Lufthansa Group to Raise GDS Surcharge Again in May as ITA Joins NDC Fold

The cost of doing business through traditional distribution channels is about to tick upward again for travel advisors booking the Lufthansa Group.

Starting May 5, 2026, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, SWISS, and Air Dolomiti will implement a coordinated adjustment to their Distribution Cost Charge (DCC). For the bulk of the trade using Amadeus (1A), the surcharge is jumping to $22.00 (€19.00) per ticket, up from the previous $21.00.

The move comes at the same time that the Group integrates ITA Airways into Lufthansa’s NDC ecosystem.

Lufthansa executives have consistently said that the DCC is a way not only to pay for the cost of that traditional retailing, but also push its users towards its NDC Partner Program, where it offers a significantly lower fee. It’s been working, too—according to Frank Naeve, Senior VP of Global Sales and Distribution, as of last summer, the Group is on track to handle 75% of total bookings through NDC or direct channels.