American Express Global Business Travel joins Amadeus’ NDC-X program

Amadeus today announces that American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) will join the NDC-X program to help pilot Amadeus’ new NDC-enabled solution.

The global business partner for managed travel will use Amadeus’ NDC-enabled solution to test and familiarize itself with the new NDC flow of ‘shop, order, pay’. This will help GBT prepare to implement the industrialized version of the solution, which will include servicing capabilities, in 2019.

This agreement means American Express GBT will have access to NDC content in addition to Amadeus’ extensive travel content available in the global distribution system.

“By working with Amadeus we already have access to a broad array of travel content. Now with NDC, we’ll be able to offer even more to our clients. This content will be available through all points of sale, whether digital self-service or agent tools,” says Michael Qualantone, Executive Vice President of Global Supplier Relations for American Express Global Business Travel. “No matter how the industry evolves, cost efficiency and service quality are always going to be among our top priorities, and working on the NDC-X program with Amadeus, our longstanding distribution partner, enables us to achieve this.”

“Collaboration is key to ensure NDC works for the industry, and benefits all players, including the traveler,” says Gianni Pisanello, VP, NDC-X program, Amadeus. “Having an innovative and customer service driven partner like American Express GBT join our NDC-X program and work with our NDC-enabled solution is a great milestone as we prepare for global deployment next year.”

Amadeus’ NDC-X program brings together all NDC initiatives across the company – as an IT provider and an aggregator – and Amadeus is working with several airlines and travel sellers to drive the adoption of NDC across the industry.