A B2B flight booking website lets travel agents book tickets from a consolidator or wholesaler at agent rates. The search and booking engine may look similar to a consumer site, but the business logic is very different. The heart of a B2B portal is how it manages agents and their money: deposits, credit, markups and commissions.
Agent registration and approval
Agents usually register online with company details, tax registration such as GST in India, and contact information. The admin team reviews and approves each agent before they can book. Approval is also the moment to assign the agent to a group that decides their pricing and credit terms.
The agent wallet
Most B2B portals work on a prepaid wallet. The agent adds funds by bank transfer, payment gateway or deposit, and each booking deducts the amount from the wallet. A good wallet system:
- Shows the agent their balance and every transaction.
- Records deposits with reference numbers for easy matching.
- Blocks bookings when the balance is too low.
- Credits refunds back to the wallet automatically after cancellation.
Credit limits
Trusted agents may be allowed to book on credit, up to a set limit, and settle later. Credit increases sales but adds risk, so the portal should:
- Set limits per agent and adjust them over time.
- Show outstanding amounts and due dates.
- Send reminders and block new bookings when payments are overdue.
Agent markups and commissions
Pricing in a B2B portal works in layers:
- Your markup or discount on the supplier fare, which can vary by agent group, airline and route.
- Commission passed to the agent on certain airlines or fares.
- The agent's own markup, which agents add when they sell to their customers and print on their own tickets.
Allowing agents to set their own markup and print branded tickets makes your portal more attractive to them.
Sub-agents and staff
Larger agencies have several staff members and sometimes their own sub-agents. Multi-user logins with permissions, and optional sub-agent hierarchies, let one agency manage its team and network inside your portal.
Invoices, ledgers and tax
Agents need clear accounts. The portal should generate invoices for every booking, keep a ledger of debits and credits, and provide downloadable statements and tax reports. Clean accounts reduce support calls and disputes.
Support for agents
Agents expect fast after-sales service for cancellations, date changes and name corrections. An offline request module with status tracking keeps these requests organised and visible to both sides.
Controlling risk in a B2B portal
- Verify agent documents before approval and review new agents' first bookings.
- Start new agents on prepaid wallets and offer credit only after a track record.
- Set alerts for unusual activity, such as many bookings in a short time or bookings far above an agent's normal volume.
- Hold tickets for unpaid bookings until the wallet or credit check passes.
Frequently asked questions
Can different agents see different prices?
Yes. Agents are grouped, and each group can have its own markups, discounts and commissions by airline, route or fare type.
Can agents book hotels and holidays too?
A B2B portal can include hotels, holidays, bus and transfers on the same wallet, which makes it a one-stop shop for agents.
What makes agents choose one portal over another
Agents usually have accounts with several consolidators, so they compare constantly. Beyond price, they value fast and accurate search results, a wallet that updates instantly after deposits, quick refunds credited back to the wallet, branded tickets they can hand to customers, and a support team that answers during busy hours. Building these into your B2B portal turns occasional users into loyal agents.
Key takeaways
- Wallets and credit limits are the core of a B2B flight portal.
- Layered pricing lets you set margins while agents add their own markup.
- Invoices, ledgers and statements build trust with agents.
- Fast, trackable after-sales support keeps agents booking with you.
Build a portal your agents will prefer. Explore our B2B travel portal with wallets, credit control and agent markups built in.
