ARC Updates NDC Guide with Loyalty and Branded Fare Tips

On July 15, 2025, Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) published version 1.1 of its NDC Best Practices Guide, introducing new recommendations regarding branded fares and loyalty.

ARC urges airlines to use consistent names and packaging for fare bundles across all sales channels. This ensures that offerings like checked baggage, seats, or upgrades are consistently identified.

The guide also recommends displaying loyalty perks early in the shopping process, once the loyalty number is entered. ARC notes that some airlines delay showing loyalty benefits until the final booking steps, complicating the shopping experience.

The original 2024 guide featured 20 best practices covering exchange handling, waiver logic, commission consistency, and more.

ARC formed the NDC Advancement Working Group in 2023, bringing together airlines, TMCs, GDSs, technology providers, and OTAs to develop standards that support NDC distribution and servicing. The group plans to continue refining best practices and exploring topics like payment-linked loyalty perks and amenity offerings during shopping.

Check out our article on ARC accreditation to learn more about the company.