Amadeus Signs Distribution Deal with Delta Air Lines

Amadeus and Delta Air Lines have entered into a new global distribution agreement that will allow Amadeus users to book Delta fares on the platform.

Amadeus users will now have access to the full range of Delta fares with product options on all flights including ancillary services.

“This agreement completes the transformation of Delta’s distribution partnerships as we work together to elevate the customer experience in our indirect channels,” Delta’s managing director of global distribution Jeff Lobl said.

Delta has been in the process of changing the way it works with GDSs—the airline has opted against flat segment fees and, moving forward, will instead work with incentives depending on the value of the ticket booked. The carrier has already done so with Amadeus and Travelport as part of its changing business model, which could dramatically change the way advisors booking Delta in their GDSs deal with the carrier.

Travelport issues a notification to its users earlier this week about the change, writing that as part of its “new value-based model for Delta Air Lines,” starting Jan. 1, 2022, “incentives will align with the value of the ticket.”

For instance, booking three segments on a Delta flight via Travelport would earn advisors a flat rate per air segment on Delta and then a separate incentive paid depending on the class of each ticket, with the front of the plane segments, like Delta Premium, earning more. Here’s how Travelport put it in its notification to users this week:

If you book and ticket a $13,172.00 reservation on Delta (which contains 2 Premium Delta Segments at a value of $11,072.00 and 1 Segment in Main Cabin at $2,100.00), and according to the terms of your Agreement you are eligible to receive $0.80 per air Segment on Delta generated via Travelport, under this new incentive structure, you would be entitled to receive $24.54 [ = ($0.80 x 3 Segments), plus ($11,072.00 x 0.20%)], less any applicable Content Continuity Program, Super Access Product or other fees as provided under the Agreement.

There was no word in the announcement with Amadeus whether or not that model will also be installed with that GDS. TMR has reached out for more comment.