Travel APIs Compared: Amadeus vs Sabre vs Travelport vs Expedia

In today’s fast moving travel industry using the right travel API is not just a helpful tool it’s a must for the survival and success of your business. Whether you are running an online travel agency or traditional travel agency or just a tour operator, travel APIs help you offer real time flight availability, hotel bookings and also car rental and much more without the need to do everything manually. These APIs are actually connected directly with a global network of travel suppliers making it easy for you to automate the booking process, give live prices and improve the experience for your customers. Simply put Amadeus Travel API and others are actually the engines running modern travel business.

What is Travel API?

A travel API is basically a set of tools And rules that allow one travel system to talk to another travel system. It works quietly in the background, sending and receiving information so that everything shows up correctly on your screen. You can think of it like a smart middle when you go to a travel website, search for flights from Delhi to Dubai and instantly you’ll see dozens of results from different airlines. The travel website doesn’t store all this data itself, it uses a travel API to pull live data from the airlines; it’s just fast, automatic and accurate.

How does it work?

You visit a travel booking app where you enter your travel details where you want to go your travel dates and how many people are travelling. The app will send the information to the travel API. The API will then connect to different travel providers, collect all the information and send them back to the app. You will see the results in seconds. No need for the app to check each airline or hotel manually. The travel API will do everything instantly.

Why is it so useful?

Travel API has completely changed the way travel is planned. Prices, availability and schedules are always updated. You don’t need to visit 10 different airline websites. The API brings all the data to one place. Everything is completely quick, smooth and very easy for you. Travel companies don’t have to manage data manually API handles the updates automatically

Understanding the core players

Before you dive deep into Sabre Travel API or even Travelport API it’s very important for you to understand the two main types of travel apis.

Global distribution system  platforms like Amadeus and Sabre work like the backbone of the travel industry. They connect airlines, hotels , car rental companies and more to travel agents like you. They have a lot of inventory from global suppliers and it is mainly used by businesses. It supports flights, hotels , car cruises, rails and much more. There is also a great integration with new distribution capability to enable richer airline content.

Online travel agencies like Expedia API work completely differently. Instead of connecting you to many suppliers it gives you access to Expedia’s own inventory. It includes flight hotels activities and car rentals. You can get easy access to negotiated deals and rates from Expedia and it’s great for hotel focused platforms. You can expect easier integration if you’re a smaller business or a startup. Undoubtedly it’s B2B but built on a popular B2C brand.

Head-to-head comparison

Content and inventory coverage

Inventory & Coverage Comparison

1. Flights

Amadeus has a global network and supports both full service and low cost carriers. It’s also ready for new distribution capability which means it can handle richer and more customized flight content. Sabre is also completely strong when it comes to flight; it covers many low-first carriers and offers access to extra services like baggage and seat selection. Travel port leads in supporting modern flight distribution. It was first to fully embrace NDC which gives it an edge in offering next generation airline content. Expedia is not a traditional GDS but it partners with other platforms to give access to flight bookings.

2. Hotels

Amadeus offers access to more than 1,000,000 properties including alternative accommodations like vacation homes and guest houses. Travelport boosts the hotel listings by partnering with booking.com, giving you a huge range of choices. Sabre shines with strong connections to major hotel central reservation systems making it reliable for traditional hotel booking. Expedia offers a complete hotel inventory with more than 7 million properties thanks to its own network.

3. Car rentals

Amadeus provides access to a lot of car rental brands across the world. Sabre also offers a great coverage of major car rental properties. Travelport supports prepaid bookings with connections with top car rental brands. Expedia uses its own car rental inventory offering you a huge range of vehicles at different price points.

4. Cruises and rails

Amadeus supports bookings for rail tickets, cruises , tours and local activities. At the same time Sabre offers options for both rail and cruise travel. Travel port partners with train lines for rail services and also support cruise bookings. Expedia focuses on package deals and also includes some cruise options. 

API technology and developer tools

• Amadeus Travel API Offers both traditional and modern APIs. The self-service API portal is perfect for developers.
• Sabre Travel API Promises a strong functionality but can be really complex to work with. It offers both rest and soap
• Travelport API Combines multiple content resources into a universal API with rest or JSON support.
• Expedia API Is RESTFUL and JSONbased making it very easy and quick to integrate especially for your hotel content.
  
  

In short you need to know that all the four providers offer developer documentation sandbox testing environments technical support.

New distribution capability

NDC is a modern standard for selling airline tickets. It allows you to offer more customized offers and add-ons like extra bags or meals. When it comes to NDC implementation nothing beats Amadeus Travel API and travelport. Sabre Travel API Is still catching up with the airline partners. You need to know that Expedia is not GDS so its focus on NBC is limited to airline partnership.

