General:

What is NDC?

NDC (New Distribution Capability) is a travel industry-supported program (NDC program) launched by IATA for the development and market adoption of a new XML-based data transmission standard (NDC standard). The NDC standard enhances communications between airlines and travel agents and is open for any third party, intermediary, IT provider or non-IATA member to implement and use.

Who can access Alaska Airlines’ NDC product?

Alaska Airlines (AS) NDC is open to travel agencies, OTAs, aggregators or IT providers, and TMCs, who can integrate our NDC APIs to enjoy an improved shopping experience.

Which version of IATA Airline Retailing Standards schemas does AS NDC use?

AS NDC uses the 21.3 version.

Does AS NDC require whitelisting IP addresses?

No, IP whitelisting is not required.

 

Registration:

Which email should agents use to register?

The service account email is used to access the AS API Management portal, which is essential for connection and integration. We recommend using a shared email rather than a personal email to ensure consistent access.

Do agents have to complete a registration form for each IATA number?

No. An agent can register multiple IATA numbers at once using the registration form regardless of connection type.

Why is an IATA number important to AS NDC?

The IATA number is used to identify the ownership of the booking, apply security for post-booking services, Order Change Notification (OCN), revenue accounting, etc.

How do agents update their IATA number or account information?

Please go to the registration page (https://www.alaskaair.com/content/ndc/registration) to update your registration form with updated information.

 

Connection:

I want to connect to AS NDC. Which connection type should I choose?

There are two ways to connect to Alaska Airlines NDC.

1.    Direct connect: If you’re looking to book through Alaska Airlines directly, you can connect to NDC via our APIs. This will give you greater control over your build, including front-end design and future adoption of new services.

2.    Via a third-party technology provider: Connecting via a third party may provide a quicker NDC onboarding process and reduce development costs. However, you may lose some control over future functionality. If you face any technical issues, you need to connect with your provider before raising them to the AS NDC.

Will there be GDS options to access AS NDC?

Currently, AS NDC does not have any GDS integration.

What is the turnaround time to connect with AS NDC?

The timeframe to implement AS NDC API and get certified will vary with each provider. General steps and information can be found on our onboarding portal.

What does error 401 mean?

A 401 error is an HTTP status code that indicates your credentials are invalid or expired. Please check your settings and try to get an access token again.

Does Alaska Airlines have an agency booking tool?

Currently, Alaska NDC does not have a UI for agency booking.

How do I request the access token?

Please use the VendorAccessToken API to request the access token.

How long is the access token valid?

The access token is valid for 1 hour. Please cache the token to use. When close to the 1-hour limit, you can request another token. However, please do not request access token in every request.

 

Content:

What differences can I expect from AS NDC?

We are focused on bringing automated servicing, improved communications and unlocking ancillary opportunities with NDC. In the future, we will launch more features and improvements to help the OTAs continue to meet guests’ needs.

Can Alaska Airlines Flight Pass be purchased/redeemed through NDC?

No. Flight Pass is only available through Alaska Airlines’ direct channel.

What ancillaries are available through AS NDC?

AS NDC offers paid seats, including Premium Class, Main Preferred and Exit Row seating as ancillaries.

Shopping:

Will First Class, Main Cabin and Saver fares return to AirShoppingRS?

Yes, they will be available in AirShoppingRS again, with all possible combinations. This includes round-trip and multi-city airfares. Please note, Saver Fare cannot be combined with other fare products.

Can AS NDC search by city code?

Yes. Users can test city code search capabilities with NYC (New York City) or CHI (Chicago).

Does AS NDC support One-Way, Round Trip, Multi-City and Open Jaw searching?

Yes, AS NDC supports all these trip types.

What are the maximum bounds supported in multi-city search or open-jaw search?

For multi-city and open-jaw search, AS NDC supports up to 4 bounds.

What is the maximum number of passengers for a non-group search?

AS NDC allows up to 7 passengers on the same reservation.

Can I make group bookings in NDC?

No, group bookings are not available through AS NDC.

What PTCs are supported and does AS NDC support multiple PTCs search?

AS NDC supports search for Adult (ADT, age 12 and above), Child (CHD, age 2 to 11), and Infant with Seat (INS, age less than 2). Lap infant (INF) is not supported currently. If INF is used in the requests, AirShopping and OfferPrice will not return the offer or price for INF.

Does AS NDC support Branded Fare?

Yes, AS NDC supports branded fare.

