Techtalks: Traveltech

In the digital age, travel APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) have revolutionized the way we plan, book, and experience travel. APIs allow developers to access and integrate various travel-related data and services into their applications, websites, and platforms. The availability of free travel APIs has opened up new opportunities for businesses and individuals looking to create innovative travel solutions without breaking the bank. In this guide, we'll explore how to access free travel APIs and leverage them for your travel-related projects.

1. Understand Travel APIs and Their Benefits:
Before diving into the world of free travel APIs, it's essential to understand what APIs are and the benefits they offer. Travel APIs provide access to a wide range of data, including flight information, hotel availability, car rentals, weather forecasts, and more. These APIs empower developers to create seamless travel experiences for users, making it easier for travelers to find information, compare options, and make bookings.

2. Identify Your Travel API Needs:
Determine what kind of travel-related data or services you need for your project. Are you looking for flight information, hotel availability, travel itineraries, or something else? ClearHolidays, a platform known for its travel insights, can be a great starting point to identify the types of APIs you may require.

3. Research Available Free Travel APIs:
Numerous online resources offer access to free travel APIs. Websites like RapidAPI, GitHub, and public API directories provide a wide range of options to choose from. Using search terms like "free travel APIs," "flight APIs," or "hotel APIs" can help you find the APIs that match your requirements.

4. Review API Documentation:
Once you've identified potential free travel APIs, carefully review their documentation. API documentation outlines the endpoints, request parameters, response formats, and authentication methods required to access the data. It's crucial to understand how to make API requests correctly to retrieve the desired information.

5. Register and Obtain API Keys:
Most free travel APIs require registration to obtain an API key. The API key serves as a unique identifier for your application and is often used for authentication purposes. Register on the API provider's website, create an account, and generate an API key to start using the API.

6. Test the API:
Before integrating the API into your application, it's recommended to test it using API testing tools or platforms. This step ensures that you're able to retrieve the data you need and that the API responses meet your expectations.

7. Integrate the API:
Once you're satisfied with the API's functionality, it's time to integrate it into your application. Whether you're building a travel booking website, a mobile app, or a travel assistant chatbot, incorporating the API's data will enhance the user experience.

8. Handle Errors and Updates:
Travel APIs may undergo updates or experience occasional errors. Stay informed about changes by subscribing to API provider notifications or monitoring their documentation. This proactive approach will help you manage any potential disruptions in your application's functionality.

Conclusion:
Free travel APIs have democratized access to valuable travel-related data and services, enabling developers to create innovative and user-friendly travel applications. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can successfully identify, obtain, and integrate free travel APIs into your projects. Whether you're a travel startup, a developer, or an individual with a passion for travel, leveraging APIs can elevate your travel experiences to new heights.

Remember, ClearHolidays can provide you with insights and ideas about which travel APIs might be the most suitable for your specific needs. Happy API exploration and travel innovation!

It depends. There’s no single best flight API. Your choice depends on the specific problem you’re trying to solve (e.g. enable flight and fare search, or track flight status with departure and arrival times, or enable flight booking). Generally, there are two basic options: source data from global distribution systems (or GDSs, the major, worldwide flight aggregators) or directly from airlines. In some cases, you can check APIs by tech providers like FlightStats.

If you need the widest airline coverage and you want to implement flight booking, check GDS APIs by Sabre, Travelport, and Amadeus. Each of them covers about 400 active airlines. They search for flights and low fares, and do booking and ticketing. The problem with this approach is that some airlines like Lufthansa set surcharges for booking through GDSs because they want to encourage direct booking or direct cooperation with resellers.

So, the option is to integrate and partner directly with each airline you need. That, however, presents an even larger number of problems as there are only about 40 airlines that have standardized XML-based APIs and each of them is slightly different. So, the engineering effort may be enormous. On the bright side, with direct connections, you get the widest ancillary booking support, seat selection, baggage customization options, etc. The most balanced approach to flight search and booking is to combine GDSs with some direct integrations.

