Amadeus API Integration: Complete Step-by-Step Process for Online Travel Agencies

Amadeus is one of the world’s largest Global Distribution Systems (GDS), processing millions of travel transactions daily and connecting over 400 airlines, 150,000+ hotel properties, and numerous car rental companies worldwide. For online travel agencies (OTAs) and travel startups looking to build powerful booking platforms, Amadeus API integration provides access to the same technology that powers the biggest names in travel.

This comprehensive guide walks you through the complete process of integrating Amadeus APIs into your travel platform from choosing the right API tier to production deployment.

What Is Amadeus GDS API?

Amadeus is a Madrid-based travel technology giant established in 1987 by Air France, Iberia, Lufthansa, and SAS. Today, it operates across 190+ countries, serving airlines, hotels, travel agencies, tour operators, and corporate travel departments with comprehensive distribution and technology solutions.

The Amadeus API provides a set of web services that allow travel businesses to directly connect with Amadeus’ powerful Global Distribution System. Instead of manually managing supplier contracts or fragmented systems, the API acts as a bridge, giving your platform real-time access to flights, hotels, car rentals, rail services, and tours—all through a single integration point.

Amadeus delivers search, pricing, booking, ticketing, and reservation management services in real-time, making it the backbone of many successful travel platforms worldwide.

Explore Amadeus for Developers: https://developers.amadeus.com

Amadeus Self-Service vs Enterprise APIs

Amadeus offers two distinct API tiers designed for different business needs:

1. Self-Service APIs

Self-Service APIs target independent developers, startups, and small travel businesses that want quick, affordable access to GDS technology without complex requirements.

Key Features:

REST/JSON architecture for easy integration
Start testing in under 3 minutes after registration
Pay-as-you-go pricing model
Free monthly API call quota (1,000-10,000 calls depending on API)
No IATA/ARC certification required
Access to 37+ APIs across flights, hotels, cars, and destinations

Best For: Travel startups, app developers, small agencies, and businesses testing travel technology concepts.

Access Self-Service APIs: https://developers.amadeus.com/self-service

2. Enterprise APIs

Enterprise APIs provide the full Amadeus catalog with advanced features, dedicated support, and custom pricing for established travel businesses.

Key Features:

Access to 200+ APIs (REST and SOAP)
Direct ticketing capabilities with IATA/ARC certification
Private and negotiated fare access
Dedicated account manager and support team
Custom pricing based on volume
Advanced PNR management and ticketing

Best For: Large OTAs, travel management companies (TMCs), airlines, and established agencies with high transaction volumes.

Contact Enterprise Sales: https://developers.amadeus.com/enterprise

Types of Amadeus APIs for Travel Businesses

1. Flight APIs

Flight Offers Search searches over 400 airlines including 130 low-cost carriers, returning real-time availability and pricing.

Flight Offers Price confirms and returns final pricing for selected flight offers with fare rules and baggage information.

Flight Create Orders completes flight bookings and generates PNR (Passenger Name Record).

SeatMap Display shows aircraft seat maps with pricing for seat selection.

Branded Fares Upsell displays upgrade options and ancillary services from 100+ fare families.

Access Flight APIs: https://developers.amadeus.com/self-service/category/flights

2. Hotel APIs

Hotel Search queries availability across hundreds of thousands of properties worldwide.

Hotel Booking completes reservations with real-time confirmation.

Hotel Ratings provides sentiment analysis from verified guest reviews.

Access Hotel APIs: https://developers.amadeus.com/self-service/category/hotels

3. Cars and Transfers APIs

Transfer Search finds airport transfers and private car services.

Transfer Booking completes ground transportation reservations.

Transfer Management handles modifications and cancellations.

4. Destination Experiences APIs

Tours and Activities returns attractions and experiences powered by Amadeus Discover, aggregating offers from Viator, Tiqets, and other marketplaces.

Points of Interest identifies popular landmarks and attractions by location.

5. Market Insights APIs

Flight Most Traveled Destinations reveals popular routes and booking trends.

Travel Recommendations provides AI-powered destination suggestions based on traveler profiles.