Does AS NDC return Voluntary Change (Cat 31) and Voluntary Refund (Cat 33) data?

Yes, AS NDC returns true or false indicator in OfferPrice RS for both Cat 31 and Cat 33 data, currently not in AirShopping RS.

Does AS NDC return operating/marketing carrier, aircraft type, flight duration, connection duration, baggage allowance and other relevant flight information in AirShopping RS and OfferPrice RS?

Yes, all of the above have returned in both AirShopping RS and OfferPrice RS.

Does AS NDC support specified search filters or a mix of multiple filters (cabin, departure/arrival time, number of connections, etc)?

No, AS NDC currently does not support this.

Does AS NDC support Private Fare or Negotiated Fare?

No, AS NDC currently does not support this, but it is on the roadmap.

Can codeshare flights be booked through NDC?

Yes, codeshare flights are available through NDC.

Does AS NDC have any type of time limit?

Currently, AS NDC does not have any type of time limit. Regular ticketing time limits apply.

Is there a way to request a specific currency in AirShopping?

No, AirShopping will default to USD.

Does AS NDC support unaccompanied minor (UMMR)?

No. Passengers aged 17 or younger traveling alone are classified as unaccompanied minors (UMNR). Currently, AS NDC does not offer booking services for unaccompanied minors, regardless of whether the "teen assist" option is selected.

Does AS NDC have a credit card surcharge (OB Fee) and display it in AirShopping?

AS NDC does not have a credit card surcharge (OB Fee), so it is not in the AirShopping RS.

Does AS NDC support short and/or long-sell OfferPriceRQ?

AS NDC supports short-sell OfferPriceRQ using Offer ID but does not currently support long-sell OfferPriceRQ.

 

Booking:

Does AS NDC allow duplicate bookings?

NDC does not allow duplicate bookings. Duplicate bookings will be automatically deleted.

What is AS NDC 2-Step OrderCreate and what does it support?

For 2-Step OrderCreate subscribers, flight orders can be held without payment for a specified time limit using OrderCreate. The fare will be guaranteed for that specified payment time limit. Payment for the held order must be subsequently made using OrderChange before the payment time limit has expired. Orders will be automatically canceled if payment has not been submitted by the payment time limit expiration. Only flight orders (with or without free seats) can be placed on hold using Order Create. In-Flow Paid seat (book/hold flight with paid seat together) is not supported with 2-Step OrderCreate and paid seat can be booked with post-flow seat assignment flow. A Held order can be canceled by calling OrderChange to cancel and refund.

What are the current limitations of AS NDC 2-Step OrderCreate?

Orders cannot be held with paid seats. Changing the held order is not supported but we do support canceling the held order.

Does AS NDC support 1-Step OrderCreate for foreign currencies?

No. For international bookings using foreign currencies, only 2-Step OrderCreate is supported. 1-Step OrderCreate will not work with foreign currency transactions. For bookings in USD, agencies may use either 1-Step or 2-Step OrderCreate.

Can AS NDC book a lap infant?

AS NDC currently cannot book lap infants (PTC code INF) directly through API. You can contact our agency help desk to add the lap infant manually.

Does AS NDC use Airline Ticket Stock or Neutral Ticket Stock?

Airline Ticket Stock.

Will AS NDC re-price before booking?

Yes, the booking engine will check if there is a price difference before booking. If the difference is more than threshold, we will return error, so you need to go back to shopping flow again.

Should agents put in the customer’s email address/phone number or the agency’s email address/phone number when submitting OrderCreateRQ?

It is an agent’s obligation to meet relevant IATA resolution:

• If agents provide the customer’s email/phone number, the customer will receive:
  • Confirmation email
  • Disruption email/phone notification
• If agents use the agency’s email/phone number, they will be responsible for sending the customer a:
  • Confirmation email
  • Disruption email/phone notification

If the refund method is a credit certificate, it will be sent to the email address provided on the booking. It is the agent’s decision how to issue the credit certificate refund.

Can an Atmos Rewards Number be added in OrderCreateRQ?

Yes. AS NDC will validate the match between an Atmos Rewards number and a passenger. Currently, Atmos Rewards is the only loyalty program AS NDC supports.

Currently, Atmos Rewards is the only loyalty program AS NDC supports.

Can AS NDC support adding a Redress Number in OrderCreateRQ?

Yes.

Which passenger genders can be selected in AS NDC?

