How to Obtain Sabre GDS API for Your Travel Business 

Every travel business eventually reaches a point where basic supplier connections or simple affiliate programs are no longer enough. Azure customer base grows and your platform’s ambitions increase, you truly need access to real-time flight schedules and competitive fares, seat availability and stranded fare families. This is exactly where Sabre GDS comes into the picture. Sabre is one of the most established and influential global distribution systems in the world.

 If you have ever booked a flight through a travel agency or a corporate travel booking tool, there is a good chance Sabre was working behind the scenes. Integrating Sabre GDS in your system essentially upgrades your travel platform from a simple website into a large-scale professional booking engine. But obtaining access to Sabre is not as simple as just filling out a form. Sabre operates under strict rules and requires verifications and expects you to meet certain standards. Most agencies take a lot of time or even months to understand the process.

Who must use Sabre GDS API?

Sabre  is not meant for casual travel affiliates or small hobbyist websites. It is built for people that are serious about scaling. If you’re an online travel agency, you can benefit from Sabre because you need large volumes of real time flight and hotel details. As a corporate travel platform, you can use Sabre because your client expects consistent policy based booking and reliable trip management.

Destination management companies and travel management companies love Sabre because it allows them to respond to client requests instantly with accurate itineraries. Even tech companies offering white label or B2B travel tools rely on Sabre as the core engine because of its stability and global footprint.

What Sabre API Modules Can You Access?

Flight APIs

• One-way, round-trip, and multi-city search
• Low fare and alternative availability search
• PNR creation and modification
• Seat maps, fare brands, meals, ancillaries, and SSRs

   

Hotel & Car APIs

• Search hotels by location, chain, or ID
• Fetch rates, cancellation rules, and amenities
• Book or rebook hotels and car rentals

   

Core APIs

• Fare rules and reprice logic
• Payment integration
• Booking management (cancel/refund)
• Reporting and invoice automation

   

Read More: Sabre API Overview – Modules & Endpoints

Requirements you must meet before applying

Sabre will not give access to just anyone. They need to ensure that every travel business using the API is legitimate, compiling and technically prepared.

1. Your business must be legally registered

Sabre checks whether your company’s officially incorporated and operating as a legitimate travel business. You must provide your business license and proof of physical or operation address. This validation protects Sabre from fraud and also ensures that you can legally transact in your region.

2. You must have correct travel accreditations

This is one of the biggest challenges for new agencies. If you want to issue flight tickets directly under your agency Sabre requires accreditations. These aggregations actually prove that your business is capable of handling airline ticketing responsibly and follows industry accounting and settlement rules. If you do not have accreditation you can still use Sabre through host agencies or white label platforms. These partners for the requirement of addition and also allow you to operate under their umbrella until your business is ready to obtain its own credentials.

3. You must have technical readiness

Sabre APIs are completely complex. They include authentication and ticketing rules and error handling. Yeah but expects you to have a capable development team or a reliable technology partner. They also expect your platform to use security and follow PCI compliance if you process payments.

How to obtain the Sabre API

• Clarify your business requirements

   

Before speaking to Sabre, you must have a clear version of your platform. Sabre will ask you questions about your target market and expected booking volume. API modules that you want and whether your platform is B2B or B2C. If you are unclear about these details, Sabre might delay or even decline your request.

• Register on Sabre Dev Studio

   

Sabre Dev Studio is an official developer portal. When you register, you get access to documentation and sample code. The sandbox environment allows you to understand how the Sabre API works before you commit to Full integration.

• Contact Sabre sales and begin a formal discussion

   

Sandbox access is not enough. To use Sabre in production, you must go through the commercial department. Sabre assigns a regional manager  Who evaluates your business model and readiness. They discuss pricing contract terms and support structure.

• Verification and contract signing

   

And Sabre agrees to work with you to verify your documents. This includes legal registration and company ownership. After verification you receive your contract and service level agreement. Once you sign and complete the initial commercial requirements Sabre gives your PCC which is your agency identity inside Sabre.

• Receive product API credentials

   

After approval Sabre provides our production API keys. These allow your platform to communicate with Sabres live servers. You can also get access to certification requirements and guidelines.

• Begin technical integration

   

This is where development begins. Your team builds flight search availability and booking forms. The better this stage is executed the smoother your final platform will be.

• Testing and quality review

   

Your system must undergo extensive testing to ensure it can handle real World Travel solutions. This includes fare changes during bookings cancellations refunds and multi city search logic or error management. Sabre will check all these in the certification phase.

• Sabre certification

   

Before going live Sabre verifies your system. The test whether your API requests follow the correct structure, your platform displays accurate information and your ticketing flow is compiled.

• Move to production and go live

   

After certification you switch your system from sandbox to live mode and run final Test bookings and begin serving real customers. This is the stage where your platform officially becomes Sabre powered.

Most Important Sabre APIs for Travel Platforms

Sabre vs. Amadeus vs. Travelport (Quick Comparison)

How Traveltekpro Supports your Sabre integration

Integrating Sabre is not a developmental task, it’s a full project involving legal technical information and certification requirements. We have completed over 10 Sabre integrations across multiple countries which means we understand the technical details and the challenges that new travel businesses face. We can help you with preparing your Sabre application, helping with documentation, setting up a studio and building your search booking and ticketing workflows while handling speed optimization and error control. Most importantly we also allow you to launch much faster because you already have the framework experience and tested architecture ready.

So obtaining Sabre GTS API access is not a quick or one click process; it requires serious business planning and proper accreditation and approval from the technical team. But once you complete the journey your travel platform gains a powerful engine capable of delivering reliable real time global travel content.

Read More: Sabre API Integration Guide | Setup & Best Practices

FAQ’S

1. How can a travel business get access to Sabre GDS API?

Travel businesses can obtain Sabre GDS API access by registering on Sabre Dev Studio, completing business verification, signing the commercial agreement, and passing Sabre’s technical certification. Once approved, Sabre provides PCC credentials and production API keys, allowing your platform to start building real-time flight, hotel, and booking workflows.

2. Do travel startups need IATA accreditation to use Sabre API?

While direct Sabre access typically requires IATA or ARC accreditation, travel startups without these credentials can still use Sabre APIs through host agencies, consolidators, or certified technology partners. These partners provide indirect access, allowing new agencies to operate legally until they qualify for their own accreditation.

3. How long does it take to complete Sabre API onboarding and certification?

Sabre API onboarding generally takes 7 to 21 days, depending on your documentation, contracting speed, and technical readiness. Certification can take additional time based on how quickly your team completes search, booking, and ticketing tests required by Sabre before moving to live production.

4. What are the most important Sabre API modules for travel platforms?

Essential Sabre API modules include Air Shopping for flight search, Book and PNR APIs for reservations, Offer Price for fare validation, Hotel and Car APIs, and Booking Management for modifications and cancellations. These modules enable a complete OTA-grade booking engine with accurate real-time travel data.

5. Can non-technical travel agencies integrate Sabre GDS API?

Yes, non-technical agencies can integrate Sabre by partnering with a travel tech provider like Traveltekpro, which handles all technical development, certification, API setup, booking workflows, and performance optimization. This allows agencies to launch Sabre-powered platforms without needing in-house developers.

6. Why do OTAs prefer Sabre over other GDS providers?

OTAs choose Sabre for its strong global airline coverage, fast fare search, stable API ecosystem, and deep presence in the U.S. and Latin America markets. Sabre’s advanced air shopping algorithms, rich ancillaries, and robust PNR management tools make it ideal for flight-heavy OTAs and corporate travel platforms.