endless email chains.
Mobile-first booking – Modern platforms let travelers book, pay, and get approvals all from their phone.

If your travelers are frustrated, compliance drops. If compliance drops, costs rise. Simple as that.

The Future of Travel Distribution: 2025 and Beyond

Here’s where things are headed:

More NDC adoption – airlines will keep pushing direct sales.
Hybrid models – no one is “GDS-only” or “NDC-only” anymore.
Smarter CRMs – automation, personalization, and payments integration will take center stage.
Fintech + travel – expect tighter integration between booking tools and payments (virtual cards, crypto, instant settlements).

Platforms like Accomy are already preparing for this future: combining GDS reliability with NDC flexibility, layered on top of compliance, spend control, and a user-friendly traveler experience.

How Accomy Helps Bridge GDS, NDC, and CRM Gaps

Seamless hotel booking, all in one place — a look inside Accomy’s booking platform

If you’ve read this far, you’ve probably realized one thing: no single system solves everything. GDSs give you stability and coverage. NDC unlocks richer airline content. APIs make LCCs accessible. And CRMs bring it all together.

The challenge? Stitching these layers into something that actually works for your business. That’s where Accomy comes in.

Here’s how Accomy helps:

Unified Access – We connect to GDSs, NDC feeds, and direct APIs, so you don’t need to manage separate integrations.
Policy & Compliance – Automated controls mean your travelers see only the fares, hotels, and ancillaries that fit your rules.
Expense Integration – Bookings flow straight into finance, giving you real-time visibility into spend (no more month-end surprises).
Traveler Experience – Seat maps, ancillaries, approvals, and mobile booking all in one place—so your employees actually want to use the platform.
Regional Flexibility – Designed for APAC realities: LCC coverage, local invoicing, and multi-currency support.

Instead of forcing you to choose between GDS and NDC, Accomy acts as the bridge, delivering a hybrid model that balances cost, control, and traveler satisfaction.

Conclusion – Choosing The Future of Corporate Travel: GDS Systems, NDC, and CRM Integration

Here’s the takeaway:

GDS still matters if you need global coverage and enterprise-grade servicing.
NDC/APIs give you richer content and access to LCCs, but require support from a CRM.
CRMs are no longer optional—they’re the system that makes all the moving parts work together.

Your best bet isn’t choosing one—it’s finding the right blend.

👉 If you’re evaluating how to modernize your travel stack, explore how platforms like Accomy integrate the best of GDS and NDC, while adding policy, compliance, and traveler-friendly features on top.

FAQs Answered

What is the difference between GDS and NDC? A GDS is a global marketplace that aggregates travel content from airlines, hotels, and car rentals, while NDC is an airline-led standard for distributing richer, more personalized offers directly. Think of GDS as broad but standardized, and NDC as deeper but fragmented.
Which GDS is best for travel agents? Depends on your region. Amadeus dominates Europe, Sabre leads in North America, Travelport has niche strengths.
Do I need both GDS and NDC connections? In most cases, yes. GDSs provide coverage and reliability, but NDC gives access to exclusive fares, bundles, and ancillaries. A hybrid approach—connecting to both—ensures you don’t miss out on savings or traveler experience.
What’s the difference between GDS and NDC? GDS = centralized, stable but rigid. NDC = flexible, rich, but harder to service.
Do SMEs really need a GDS? Not always. Many SMEs in APAC run fine on API + CRM setups, skipping the GDS overhead.
What are the risks of relying only on a GDS? The biggest risks are missing out on airline-direct content (NDC), limited access to LCC fares, and paying higher distribution costs. You may also lose visibility into ancillary options travelers actually want.
Can you book LCCs on a GDS? Mostly no. That’s where direct APIs come in.
Are NDC fares cheaper than GDS fares? NDC fares are often cheaper because airlines reserve exclusive bundles and ancillaries for direct channels, but GDS fares still provide stronger servicing and reliability. The real advantage comes from combining both—which is exactly what Accomy enables, giving you access to richer NDC content alongside the stability of GDS in one unified platform.
How does a travel CRM integrate with GDS/NDC? Think of it as the front-of-house system: it pulls content from both, enforces policy, and makes the traveler experience smoother.
How does Accomy fit into all this? Accomy acts as a bridge—aggregating GDS, NDC, and API content into one platform, with policy automation, real-time spend visibility, and traveler-friendly booking flows. It reduces the complexity of managing multiple integrations.