AS NDC supports:

• F = Female
• M = Male
• X = Unspecified
• U = Undisclosed

Does AS NDC support Booking on Hold (BOH)?

No.

Does AS NDC support Middle Name, Title, and Suffix?

Yes.

Why Cannot I See the Ticket Number in the OrderViewRS of OrderCreate?

AS NDC provides booking ID in response to OrderCreate and please use OrderRetrieve to get the ticket number after the completion of OrderCreate. We recommend to wait for 10 seconds after the response of OrderCreate before calling OrderRetrieve.

 

Payment:

Which payment methods are accepted?

Currently, AS NDC accepts credit card payments through API, Alaska Airlines will be the merchant of record.

The following credit cards are supported:

Does AS NDC have a settlement agreement with ARC or BSP?

Currently, AS NDC does not have a settlement agreement with ARC or BSP system.

Does AS NDC allow cash payments?

AS NDC does not support cash payments currently.

Does AS NDC accept Credit Certificate or E-Wallet?

No, currently AS NDC does not support these. Refunds issued as credit certificates are redeemable on alaskaair.com.

Will the billing address be verified?

Yes, please provide a valid billing address related to the payment method.

Does AS NDC allow for separate payments for each passenger in a multi-passenger booking?

No. Multiple payment methods will require bookings to be made separately.

 

Servicing:

Can AS NDC bookings be self-serviced on alaskaair.com?

Yes. Travel agents and passengers can request itinerary changes or cancel NDC bookings in most cases. Some restrictions apply and some bookings may not be eligible for online self-service.

Does AS NDC have voluntary change capability?

Currently, no. We hope to add it as a feature in the future.

Does AS NDC have voluntary cancel/refund capability?

Yes, the following fare types and refund methods are supported:

Please note that only NDC booked and ticketed itineraries can use the OrderReshop/ Cancel APIs

• Bookings that qualify for the 24-hour cancellation policy:
  • A full refund to the original form of payment will be returned for all fare types (including Saver Fares).
  • Any associated paid seat upgrades will also automatically be refunded in full to the original form of payment.
  • Details of the 24-hour cancellation policy can be found here.
• Standard bookings (outside 24-hour cancellation policy):
  Refundable fare types:
  • Unused value will be offered as a refund to the original form of payment.
  • Any associated paid seat upgrades will also automatically be refunded to the original form of payment.
  
  Non-Refundable fare types (non-Saver):
  
  • Unused value will be offered as a refund to credit certificate which will be sent to the email address provided.
  • Any associated paid seat upgrades will also automatically be refunded to credit certificate.
  • Individual credit certificates will be generated for each ticket and seat upgrade ticket.
  • Each credit certificate will be sent as a separate email to the email address provided.
  • Our credit certificate terms and conditions can be found here.
  • At this time, credit certificates can only be used when purchasing tickets directly on alaskaair.com.
  
  Saver fares:
  Refund requested less than 14 days from travel commencement:
  
  • Unused value will be forfeited if travel commencement is less than 14 days from the date of the cancel request.
  • A refund of $0 will be returned from OrderReshop, along with messaging indicating the forfeiture.
  • Any associated paid seat upgrades will also be forfeited.
  • If the OrderChange is subsequently called, the itinerary will be cancelled to clear the reservation and the ticket will be changed to "used" status.
  
  Refund requested 14 days or more from travel commencement:
  
  • Unused value will be offered as a refund to credit certificate less the 50% penalty (already applied).
  • Any associated paid seat upgrades will also be automatically refunded to credit certificate. No penalty will be applied for the seat upgrade credit refund.
  • Details of Saver fare rules and restrictions can be found here.

Does AS NDC have involuntary/flexible travel policy cancel/refund capability?

Yes. Our AS NDC Cancels supports automatically applying the appropriate waiver exception to the returned refund results.

The below refund waiver exceptions may be returned depending on the circumstance:

