Sabre challenges airline direct-booking promises

Corporate travel advisors face competing narratives as airlines push loyalty perks while Sabre argues for aggregated platforms

Sabre Corporation is questioning the benefits of direct airline bookings for corporate buyers, releasing new analysis that highlights four major misconceptions. The company positions its SabreMosaic Travel Marketplace as a more effective solution for corporations seeking cost efficiency, scalability, and traveler support.

Key takeaways

• Fares not always cheaper: Sabre’s analysis found aggregator platforms delivered equal or lower fares in more than 90% of searches, challenging airlines’ lowest-fare claims.
• Content fragmentation: Direct NDC connections only cover a single airline, leaving agencies juggling multiple systems and limiting program optimization.
• Servicing inconsistencies: Each direct connect functions differently, creating challenges for flexibility, duty-of-care oversight, and last-minute changes.
• Scaling difficulties: Some airlines throttle results during high demand, making direct connects harder to support for large corporate programs.
• Advisors under pressure: Travel management companies face growing complexity, as airlines push direct channels while intermediaries argue that aggregation better protects service quality and cost efficiency.
• Industry divide: The debate underscores a wider struggle between airlines aiming to control customer relationships and intermediaries like Sabre preserving the role of advisors and TMCs.

Get the full story at Sabre