Duffel (YC S18) raises $30M for flight booking API

Re:Duffel (YC S18) raises $30M for flight booking API by metanoia on Monday October 28, 2019 @05:20PM (#21381815)

This is the essential issue with the travel industry. The data, and especially integration with the GDS's themselves is tightly controlled.

I've had many an idea for travel startups but data has been a non-starter.

I give Duffel props for having the mojo/influence/connections/funding to successfully implement something like this in an industry that has had few players. The only one I can think of is ITA but they are no longer independent.

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Re:Duffel (YC S18) raises $30M for flight booking API by namdnay on Wednesday October 30, 2019 @04:31AM (#21395592)

From what I understand, Duffel are connecting to NDC APIs exposed by the airlines (or rather, by the Airlines' IT provider, i.e. Sabre and Amadeus... but that's another story). And on top of that, they expose a nice REST API (that is very similar in philosophy and structure to the NDC XML - Offer, Order). This is a win for the airlines, because every booking through Duffel is a booking without paying the GDS tax

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Re:Duffel (YC S18) raises $30M for flight booking API by metanoia on Wednesday October 30, 2019 @04:57PM (#21402631)

I was wondering why it was only a handful of airlines! Thanks for the insight.

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