• Cancelled Flight
  • Bookings (including Saver) impacted by a cancelled AS operated flight will automatically qualify for a refund to the original form of payment.
  • Any associated paid seat upgrades, including any paid bag fees will also qualify for a refund to the original form of payment.
  • If applied, the NDC API will return “INVOL” in the FareWaiverTypeCode field in the Cancel OrderReshop and OrderChange responses.
• Delayed Flight
  • Bookings (including Saver) impacted by a major flight delay (3+ hours for domestic/6+ hours for international) will be eligible for a refund to the original form of payment.
  • Any associated paid seat upgrades, including any paid bag fees, will also qualify for a refund to the original form of payment.
  • If applied, the NDC API will return “INVOL” in the FareWaiverTypeCode field in the Cancel OrderReshop and OrderChange responses.
• Major Schedule Change
  • Bookings (including Saver) impacted by a major change in flight schedule will automatically qualify for a refund to the original form of payment.
  • Any associated paid seat upgrades, including any paid bag fees will also qualify for a refund to the original form of payment.
  • If applied, the NDC API will return “MAJORSKCHG” in the FareWaiverTypeCode field in the Cancel OrderReshop and OrderChange responses. Definition of a major schedule change includes any of the following criteria:
    • Flight time change of 60 minutes or more
    • Flight number change
    • Increase/decrease in number of connections
    • Departure or Arrival Airport change
    • Connection cities change and PNR contains an accessibility SSR (i.e., WCHR, BLND, DEAF etc.)
• Flexible Travel Policies
  • Flexible travel policies are filed on-demand for specific events like winter storms, hurricanes, tropical storms, etc. which make travel to that specific location/region undesirable, but flights are still operating to that location (not canceled).
  • Saver Bookings impacted by a flexible travel policy will automatically qualify for a full refund to credit certificate (without penalty) regardless of the 14-day travel commencement window.
  • Any associated paid seat upgrades will also qualify for a full refund to credit certificate.
  • The NDC API will return the specific waiver code for the flexible travel policy that was applied under the FareWaiverTypeCode field in the Cancel OrderReshop and OrderChange responses These codes will start with the letter K and will include a short description and date reference i.e., KDENSNOW0324 (Denver Snow Month Year).

Do all travelers in a single record have to cancel/refund or is splitting the PNR supported?

For multi-traveler bookings, NDC supports allowing one or more selected traveler(s) to cancel and refund. The traveler(s) selected to cancel will be divided out from the original PNR and the cancel/refund will only be processed for those traveler(s). The original PNR will be left unchanged with the traveler(s) still intending to travel.

Are there known limitations for AS NDC cancel/refund capability?

Here is a list of booking types that are not yet supported through our Cancel API:

• Bookings that include previously exchanged tickets.
• Multi-traveler bookings where the ticket prices for each traveler are not the same. Applies to both the travel ticket (VCR) and any paid seat upgrades (EMD-A). For example, if one traveler has a paid seat but the other traveler in the same booking does not.

Most cancellation requests that cannot be accommodated through our NDC API can be accommodated on the alaskaair.com website, mobile app, or by calling our Agency Help Desk. In those cases, appropriate messaging will be returned by the API.

Is there anything else helpful to know about AS NDC cancel/refund capability?

• To qualify for a ticket refund or credit, the ticket must not be more than one year from the date of original purchase.
• If there is a mix of refundable and non-refundable fares involved on a wholly unflown ticket, the most restrictive rule applies. The entire ticket is considered non-refundable, and the refund amount will go to credit certificate when outside of our 24-hour cancellation policy or waiver exceptions.
• If the ticket is partially flown, the refundability will be the strictest fare rule for the unflown fare(s) being refunded. For example, if the outbound is non-refundable but flown, and the return is refundable and unflown, the refund method for the unflown fare component would go to original form of payment.
• Please see the Alaska Airlines Contract of Carriage for our regulations and rules for Refunds in general.

Do you require that we first call OrderReshop to obtain the refund details before calling OrderChange to cancel?

We do not require you to first call OrderReshop before the OrderChange. Calling OrderChange directly will support all the use cases mentioned above. However, if you require details of the cancel/refund prior to the cancellation, please call OrderReshop first.

How to Confirm the Booking has been Successfully Cancelled?

When the order was canceled, using OrderRetrieveRQ to retrieve the booking, you can see a warning message stating: No active itinerary. The order is cancelled.

Does AS NDC support name change through NDC API?

No.

Can bookings made through direct channels be serviced through AS NDC API?

No.

Does AS NDC support OrderChangeNotification (OCN)?

Yes. Please check the OrderChangeNotification API page to see what types of OCN message AS NDC supports.

How can an agent receive OrderChangeNotification when they are using an aggregator that does not have OCN?

Normally, AS NDC sends the OCN message to the partners who are directly connected to us. It will be beneficial to request the aggregator to support the OCN message and pass to the agent.

What notification does an agent receive for a disrupted booking?

