Flight Centre Travel Group’s Corporate division leads the way in business-ready NDC

One month following the launch, which the group implemented on the day Qantas released the capability to select travel partners, it is being well received by customers. 

FCTG’s corporate brands now have upwards of 3,000 customers live and taking advantage of NDC content, and building, and it has taken more than 35,000 Qantas NDC fare bookings within the first month. This has resulted in significantly boosted corporate travel bookings with Australia’s national carrier, compared to July 2024 booking volumes with the airline. 

Flight Centre Corporate Global COO Melissa Elf said across its flagship brands it had a diverse client base, which ranged from some of the world’s largest, globally managed travel programs, to SME businesses that required a more bespoke experience, and all in between. 

“Our large and varied customer base is the reason we’ve taken such a laser-focussed, and intensely collaborative approach to how we best implement this new capability for customers. 

“Our world-leading technology capability, alongside our strong partnership with Qantas, and our third-party technology providers have allowed us to achieve these outcomes since day one, and we’re very pleased to see it delivering value to our customers. 

“A Qantas NDC fare, when not on further sale or special offer, is 6.5 per cent cheaper at a base rate – that’s the same for all fares, on any route, and across any travel management company that is a member of the Qantas Premium NDC channel, as FCM, Corporate Traveller and Stage & Screen are.  

“In its first month of NDC roll out in July, Qantas fares sold through Flight Centre Corporate were delivering an average 17 per cent savings on domestic trips for customers when compared to Qantas’s legacy EDIFACT content.”

That 17 per cent will include the NDC-related savings, along with other sales operating within market, and the $11.50 per segment surcharge that we save the customer, by offering them access to Qantas premium NDC content.  

“It’s one of the biggest innovations we’ve seen in the way airlines distribute tickets to customers, and it was critical that our company led the way in the delivery of this, in a way that was going to bring about the ultimate benefit for customers overall,” Elf said. 

“We took an industry-leading position through which we collaborated with the airline industry to educate them on the entire corporate travel ecosystem, to ensure their NDC offering was going to be fit-for-purpose for the entire travel industry.

“Our goal for implementing NDC – and being the first travel management company to do so – was to ensure faster, broader and a more personalised range of air content directly to the traveller, both through online and offline booking capabilities. 

“We’ve pursued a precision-driven approach to how we best roll this out for customers and certainly have had to consider whether NDC was going to provide value for every customer. 

“Importantly, we’ve considered the alignment with our individual customers’ needs. We are activating the NDC content that matches each customers’ travel program objectives to make sure businesses are only fed content that ensures productivity and relevance within their travel ecosystem. 

“Like many new products or technology, there are some limitations and parameters in which NDC operates on an industry-wide level. It means that it won’t be the best fit for all businesses. It’s another reason why we are working closely with every customer to ensure they’re getting the best fare to suit their needs, and we are prioritising long term value in travel programs for every customer, which may not always look like the short-term fare savings available through NDC content.”

Qantas Executive Manager Global Sales & Distribution, Kathryn Robertson said:

"We've been working closely with Flight Centre Travel Group since our announcement in November, and we're pleased to see them respond with such strong momentum in NDC adoption across their corporate and leisure divisions since launching our new distribution model last month (1 July 2025). Their commitment to embracing this new technology and their investment in distribution capabilities has clearly positioned them well to unlock the full potential of Qantas NDC,” she said.  

"Taking tens of thousands of NDC bookings in just the first month shows they're delivering that richer content and more dynamic booking experiences their customers want, and we're excited to build on this momentum together."

NDC is a global travel industry initiative launched by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to modernise and enhance the way airline products are sold through travel agents. It was created to optimise the way travellers can shop, book, and service flights – bringing a modern e-commerce experience to air travel. 

As a Qantas Premium NDC Partner, Flight Centre Travel Group and its range of corporate and leisure brands operating within the group have access to the most comprehensive offering of content, which means access to exclusive Qantas offers, enhanced customisation and improved cost efficiency. This partnership confirms the Group’s commitment to providing the best travel solutions, leveraging cutting-edge technologies and exclusive content to enhance its customers’ travel experiences.