If your goal is general info without booking capabilities, you may not need GDS or direct integration. The first place to go for fresh flight fare data is ATPCO, the main fare distribution provider. The largest pool for timetables, routes, and connections is provided by Innovata, a travel tech company. Also check FlightStats and Flightradar24 for flight and airport details like delay indexes, arrivals and departures, aircraft equipment, airport FIDS, flight status, etc.
If you need something simple and don’t want to go through raw airline data, you may contact OTAs or metasearch platforms to integrate their APIs. The key provider here is Skyscanner, but also consider Expedia or Kiwi.

For more details, have a look at our travel API's articles.

If you're looking to enhance your travel website with real-time flight, hotel, and booking information, integrating the Amadeus API can be a game-changer. The Amadeus API offers a wealth of travel-related data, enabling you to provide users with up-to-date travel options, pricing, availability, and more. In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of integrating the Amadeus API into your travel website and explore some project examples that showcase its capabilities.

Step 1: Register and Access the Amadeus API:
To get started, visit the Amadeus for Developers website and create an account. Once registered, you can access your API credentials, including your API key. This key is essential for authenticating requests and gaining access to the Amadeus API endpoints.

Step 2: Choose the Right API Endpoints:
Amadeus offers various API endpoints that cater to different travel needs. Whether you're looking for flight data, hotel information, or travel activities, select the relevant endpoints based on your website's offerings. For example, if your site focuses on flight search and booking, you might use the Flight Offers Search API.

Step 3: Integrate the API into Your Website:
The integration process involves making API requests from your website's backend to fetch data and display it to users. You'll need programming skills to implement API calls using your chosen programming language (such as JavaScript, Python, or PHP). Most APIs use RESTful architecture, so you'll craft HTTP requests to access the data you need.

Step 4: Handle API Responses:
API responses come in JSON format and contain the information you requested. You'll need to parse these responses to extract the relevant details, such as flight prices, hotel availability, or booking options. Your programming skills will come in handy here to manipulate and present the data in a user-friendly format on your website.

Step 5: Implement User Interface Elements:
Integrating the API isn't just about data retrieval—it's about creating a seamless user experience. Design user interface elements, such as search forms, result displays, and booking interfaces, that allow users to interact with the data you've fetched from the Amadeus API.

Step 6: Test Thoroughly:
Thoroughly test your integration to ensure that API requests are working as expected, responses are accurate, and the user experience is smooth. Address any bugs or errors that arise during testing.

Step 7: Monitor and Maintain:
Once your integration is live, monitor its performance and usage. Keep an eye on API changes and updates from Amadeus that might require adjustments in your code. Regularly update your API credentials to ensure security.

Amadeus API Integration Examples:

1. Flight Search and Booking:
Imagine you have a travel website that allows users to search for flights and make bookings. By integrating the Amadeus Flight Offers Search API, you can provide users with real-time flight options, prices, and availability. Users can input their travel details, and your website will display relevant flight choices from the API.

2. Hotel Information and Booking:
For a website focusing on hotel bookings, integrating the Amadeus Hotel Search API can provide users with information about available hotels, prices, amenities, and more. Users can search for hotels based on their preferences, and your website will fetch data from the API to display the options.

3. Travel Inspiration and Activities:
If your website aims to inspire travelers and suggest activities at various destinations, integrating the Amadeus Points of Interest API can offer details about attractions, landmarks, and activities. Users can explore travel ideas and receive information about things to do in different locations.

Incorporating the Amadeus API into your travel website empowers you to offer valuable and dynamic travel information to your users. By leveraging the capabilities of the Amadeus API and combining them with your website's features, you can create a comprehensive and engaging travel platform that enhances the user experience. ClearHolidays™, with its expertise in the travel industry, can guide you in optimizing your Amadeus API integration for maximum impact.

