NDC for corporate travel: reach business travellers

A strategic segment left behind

Corporate travel contributes a disproportionate share of many airlines' revenue. Yet much of it is booked through travel management companies and corporate booking tools that still depend on traditional content. As a result, corporate travellers often cannot access the fares, bundles and services the airline already sells on its website.

The World Aviation Festival 2026 includes sessions on bringing the benefits of NDC to corporates — with seamless booking and travel management capabilities for high-value travellers — and on moving from fragmented airline distribution to intelligent corporate travel management.

Why the corporate channel is different

Many actors are involved

Airline, travel management company, booking tool, corporate client and traveller. Each has different needs: negotiated price, policy control, servicing and experience.

Servicing is critical

Corporate travellers change plans more often. If an NDC booking cannot be changed as easily as a traditional one, the agency avoids it. It is the same logic we explain in the differences between NDC, ONE Order and PNR.

Data is mandatory

Companies need consolidated reporting on spend, policy compliance and carbon footprint. An offer that does not generate that data is not viable for them.

What the airline must prepare

1. Full NDC content in corporate tools. Negotiated fares, bundles and ancillaries, not just the basic fare.

2. Equivalent or better servicing. Changes, cancellations and refunds without manual intervention.

3. Policies and approvals. The offer must be filterable according to each company's travel policy.

4. Reporting data. Spend, emissions and services consumed, in formats agencies can integrate.

5. A value proposition for the traveller. Loyalty recognition, benefits and direct communication after booking.

The role of the direct channel

Even if corporate travel is mostly booked through intermediaries, the relationship with the traveller can be direct: app, notifications, trip management and loyalty. It is an opportunity to strengthen loyalty as a direct channel and to have travellers book their personal trips direct.

Metrics to track the transition

• Share of corporate sales via NDC.

• Distribution cost per corporate segment, key to measuring the true profitability of the direct channel.

• Automated servicing rate on NDC bookings.

• Ancillary take-up in corporate travel.

• Agency and corporate satisfaction with content and service.

Conclusion

NDC will not be complete until it reaches corporate travellers with the same richness of offer and the same ease of servicing as the direct channel. Airlines that solve this with agencies and corporate tools will protect their highest-value segment and win a direct relationship with it.

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