Chief Commercial Officer, Andre Moten shares key insights on the future of NDC
The future of airfare distribution has arrived, and it’s not just a passing phase.
New Distribution Capability (NDC) is here, and it’s here to stay.
*NDC is content that allows airlines to offer richer, more dynamic options directly to travel agents and booking tools, often with exclusive rates or bundled offers that are not available through traditional distribution systems.
For corporate travel buyers with any notable volume of Qantas bookings, now is the time to embrace it, not just as a technical evolution, but as a strategic safety net for controlling costs and unlocking richer value.
At CT Connections, we’ve been deeply engaged in the NDC rollout journey, and the results speak for themselves.
Why NDC? Why Now?
“Qantas NDC airfares are cheaper than the traditional EDIFACT stream,” explains Andre Moten. “But it’s critical that corporate buyers dig deeper and ask their TMCs a simple but powerful question: What type of NDC content are you giving me access to?”
Because not all NDC is created equal.
The correct answer is ‘Premium NDC’, which offers significantly enhanced access to Qantas’ airline inventory, deeper discounts, and crucially, complete exemption from airline EDIFACT surcharges; a game-changer in cost control.
What Are the Savings?
Based on a recent analysis of Qantas Red-E Deals post-July 1:
- Up to 11% variance between EDIFACT and NDC fares on economy tickets
- Business class fares are showing discounts of 4% to 20%
- Flexi Fares: An average discount of 7.5%
- On the Top 15 domestic routes preferred by CT Connections clients, the average saving is 9%
“That level of savings is not something any travel manager can afford to ignore,” says Moten. “And that’s before you even factor in the $11.50 per sector EDIFACT surcharge – that’s $23 on a standard Sydney–Melbourne return.”
Beyond Price: Bundled Benefits
Premium NDC isn’t just about cheaper fares. It’s about smarter travel options, with greater flexibility and added value. For example:
- Free seat allocation for Bronze Frequent Flyers
- Targeted price offers for Frequent Flyers
- Status credit and bonus points promotions
- Companion Fare options
- Additional bundled seat products
“These benefits are baked into the NDC pipeline and are designed to create a more customised, traveller-centric experience,” says Moten.
What About the Tech?
While NDC content has existed in the international space for some time, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Air Canada, and others – Qantas’ Premium NDC is only now being deployed at scale in Australia.
With any transformation, there are still some anomalies in booking flows, but Moten is quick to clarify:
“These are our challenges as your TMC, not yours as a corporate buyer. Any touchpoint issues are escalated and managed by us in real time with the airline and technology partners. There’s no tangible reason to delay deployment and risk continued exposure to higher airfare costs.”
Importantly, not all Global Distribution Systems (GDS) are created equal either. “In my opinion, right now, Sabre and Amadeus are the market leaders in NDC capability,” he adds. “Which GDS is in use?” is the vital question for corporate buyers.
Recent Enhancements You Should Know:
In recent weeks, Qantas has introduced several measures to support smoother NDC adoption:
- A waiver removing the $11.50 surcharge when using pre–1 July EDIFACT credits
- UATP card solutions to simplify credit redemption across organisations
- Full visibility of NDC credits in online booking tools like Serko Zeno
- The ability to combine Qantas NDC content with EDIFACT fares from Virgin Australia in a single booking—enhancing both savings and schedule flexibility
And for those on corporate or market share deals, there’s even more good news:
“Qantas NDC discounts are applied accumulatively to existing Market Share Deals and Qantas Business Rewards structures,” notes Moten. “That means better value without sacrificing your negotiated benefits.”
For travel buyers managing significant Qantas spend, delaying NDC adoption comes at a cost – literally. Premium NDC isn’t just an upgrade. It’s a strategic advantage.
And at CT Connections, we’re proud to be one of the few TMCs in the country fully prepared to deliver it, live and at scale.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss what solutions are available for your business, please reach out to CT Connections.
Call 1300 952 684 or Get in touch today!