Step-by-Step Amadeus API Integration Process

Step 1: Choose Your API Tier

Evaluate your business requirements to determine the appropriate tier:

Choose Self-Service if:

You’re a startup or small agency
You don’t have IATA/ARC certification
You need quick integration without lengthy negotiations
You prefer pay-as-you-go pricing
Public fares meet your needs

Choose Enterprise if:

You need direct ticketing capabilities
You require private or negotiated fares
You expect high transaction volumes
You need dedicated support and custom SLAs
You’re an established, IATA/ARC-certified agency

Step 2: Create Your Developer Account

For Self-Service APIs:

Go to Amadeus for Developers: https://developers.amadeus.com
Click “Register” in the top right corner
Fill in the registration form with your details
Agree to terms of use and click “Create account”
Check your email for the activation link
Click “Activate your account” to complete registration
Sign in with your new credentials

View the Quick Start Guide: https://developers.amadeus.com/self-service/apis-docs/guides/developer-guides/quick-start

For Enterprise APIs:

Contact the Enterprise sales team: https://amadeus.com/en/contact/contact-sales
Discuss your business requirements and expected volumes
Sign an NDA (required before pricing disclosure)
Complete contract negotiations
Receive sandbox credentials after agreement

Step 3: Create an Application and Get API Keys

After signing into the Self-Service portal:

Click your username in the top right corner
Select “My Self-Service Workspace” from the dropdown
Click “Create new app” button
Enter your application name and description
Click “Create”
Your API Key and API Secret are displayed under “App Keys”

Important: Store your credentials securely—you’ll need them to generate access tokens for API calls.

Step 4: Generate Access Tokens

Amadeus uses OAuth 2.0 for authentication. To make API calls, you need an access token generated from your API Key and Secret.

Send a POST request to the token endpoint:

POST https://test.api.amadeus.com/v1/security/oauth2/token

Include your credentials in the request body:

grant_type: client_credentials
client_id: Your API Key
client_secret: Your API Secret

The response returns an access_token valid for 30 minutes. Include this token in the Authorization header of all subsequent API requests.

View Authentication Guide: https://developers.amadeus.com/self-service/apis-docs/guides/developer-guides/API-Keys/authorization

Step 5: Set Up Your Development Environment

Amadeus provides SDKs in multiple programming languages to simplify integration:

Python: amadeus-python
Node.js: amadeus-node
Java: amadeus-java
Ruby: amadeus-ruby
PHP: Community SDK available

Access Official SDKs on GitHub: https://github.com/amadeus4dev

Download code examples: https://github.com/amadeus4dev/amadeus-code-examples

The test environment allows your application to make up to 10 requests per user per second with simulated data.

Step 6: Build Your Core Integration

Implement your booking workflow systematically:

Flight Booking Flow:

Search – Use Flight Offers Search to find available flights
Price – Confirm pricing with Flight Offers Price
Book – Create the reservation with Flight Create Orders
Ticket – Issue tickets (Enterprise only, or via consolidator)

Hotel Booking Flow:

Search – Query hotel availability by location and dates
Details – Retrieve property information and room options
Book – Complete the reservation with guest details

Best Practices:

Implement proper error handling for API responses
Cache search results to reduce API calls
Use pagination for large result sets
Monitor your API quota usage
Implement retry logic for failed requests

Step 7: Test in the Sandbox Environment

The test environment provides:

Limited dataset for testing functionality
Free monthly API call quota (varies by API)
Same endpoints as production (different base URL)
Simulated booking confirmations

Test environment base URL: https://test.api.amadeus.com

Thoroughly test all workflows before moving to production:

Flight search with various parameters
Multi-passenger bookings
Error scenarios and edge cases
Payment processing integration

Step 8: Move to Production

When your application is ready:

For Self-Service:

Go to “My Self-Service Workspace”
Select your application
Click “Move to Production”
Fill out the request form with business and billing details
Choose payment method (credit card or bank transfer)
Sign Terms of Service via DocuSign
Wait for validation (up to 72 hours for first app)

Production environment base URL: https://api.amadeus.com

Production allows up to 40 requests per user per second.

View Pricing Details: https://developers.amadeus.com/pricing

For Enterprise: Complete certification with your Amadeus account manager and receive production credentials after testing verification.