Ancillary services and branded fares

All three that are Amadeus Sabre and Travelport API allow you to get access to paid baggage seat selection, special meals and branded fare families. Expedia is also offering these features but only for the airlines and hotels it partners with directly.

Reporting and analytics

Most of the APIs offer tools to track bookings, monitor traffic and analyze trends. GDS platforms typically have more in-depth analytics as compared to Expedia API.

Commercial and business considerations

Pricing models

•  Target audience
  
  

Amateurs API is ideal for large OTAs or travel companies or international operations. Sabre is completely strong in North America and popular with corporate travel agencies. At the same time Travelport API works well for businesses needing rich content from multiple suppliers. Expedia API is perfect for you if you are just focused on hotels or if you want a faster start without complex GDS integrations

• Scalability and reliability
  
  

All the four platforms are enterprise-grade and can handle large volumes of bookings. But GDS platforms are known for good quality uptime. Expedia is slightly more lightweight, which might impact how it handles huge volumes.

• Support and account management
  
  

Amadeus and Sabre have dedicated account managers for large clients. Travelport offers both self-service and managed accounts. Expedia supports partners through documentation onboarding guides and as email and chat support.

• Ecosystem and extra tools
  
  

Each API provider also offers way more than just APIs. Amadeus provides agent desktops, loyalty tools and payment integration. Sabre provides Red360 desktop corporate travel tools and Travelport provides universal desktop and enet payment solutions. While Expedia offers affiliate program white label solutions and marketing tools.

Factors to consider when choosing the right API

1. Your business type

You need to consider whether you are a full OTA or a niche hotel booking website or just a corporate agency. GDS APIs work the best for OTAs and agents while Expedia is perfect for hotel heavy or small OTAs.

2. What do you want to sell?

If you want to sell flights you can go for Amadeus or Sabre. Expedia is perfect if you want to sell hotels. Amadeus and travelport shine if you want to sell cruises, rails or activities.

3. Target regions

Amadeus API  is strong in Europe and Asia while Sabre is perfect for US and North America. Travel port is expanding globally and Expedia is global but strongest in hotel heavy markets.

4. Technical resources

GDS APIs can be challenging and might need experienced developers. Expedia’s API is simple and very easy for small teams.

5. Budget

GDS integrations are often more expansive and upfront. Expedia is actually more cost effective for startups and small businesses.

6. Control and customization

If you want a full control of the user experience and custom workflows GDS APIs are actually better. If you want to go live fast with minimum work Expedia is easier.

7. Future proofing

All major GDS are NDC ready or moving fast in that direction. Expedia keeps updating it’s API but also focuses a lot on deals on hotel inventory.

So above all you need to know that choosing the right travel API will depend on your business size focus region and technical capabilities. Each provider has its own strengths and weaknesses. In the end the best API is the one that fits your business Requirements  tech resources and budget. Test environments are available for all of them so don’t hesitate to try before you even commit. At Traveltekpro we specialize in helping you pick, set up and scale with the right travel API. Connect with us today to learn more about the right APIs for your business.

FAQ’S

1. Which travel API is best for global flight bookings?

Amadeus Travel API is widely regarded as the best for global flight bookings due to its vast inventory of both full-service and low-cost carriers, NDC readiness, and seamless integration with ancillary services like baggage and seat selection.

2. Is Expedia API a good option for hotel-only travel platforms?

Yes, Expedia API is ideal for hotel-focused platforms and small OTAs, offering access to over 700,000 properties with competitive rates, fast integration, and no need for complex GDS infrastructure perfect for quick launch and scalability.

3. What’s the difference between GDS APIs and Expedia API?

GDS APIs like Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport connect you to multiple global suppliers including airlines and hotels, while Expedia API gives you direct access to Expedia’s inventory, making it more suitable for businesses prioritizing ease of use and hotel-heavy content.

4. Which Travel API is easiest to integrate for startups?

Expedia API is the easiest to integrate for startups thanks to its RESTful structure, clear documentation, and fast onboarding, making it a top choice for travel businesses with limited tech resources or smaller development teams.

5. What is NDC and why does it matter in travel APIs?

NDC (New Distribution Capability) is a modern airline data standard that allows richer flight content like bundled offers, extra services, and dynamic pricing Amadeus and Travelport lead the market in full NDC support, making them future-proof options for flight-focused businesses.

6. Can I test travel APIs before full integration?

Yes, all major travel API providers Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport, and Expedia offer sandbox environments and developer portals where you can test features, check performance, and explore integration options before going live.