New Distribution Capability (NDC) is moving from an airline technology project into a practical issue for travel agents as carriers increasingly distribute fares, ancillary products and other content through the standard.
For agents, the change can affect what fares are displayed, which products can be sold and how bookings are subsequently serviced.
Africa trails mature markets
The numbers suggest Africa is entering the NDC transition later than some mature distribution markets. In the United States, NDC transactions represented 21.6 per cent of ARC-settled agency transactions in June 2026.
Africa, by contrast, remains heavily dependent on traditional distribution, with AFRAA data showing 88 per cent of airline sales still moving through legacy channels.
Yet the gap is beginning to narrow. More than 40 per cent of African airlines surveyed by AFRAA and TPConnects said they were planning or implementing NDC initiatives.
The figures are not directly comparable because they measure different aspects of adoption, but they illustrate the different stages of the transition. NDC is already accounting for a significant share of agency transactions in the US, while traditional distribution remains dominant across Africa.
For African agents, the issue is therefore becoming less about whether NDC will arrive and more about how quickly airlines serving the continent will adopt it.
Travelport expands its NDC connections
Travelport is one of the distribution companies trying to bring NDC content into agency workflows alongside conventional airline content.
During 2026, the company has announced or launched NDC connections with a growing number of carriers.
LOT Polish Airlines’ NDC content became available to Travelport-connected agents in June, initially across 63 countries spanning Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.
Royal Jordanian’s NDC content followed in May, while Saudia’s rollout in April covered 68 countries across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, as well as the US and Canada.
Travelport has also announced NDC agreements with Turkish Airlines, Icelandair and Oman Air, among others.
For agents, the significance is that NDC content is increasingly appearing within distribution systems they already use rather than being confined to direct airline channels.
What changes at agency level?
NDC allows airlines to distribute richer offers than the traditional fare display, including branded fares, baggage, seat selection and other ancillary products.
It can also allow airlines to construct offers differently depending on the market, customer or sales channel.
That does not necessarily mean every NDC fare will be cheaper.
Instead, the difference may be in what is included in the offer and what additional products the agent can sell alongside the base fare.
For agencies, this makes the ability to compare content across distribution channels increasingly important.
Servicing remains the test
The biggest question for agents may not be whether an NDC fare can be booked, but what happens afterwards.
Changes, refunds, exchanges, disruptions and other servicing requirements can vary between airlines and distribution channels.
NDC is therefore not a single uniform product. Airlines can implement the standard differently, with different capabilities and rules.
That creates a learning curve for agents, particularly those handling complex international itineraries.
A hybrid system is emerging
The transition also does not appear to be an immediate replacement of traditional GDS distribution.
Travelport’s agreement with Oman Air, for example, provides for NDC content while the carrier’s existing EDIFACT distribution remains available.
This hybrid approach is likely to continue as airlines move at different speeds.
For African agencies, it may be particularly relevant because international itineraries often involve several airlines operating at different stages of NDC adoption.
What agents should watch
The practical questions for agents are increasingly specific: which airlines offer NDC content, whether it is available in their market, whether registration is required and what servicing functions are supported.
The economics also matter.
If NDC gives an airline access to new ways of pricing and merchandising its products, agents will need to understand how those offers affect fare comparison, commissions, incentives and ancillary sales.
Africa’s relatively low adoption therefore does not mean NDC is irrelevant to the continent’s travel trade.
It means the market is at an earlier stage of the transition.
With more African airlines beginning to plan or implement NDC and international carriers expanding their connections through distribution platforms such as Travelport, the technology is likely to become increasingly visible in the agent’s booking workflow.
For now, traditional distribution remains dominant. But the direction of travel is becoming clearer.
