Lufthansa Group’s Shift to NDC Channels Signals New Era in Flight Booking
The Lufthansa Group is embarking on a transformative journey in its flight distribution strategy, marking a significant milestone for the airline industry and its partners worldwide. Starting from September 2, 2025, the group will withdraw its lowest fare category—commonly known as the “Light” fare—from the traditional EDIFACT-based Global Distribution Systems (GDS) for all domestic flights within Germany. This move means that these budget-friendly fares will only be accessible through New Distribution Capability (NDC) channels, including NDC aggregator networks and the airlines’ own direct booking platforms.
This change is not isolated to Lufthansa alone but extends across the entire group, encompassing Austrian Airlines, Eurowings, Swiss, and Brussels Airlines. The unified approach reflects a broader ambition to modernize sales channels, enhance pricing flexibility, and offer travelers more tailored booking experiences. For African travel professionals, this development is a clear signal of the evolving global airline distribution landscape, one that will increasingly prioritize direct, dynamic, and personalized sales over legacy systems.
By moving away from EDIFACT, Lufthansa aligns itself with a growing global trend where airlines seek to regain control over their pricing and product offerings. Traditional GDS platforms, while historically dominant, impose limitations on how airlines can present fares and ancillary services. NDC, an XML and API-driven standard developed by IATA, enables airlines to showcase richer content—such as bundled services, seat maps, and real-time dynamic pricing—directly to customers and intermediaries equipped to handle this technology.
For travelers booking flights within Germany, this shift means that the lowest fares will no longer be visible or bookable through conventional GDS channels. Instead, customers will need to access these fares via NDC-enabled platforms or directly through airline websites. This change could initially require adjustments, especially for those accustomed to booking through third-party agents or traditional systems. However, it also promises more flexible and personalized booking options, which can be particularly advantageous for business travelers seeking efficiency and customization.
In addition to the domestic German market, Lufthansa Group is conducting a trial from September 1 to November 30, 2025, applying similar NDC-only fare availability on flights from Singapore to the DACHB region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium). This pilot will help the airline assess the impact of NDC on its global distribution network and inform potential wider rollouts on other international routes.
The implications of this strategic pivot are multifaceted. On one hand, airlines benefit from reduced reliance on costly GDS fees and gain the ability to offer more dynamic pricing and personalized bundles. On the other hand, travel intermediaries, including agencies and booking platforms, must upgrade their systems and workflows to integrate NDC content effectively. For African markets, where many agencies and airlines are still in the early stages of NDC adoption, this evolution underscores the urgency to invest in technology and training to stay competitive in a rapidly changing environment.
Globally, the airline industry is moving toward a retail-inspired model, where carriers act more like e-commerce platforms, offering tailored experiences and direct engagement with customers. Lufthansa’s move exemplifies this shift, aiming to deliver a more curated and responsive booking process that benefits both leisure and corporate travelers. While the immediate impact on passengers may be subtle, the long-term effect is expected to enhance value propositions and operational agility.
However, the transition is not without challenges. Travelers and intermediaries familiar with EDIFACT-based bookings will need to adapt to new tools and processes. Booking systems must be updated to handle the richer NDC content, and agencies will have to navigate a more complex distribution landscape. For African travel professionals, this means preparing for a future where access to the best fares and ancillary services increasingly depends on NDC readiness.
As Lufthansa closely monitors the outcomes of its NDC strategy, the results will likely influence other airlines’ distribution approaches worldwide. This evolution represents a critical step in modernizing the airline retailing ecosystem, promising greater transparency, flexibility, and customer-centric offerings. For Africa’s travel sector, understanding and embracing these changes will be key to maintaining access to competitive fares and delivering enhanced service in an increasingly digital marketplace.
Ultimately, Lufthansa’s withdrawal of its lowest fares from EDIFACT channels and full embrace of NDC distribution channels highlights a broader industry transformation. It signals a future where airline pricing and product offerings are more agile, personalized, and directly controlled by carriers. African travel professionals should view this as both a challenge and an opportunity—to upgrade technology, refine sales strategies, and align with global best practices that will shape the next decade of air travel.