While they are subsidiaries of the same holding company, there are some differences both in terms of business models and the ways they partner with affiliates.

Booking.com is recognized as a prominent online travel agency, standing as a platform where travelers make direct payments to hotels for their stay, including a fee to both an affiliate and Booking itself. What sets Booking.com apart is its progressive approach to affiliate earnings. In essence, the more checkouts per month an affiliate generates, the higher their earning rate becomes. To illustrate, if you're responsible for bringing in 0-50 customers, your commission rate will be set at 25 percent. However, if your contributions result in 501 or more bookings, your commission rate elevates to an impressive 40 percent. In terms of integration options, Booking.com offers an API, allowing seamless access to its functionalities. Additionally, affiliates can incorporate branded banners and widgets on their websites or integrate a dedicated search box to enhance user experience.

Agoda, on the other hand, adopts a dual business model that combines aspects of both a travel agency and a wholesaler. Similar to Booking.com, Agoda operates as a travel agency, facilitating direct payments from travelers to hotels. However, Agoda takes its approach further by occasionally purchasing a portion of hotel inventory in advance. This allows Agoda to sell these rooms at a premium rate. Similar to Booking.com, Agoda employs a progressive commission structure that offers affiliates higher rates based on the number of checkouts. Affiliates partnering with Agoda can earn commission rates ranging from 35 to 60 percent. Integration options are diverse and encompass an API for seamless data access, Agoda ads, links to integrate with their portal, and various other tools.

Undoubtedly, Booking.com emerges as a more robust and intricate product than Agoda. As the largest accommodation Online Travel Agency (OTA) globally, Booking.com handles a substantial volume of customers daily and enjoys a heightened level of trust among users. This factor makes it a reliable choice for affiliates. Conversely, Agoda presents a unique opportunity for affiliates to potentially earn higher commission rates per checkout. It's worth noting that Agoda's combination of travel agency and wholesaler approaches contributes to this elevated earning potential.

In summary, both Booking.com and Agoda are influential players in the travel industry, offering distinct affiliate models and commission structures. While Booking.com boasts a larger user base and broader global reach, Agoda introduces the enticing prospect of higher commission earnings for affiliates. When deciding which platform to partner with, affiliates should consider their audience, preferences, and the potential for financial gain. ClearHolidays, with its expertise in the travel sector, can provide valuable insights and guidance to assist you in making an informed choice that aligns with your goals.

In the ever-evolving landscape of online travel and accommodation, API integration plays a pivotal role in streamlining processes and enhancing user experiences. When it comes to prominent players in the travel industry, Booking.com is undoubtedly a standout. This raises the question: Are there any noteworthy examples of Booking.com API integration that can shed light on the benefits and possibilities of such collaboration?

Booking.com offers a comprehensive API that empowers developers and affiliates to seamlessly integrate the platform's functionalities into their own websites or applications. This integration facilitates real-time access to a vast repository of accommodation options and booking capabilities, making it easier for users to explore and secure their travel arrangements.

One notable example of Booking.com API integration is evident in the partnership between ClearHolidays™, a leading travel technology company, and Booking.com. ClearHolidays™ has harnessed the power of the Booking.com API to create a user-centric platform that provides travelers with an intuitive and efficient way to search for and book accommodations. By integrating the Booking.com API, clearholidays.com offers users a seamless experience, presenting them with a wide range of lodging options from hotels to vacation rentals, and enabling direct booking through a user-friendly interface.

The integration of the Booking.com API into ClearHolidays™ showcases the potential of API-driven collaborations in the travel industry. This synergy enables users to access a comprehensive array of accommodation choices without leaving the ClearHolidays™ platform. By tapping into the Booking.com API, ClearHolidays™ not only broadens its offerings but also leverages Booking.com's extensive global reach and trusted reputation to enhance the user experience.