AS NDC utilizes the email address on the bookings to notify of a disruption. Partners can choose to use their email address or the customer’s email address:

• If a customer’s email is provided, the customer will receive the notification directly from Alaska Airlines.
• If a partner’s email is provided, the partner will be responsible for notifying the guest.

The OCN messages for the day of travel disruptions due to irregular operations will be available in the future.

What happens to the NDC booking when there is a schedule change?

AS NDC will automatically handle most bookings that are impacted and rebook the customers on the next best available option.

Can Atmos Rewards Number or Redress Number be added in Post Booking flow?

No, currently an Atmos Rewards number or Redress number can only be added in OrderCreateRQ but not in the post-booking flow through NDC API. The agency or customer can add the Atmos Rewards number or Redress Number in the direct channel by retrieving the NDC booking.

 

Seats:

Can AS NDC select seats?

Yes, AS NDC can assign free seats and purchase paid seats when you book flight(s) in a single OrderCreate request and supports the booking of free seats and the purchase of paid seats in our Post Booking Seats flow which can be called after flight booking OrderCreate.

Can AS NDC select seats for other airlines’ Codeshare Segments?

No, AS NDC currently does not support seat selection for codeshare segments.

If a seat is selected on a codeshare segment through the codeshare airline, will AS NDC display the updated seat information?

Yes, the updated seat details for the codeshare airline’s segment will be available through the OrderRetrieve API.

Can AS NDC change seats after OrderCreate?

Yes, NDC Post Booking Seats will support the following seat changes:

• Changing of an existing free seat assignment to another available free seat.
• Changing of an existing free seat assignment to a paid Premium Class or a paid Main Preferred seat.

Changing an existing paid seat to another seat of any type (paid or free) is currently not supported and will be inhibited.

What are the paid seats for Alaska Airlines?

Alaska Airlines offers Premium Class seats, Exit Row seats and Main Preferred seats which can be purchased as ancillary items.

Why don’t I see Premium Class as a fare product?

Alaska Airlines does not file Premium Class as a fare product. It is an upgradable ancillary in Main Cabin.

Can NDC booking select free and paid seats on alaskaair.com or mobile app?

Yes, NDC bookings are allowed to select free or purchase paid seats when using alaskaair.com or our mobile app.

What fare products can select free seats and book paid seats?

• First Class Fare: SeatAvailabilityRS will return a First Class seat map with free seat selection.
• Main Fare: SeatAvailabilityRS will return both available free seat options and available paid seat upgrade options within Premium Class, Main Preferred and Exit Row. NDC does not currently offer paid Main to First Class upgrade seat options.
• Saver Fare: SeatAvailabilityRS will not return free seat options as these fares do not offer advanced free seat selection. However, available Premium Class, Main Preferred and Exit Row seats will be returned for purchase.

After purchasing a paid seat, can I change to another paid seat?

• NDC currently does not support changing paid seats. However, paid seat changes for NDC bookings can be done on alaskaair.com or the mobile app. The below behaviors will apply when changing just seats: Changing from Premium Class Seat to different Premium Class Seat: no additional cost.
• Changing from an Exit Row Seat to different Exit Row Seat: no additional cost.
• Changing from a Main Preferred to a different Main Preferred: no additional cost.
• Changing from one paid seat product type to a different seat product type (i.e., Exit Row to Premium Class): the new seat price must be paid at the current cost and the previous seat purchase will not be refunded or applied as payment.
• Voluntarily downgrading from a paid Premium Class seat OR Exit Row seat to a free seat: no refund will be given.

Can I request my flight and paid seat refund?

AS NDC supports automatic refunding of paid seats that are associated to the travel ticket.

Please see the Servicing section of this Q&A for detailed scope of functionality.

Please note that refunding of only the ancillary ticket, such refunding only a paid seat is not offered via NDC or our online self-service Cancels.

If the paid seat may qualify for a refund, it can be requested by contacting Alaska Airlines customer care department.

 

Error Code and Message:

What is the error code and message we can expect from API responses?

The error codes and messages are HERE.

 

NDC Support:

What is the best way to reach AS NDC team?

During the partner integration/onboarding process, please contact the AS NDC onboarding manager and CC ndc.info@alaskaair.com.

For NDC technical production support, please email: ndc.info@alaskaair.com.

For booking support, please contact the Alaska Airlines Travel Agency Help Desk.

When should I expect a reply from the AS NDC team?

The AS NDC support team will make the best effort to respond within 48 hours during our normal operating times from 8:00am to 5:00pm PST Monday to Friday.