Mystifly is a flight distribution platform that gives travel businesses access to content from GDSs, low-cost carriers and other sources through a single API. For many agencies, an aggregator like this is a faster way to get broad flight content than connecting to each source separately. This article explains how the booking flow typically works and what to plan during integration.
Why agencies use a flight aggregator
- One integration provides content from many airlines and sources.
- Low-cost carrier content can be included without separate airline integrations.
- The aggregator may handle ticketing, which helps businesses without their own ticketing authority.
- Commercial terms and onboarding can be simpler than direct GDS agreements.
The typical booking flow
- Search: send origin, destination, dates, passengers and cabin; receive priced itineraries.
- Revalidate: before booking, confirm that the selected fare is still available at the same price.
- Fare rules: retrieve change and cancellation conditions to show the traveller.
- Book: submit passenger details to create the booking and receive a booking reference.
- Ticket: after payment, request ticketing where it is not automatic, and store the e-ticket numbers.
- Retrieve: fetch booking details later to check status or show them to the customer.
Handling different fare types
Aggregators combine fares from different sources, and these may behave differently. Some fares are ticketed instantly at booking, while others have a time limit. Low-cost carrier fares may have strict change rules and paid baggage. The booking engine should read these attributes from the API and adjust the flow, for example, by taking payment before booking for instant-ticket fares.
Cancellations and refunds
Plan how after-sales requests will work. Some can be submitted through the API, while others may require contacting the supplier's support team. Your admin panel should track each request's status and the expected refund so customers can be kept informed.
What to test before launch
- GDS and low-cost carrier fares, domestic and international.
- Price changes caught at revalidation.
- Instant-ticket fares and fares with time limits.
- Bookings with children and infants.
- Failed bookings and payment-to-ticket mismatches.
- Cancellation and refund requests end to end.
In practice: launching with one aggregator
A new online agency without IATA accreditation wants to launch quickly. It integrates a flight aggregator as its only supplier, which gives it GDS and low-cost carrier content and handles ticketing. Its developer builds revalidation, instant-ticket handling and a refund tracking screen. The agency launches in weeks rather than months. Once volumes grow, it adds a direct GDS connection for certain routes, and the booking engine compares prices across both sources.
Designing results for mixed sources
An aggregator may return the same flight from more than one source at different prices or with different conditions. The booking engine should decide which offer to show, usually the cheapest one with acceptable conditions, or show both clearly when the conditions differ, such as a cheaper fare without checked baggage. Clear labels for baggage, refundability and instant ticketing help travellers compare like with like and reduce complaints after booking. The same logic applies when you later add a GDS alongside the aggregator.
Common mistakes
- Skipping revalidation, which leads to price mismatches after payment.
- Treating every fare the same, when ticketing rules differ by source.
- Not showing low-cost carrier baggage rules clearly.
Frequently asked questions
Can Mystifly be combined with a GDS?
Yes. Many engines use an aggregator alongside a GDS and pick the best price for each itinerary.
Who handles ticketing?
That depends on your agreement with the supplier. Clarify it before development because it changes the payment and ticketing flow.
Key takeaways
- An aggregator offers broad content through one integration.
- Revalidation and fare-type handling are essential.
- Plan after-sales processes and tracking from the start.
Connect Mystifly to your portal with our Mystifly flight API integration service.