Step 9: Handle Ticketing Requirements

Without IATA/ARC Certification:

If you can’t issue tickets directly, partner with:

Host Agency: Operates under their accreditation
Airline Consolidator: Handles ticketing for commission
Amadeus can help find suitable partners

With IATA/ARC Certification:

Enterprise API provides full ticketing capabilities:

Direct ticket issuance
Void and refund processing
EMD (Electronic Miscellaneous Document) management

Apply for IATA accreditation: https://www.iata.org/en/services/travel-agency-program/accreditation-travel

Step 10: Ongoing Support and Optimization

Self-Service Support Resources:

Documentation portal: https://developers.amadeus.com/self-service/apis-docs
FAQ page: https://developers.amadeus.com/self-service/apis-docs/guides/developer-guides/faq
Discord community: 3,400+ members
StackOverflow: 370+ answered questions
GitHub examples and SDKs

Enterprise Support:

Dedicated account manager
Amadeus Service Hub: https://servicehub.amadeus.com
Direct phone and email support

Amadeus API Pricing

1. Self-Service Pricing Model

Test Environment: Free monthly quota to build and test

Production Environment:

Maintain free monthly quota
Pay only for calls exceeding the quota
Per-call charges range from €0.001 to €0.025 ($0.001 to $0.027) depending on API
Automatic monthly billing for excess usage

Example quotas:

Flight Offers Search: 2,000 free calls/month
Hotel Search: 500 free calls/month
Flight Create Orders: 100 free calls/month

View detailed pricing: https://developers.amadeus.com/pricing

Enterprise Pricing

Custom pricing based on volume and requirements
Monthly fees specified in contract
Implementation fees may apply
NDA required before pricing disclosure
Look-to-book ratio may affect final pricing

Read More: A Comprehensive Guide for Amadeus API Pricing and Cost

Benefits of Amadeus API Integration

Extensive Global Inventory connects your platform to 400+ airlines, 150,000+ hotels, and thousands of car rental and transfer providers.

Flexible Integration Options offer REST APIs for modern development and SOAP APIs for complex Enterprise requirements.

Real-Time Data ensures accurate availability, pricing, and booking confirmations across all services.

NDC Support through Amadeus Travel API enables access to New Distribution Capability content with personalized offers and dynamic pricing.

Scalable Architecture handles millions of daily transactions with proven reliability and performance.

Comprehensive Documentation provides detailed guides, code samples, and SDKs for rapid development.

Common Integration Challenges and Solutions

Rate Limiting: Implement request throttling and caching to stay within quota limits.

Authentication Tokens: Set up automatic token refresh before expiration (30 minutes).

Error Handling: Build robust error handling for network issues, validation errors, and API-specific error codes.

Ticketing Without IATA: Partner with a consolidator or host agency to handle ticket issuance.

Complex SOAP APIs: Consider hiring developers with GDS experience for Enterprise integrations.

Read More: What Is the Amadeus Global Distribution System?

FAQ’S

1. What is Amadeus API integration?

Amadeus API integration connects your travel platform to Amadeus’ Global Distribution System, enabling real-time access to flights, hotels, car rentals, and travel services from hundreds of global suppliers through a single programming interface.

2. How much does Amadeus API cost?

Self-Service APIs use pay-as-you-go pricing with free monthly quotas. Per-call charges range from €0.001 to €0.025 when exceeding quotas. Enterprise pricing is custom-negotiated based on volume and requirements.

3. Do I need IATA certification for Amadeus API?

No, Self-Service APIs don’t require IATA/ARC certification. However, for direct ticketing capabilities, you need Enterprise APIs with IATA/ARC certification or must partner with a licensed consolidator.

4. What’s the difference between Self-Service and Enterprise APIs?

Self-Service offers quick setup, pay-as-you-go pricing, and REST/JSON APIs for startups and small businesses. Enterprise provides full API access, direct ticketing, dedicated support, and custom pricing for large-scale operations.

5. How long does Amadeus integration take?

Self-Service integration can begin within minutes of registration. Full development typically takes 2-8 weeks depending on complexity. Enterprise integrations involve longer negotiations and may take several months.

6. What programming languages does Amadeus support?

Amadeus provides official SDKs for Python, Node.js, Java, and Ruby. Community SDKs are available for PHP and other languages. REST APIs work with any language supporting HTTP requests.

7. Can I access private or negotiated fares?

Private and negotiated fares are only available through Enterprise APIs. Self-Service provides access to public published fares from airlines.

8. How do I get support for Amadeus API issues?

Self-Service users access documentation, FAQ, Discord community, and email support. Enterprise customers receive dedicated account managers and direct support through Amadeus Service Hub.

9. What airlines are available through Amadeus API?

Amadeus provides access to 400+ airlines including 130 low-cost carriers. Note that some carriers like American Airlines, Delta, and British Airways may have limited availability in Self-Service APIs.

10. Can startups use Amadeus API?

Yes, Self-Service APIs are specifically designed for startups and small businesses. Free test quotas allow development without upfront costs, and pay-as-you-go pricing scales with your business growth.

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