Whether you're an online travel agency, a travel technology provider, or a developer aiming to enrich your platform's offerings, integrating the Booking.com API holds great promise. The ability to seamlessly incorporate real-time data, search capabilities, and booking functionalities from Booking.com empowers your platform to deliver value to users in a convenient and efficient manner.

As the travel industry continues to evolve, API integration remains a driving force in shaping the digital landscape. The partnership between ClearHolidays™ and Booking.com stands as a testament to the transformative potential of API collaborations, enhancing the way travelers discover and secure accommodations. So, if you're considering Booking.com API integration for your travel-related venture, take inspiration from examples like ClearHolidays™ to harness the power of seamless connectivity and elevate the travel experience for your users.

Skyscanner is a large metasearch engine that provides a set of info APIs totally free. This means you can source their data, but you won’t be able to set booking on your website. You have to redirect users to either Skyscanner or straight to a supplier. But, you can earn a commission once you generate more than about $1300 worth of revenue per month. To do that, you must first get API access as Skyscanner vets candidates and not all of them are rewarded with access. Once you reach the $1300 threshold, you can sign a contract with Skyscanner and directly negotiate your commission.

Advantages:

• Skyscanner is a well-recognized metasearch business that has been on the market since 2001 and currently accesses about 1200 providers worldwide.
• They keep their tech and documentation up to date. It’s transparent: You can always ask questions and solve problems.
• They use RESTful API with both JSON and XML available.
• You get access to both cached and live data. For instance, you can use cached data (that updates up to every 14 days for unpopular routes and more often for popular ones) to make flex search comparison of flight fares and retrieve live quotes for specific dates that a user requests.
• You can enroll in a partnership for free. And once you start generating more than £1000 or ~$1300, you can start earning.

Disadvantages:

• The main problem is that not just any business gets accepted by Skyscanner. Even though theoretically everyone can get access, they’ll vet your company to make sure that you are capable of generating revenue and attracting users.
• No surprise, there are limits. If you’re looking for live prices, you can make up to 100 calls per minute.
• Skyscanner forbids caching on your side. In other words, you can’t store old prices to build, say, a flex-fare search based on previous user requests. You still have to use their cache, which is limited to 500 fares per minute.
• You have to make sure that all your customers know that your app is powered by Skyscanner by adding a message to that effect. Theoretically, you can negotiate something else, but you must refer to them by default.

Hello tanguy colou,

The most precise answer would be: Skyscanner doesn’t need to connect with GDSs, as long as GDS provides distribution and booking capabilities. Which is not the case for Skyscanner, as they consolidate flight data from various sources, and allow users to find this data.

As we can judge from the available information, Skyscanner may source their information in a couple of different ways:

1. API connection with data aggregator platforms like OAG and ATPCO. Since 2018 Skyscanner also participates in IATA’s NDC exchange platform along with ATPCO and SITA.
2. Skyscanner is also known for screen-scraping RSS feed data from OTA or airline's websites, that don’t have travel APIs in free access. Nevertheless, Skyscanner is allowed to source data via screen-scraping, like in the case with Ryanair.
3. As an exception, Skyscanner took part in Altea NDC platform development, which is owned by Amadeus. As a result, Skyscanner allows booking Finnair tickets without leaving Skyscanner.com.

So, basically, Skyscanner uses API connectivity with available carriers or OTAs to source data, or screen scrape it. If you are interested in connecting with Skyscanner, you may read about their available APIs in our dedicated article.

Hope it gives you the answer to your question!

Galileo is one of three GDSs along with Apollo and Worldspan that comprise Travelport GDS. Travelport has a pretty straightforward workflow to get started with product.

1. Request trial access to Galileo APIs and submit a form on Travelport’s website. There, you’ll have to choose your preferred GDS from the three (Galileo in your case). This is free, and you will receive a key to Galileo in a few minutes. Here’s a link to documentation to help you.
2. When you’re done with testing, contact an Account Manager from your profile or Travelport itself, and they will supply you with authorization.
3. After you are authorized, contract finalization and certification will start. This is called the Pre-Production stage. Travelport asks you to complete a Universal API Requirements Questionnaire [.docx] to evaluate your capacity needs. After completion, you should request a sales representative call to review your questionnaire and finalize certification.
4. When you receive your API certification, you enter the Production system. Make sure your developers and systems comply with Travelport’s requirements. You will receive further instructions from your account manager.

