Sabre and TAP Air Portugal are taking their partnership to new heights by expanding their distribution agreement, marking a significant step towards offering travel agents seamless access to NDC (New Distribution Capability) content. This agreement allows Sabre-connected travel agents to book TAP Air Portugal’s evolving NDC offers alongside traditional EDIFACT content, enhancing the options available for both agents and travelers. With this expanded collaboration, travel agents can now request activation to access NDC content through Sabre’s travel marketplace, including its Offer and Order APIs, Sabre Red 360, and GetThere corporate booking tool.
The expanded partnership underscores the growing trend within the travel industry towards modern airline retailing, a movement that is enabling airlines like TAP Air Portugal to better tailor their offerings and create more personalized travel experiences for passengers. TAP Air Portugal, known for its wide-reaching network and commitment to providing high-quality services, is excited to deepen its collaboration with Sabre, a global leader in travel technology. “We’re thrilled to offer our customers an enhanced and modern booking experience,” said Justin Jovignot, Director of Distribution and Commercial Strategy at TAP Air Portugal. “With Sabre’s extensive network, we can now offer our NDC content to travel agents and customers worldwide, empowering agents with the tools they need to provide exceptional service.”
This shift is crucial as the travel sector evolves, allowing agents access to both traditional and innovative content sources in one unified platform. By offering NDC alongside standard content, Sabre’s marketplace equips agents with more flexibility and choice, ensuring they can better cater to the unique needs of each customer. Thousands of Sabre-connected agencies, spanning over 150 countries, will now benefit from these enhanced capabilities, allowing them to shop, book, and manage TAP’s NDC offers as part of their regular workflows.
Alessandro Ciancimino, Vice President of Airline Distribution for EMEA at Sabre, highlighted the importance of this integration: “Sabre’s travel marketplace is designed to seamlessly combine diverse content sources, including NDC, making it easier for agents to deliver enhanced travel experiences while boosting their operational efficiency.” This agreement strengthens the long-standing relationship between Sabre and TAP Air Portugal, demonstrating their commitment to driving innovation in the travel industry and meeting the evolving demands of modern travelers.
As the airline industry continues to embrace NDC, the new agreement offers TAP Air Portugal an opportunity to deliver more tailored experiences to travelers, aligning with the broader industry trend toward personalized service and modern retailing practices. TAP’s global reach and modern fleet, including next-generation Airbus A320neo and A330neo aircraft, position it as a leader in offering a smooth, efficient travel experience for passengers, with a focus on sustainability through reduced emissions.
With this expanded distribution agreement, TAP Air Portugal further cements its role as a key player in the global travel market, ensuring that both travel agents and travelers can enjoy a more dynamic and personalized approach to booking and managing their journeys.
