Brightline Now Available on Major GDS Platforms

Tickets for Brightline, the high-speed passenger train connecting Central and South Florida, are now available to book on all major Global Distribution Systems (GDS). 

With the booking code 9B, Brightline is partnering with AccesRail to distribute the tickets similar to how airline tickets are booked via Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport. The announcement comes as Brightline celebrates its first anniversary this month and aims to enhance its relationship with travel advisors. 

“It’s been a lot of learning over the course of the year, and I would say most of what we have seen is our trips for guests are coming directly through our website, the direct-to-consumer channel,” Julie Sharenow, Brightline’s vice president of sales, told TMR. “We are looking to see how we can increase our visibility with partners – for instance, in the GDS with our travel trade – so a lot of exciting things are going on.” 

Since launching on Sept. 22, 2023, Brightline has served 1.4 million passengers from 139 countries and six continents on its train system that runs from Orlando to Miami. This global demand is also what drove the company to introduce tickets on the GDS, so tickets can be booked by travel advisors all over the world. 

Related Story: Travel Advisors on What to Expect Riding Brightline 

Brightline’s ridership includes people traveling pre- and post-cruise, travelers heading to theme parks in Orlando, and even those catching connecting flights in Florida. The Brightline stations’ proximity to airports and shuttle services have allowed for more seamless travel. 

Through the GDS, travel advisors can easily add Brightline connections that allow their clients to fly in and out of different airports if their trip takes from one part of the state to another. 

“Travel advisors can now choose us for a solution for traveling to and from Florida,” Sharenow said. “You now have the option to fly in and out of various airports. You don’t have to choose Orlando, Central Florida, or South Florida; you can do both in your itinerary, and Brightline can connect you to both markets.” 

Brightline offers travel advisors commissionable fares. The company is also working toward launching a dedicated online portal for travel advisors, which it hopes will be ready by the end of the year.