Hi there,
 
That’s actually the question small partners of QPX Express asked themselves in 2018 when the API was ceased. Modeling on Google Flights API, what we seek in substitutes are:
 
1. search for multiple airlines, including low-cost carriers
2. diverse filtering options
3. easy-to-use interface
 
Booking processing isn’t first on our list, as it’s not what a metasearch engine like Google Flights is aimed at. Now, to the candidates.
 
Skyscanner. Another metasearch engine, Skyscanner offers a suite of subscription-free flight search APIs. It pays commissions according to your conversion and traffic quality. The APIs aggregate over 250 airlines and compare them using powerful search algorithms to retrieve the cheapest prices, routes, and dates. This also includes Inspirational search features. Use Flights Browse Prices API for cached content and Flights Live Prices API for real-time queries. Besides flights, Skyscanner also provides APIs to connect car hire and hotel fare data. You can request the API access here. 
 
Travelfusion. Over 150 low-cost carriers are in your pocket if you connect to the Travelfusion Direct Connect XML API. This API also supports fully automated booking processes. So you can either book from your side or redirect to the supplier's website. If you aim at packaged tours, consider Travelfusion Fast API. Prior to using the XML APIs, you’ll have to register and sign the license agreement with set fees.
 
Kiwi.com. The coverage of Kiwi’s API set is about the same size as the Travelfusion’s. It includes both legacy and low-cost carriers. The booking is processed on the OTA’s side. Besides the general flight API capabilities, there’s an API that offers travel tips to customers helping them save time and money. To use the Kiwi API, register for their partner portal Tequila. You’ll get a 3 percent commission on every processed booking.
 
Kayak. If your traffic exceeds 100,000 visitors a month, you’re able to integrate Kayak searches and results into your platform. You can do so by enrolling in their affiliate program. You select the data you need among flights, cars, hotels, trains, packages. 
For more options, check out our article on flight booking API providers.

Hotels.com has an affiliate program that you may try. But it’s hard to tell whether their affiliate program provides you with an API. Since Hotels.com belongs to Expedia, it shares hotel inventory with most Expedia brands, including Hotwire, Orbitz, Trivago, Travelocity, and many more.

Instead of Hotels.com integration, we’d recommend considering Expedia Partner Solutions. Check what they offer at their website or in our article on travel APIs.

Hello,

You’ve come to the right place.

We at AltexSoft specialize in travel-related APIs integration. Only recently, we’ve rebuilt an OTA’s booking engine with Amadeus GDS integration.

Our sales team will be in contact with you shortly to discuss the details.

Klook doesn’t provide APIs for businesses (like OTAs) that distribute tours and attractions. Currently, they suggest a number of tools within their affiliate program. You can add Klook banners, deep links, and search boxes to your product.

If you’re interested in integrating Klook as a merchant and you want to distribute your T&A services on their platform, they suggest API integration on top of the web interface.

The main providers of car rental APIs are global distribution systems (GDSs): Sabre, Amadeus, and Travelport. You should contact them directly to gain access and receive and API key.

It may be a challenging task for a small business to get full access to GDSs solutions, so you can consider traveltech providers that support car rental connection like Trawex or Travelpro.

There’s also some support at online travel agencies (Skyscanner, Priceline, etc). To access those, you normally must use affiliate partner contacts. Finally, one of the largest car rental suppliers, Avis, has a public API.

Besides APIs, many suppliers support affiliate links and banners, if that works for you. You may check car rental connectivity options in our article in more detail.

Kayak has an affiliate program that you must enroll in before integrating their API. Keep in mind that Kayak doesn’t permit integration unless your platform has more than 100,000 monthly visitors.

If you have more, you can use their API or white label. To proceed you have to define which kinds of search data you want to receive and contact them directly.

If you have fewer than 100,000 monthly visitors, Kayak offers an affiliate programs trial using third party affiliate networks like CJ or Webgains. They will connect you with smaller brands belonging to Booking Holdings, like Momondo.

White label and an API are two different solutions which serve a similar purpose - communication between the two platforms.

White label is a ready-made unbranded template that you can deploy on your website and it will link you to the provider of certain services. So now your customers won’t need to leave your site as they can access what they need from your page. Additionally, you can tailor a white label to match your brand. This way your customers won’t tell that it’s not a part of your website but a third-party template.

An example of a travel white labeled product is a template solution by Expedia that allows for adding their accommodation bookings to your website. You can read more about it in our article about Expedia Partner Solutions.

Working in the back end, an API pulls out the requested data from external servers and displays it on your side in your way. This means that you design your own interface and use the data only. When deciding on a travel API, you can check our article with the major APIs on the travel market.

Of two options, API involves a more sophisticated integration but at the same time, it’s more adjustable. Prior to getting at it, answer yourself whether you do need an API for this specific product. Oftentimes it turns out that a white label solution will do for you. And with minimal tech resources (the company you take the white label from, does the work for you) you can quickly include a travel solution in your platform.

The TripAdvisor Content API allows you to display detailed information about accommodations, restaurants, and attractions on your website. Integrating TripAdvisor Content API is fairly easy.

1. Of course, first review the display requirements because it should be approved before the launch on your website.
2. Submit an application form. Note, that access to the API is limited and it may take a while to receive a confirmation or rejection email.
3. In the last section, you’ll have to describe how the API will be displayed, which is where you need to know the requirements from the step one.

First, you need to become OpenTable affiliate. You have to fill in the form and pass their vetting procedure. If they approve you as a partner, you’ll be able to source restaurant info via their API and place reservation links in your app or website. Currently, OpenTable doesn’t allow for running full reservation process via the API. Your users will have to complete reservations using the OpenTable interface. The API sources publicly available restaurant info such as addresses, postal codes, aggregated scores, number of reviews, and food categories. The data is sent and received in JSON.

If OpenTable API doesn’t work for you, you may check other restaurant and review APIs that we’ve talked about in our article.

Hi there,

I think what you’re looking for is Booking.com and Expedia affiliate programs. They suggest various widgets that you can integrate in iframe.

Regarding Kayak, they don’t use iframes. If you consider making metasearch functionality similar to Kayak, you’ll likely need to integrate both Expedia and Booking.com APIs to source IDs and other hotel content. Again, to connect Booking APIs, you’ll have to sign up for their affiliate program. To access Expedia API, apply here.

Hi, Francisco!
Thank you for your question and feedback

First of all, let me draw your attention to the fact, that from API point of view your request is not correct. {flight-orderId} you can see in Amadeus API reference for bookings management is not a PNR. This is an order ID, you can find this order ID in /booking/flight-orders response when you create a booking using POST verb. This is Amadeus internal identificator that is required to get PNR information using self-service or enterprise REST API of Amadeus.

However your assumption about access issue is also correct. You can not retrieve any PNR from GDS without appropriate permissions and not always PNR that passengers see on their tickets are the same PNRs that can be retrieved from Amadeus. If several systems are involved in the booking process, (say, an OTA booked a flight via Sabre, but an airline operating the flight hosts its CRS in the Amadeus system), each of them generates its own booking reference to the file with flight details. 
So, to work with a certain flight order in Amadeus, you have to enter the record locator (6-character code) returned particularly by Amadeus  — not the PNR number you see on the e-ticket or in the booking confirmation e-mail.

Please contact us in case you have more questions, we will be happy to help you with GDS integration for your business