Overview

Deem uses ITA Software for flight availability and pricing. When a user searches for a flight, search results are returned by ITA, and the system reprices the selected flight in the global distribution system (GDS) to ensure that the fare is correct. All tickets are issued by the GDS.

Note: The GDS has the final say on airline fares and seat availability. ITA is used strictly as an airline faring and shopping utility.

Several airlines don't allow ITA access to their availability and pricing, so Deem provides a way to include ancillary sources of flight availability and pricing.

In addition, Deem provides ancillary sources for hotels not priced through ITA, for airlines that require direct GDS sourcing, and for train availability and pricing.

ITA is capable of retrieving a much higher number of flight results per query than a GDS, and multiple GDS queries are costly. When Deem Travel receives a query, most of the results come directly from ITA. Once flights are selected, Deem Travel performs a reprice in the GDS to ensure that the fare is correct.

Several airlines don't allow ITA access to their availability and pricing. Deem provides several ancillary sources for the information:

GDS Sourcing: Some airlines require direct GDS access for sourcing inventory. An example is Southwest (when not using Southwest Direct Access).
Web sourcing: Some airlines and hotels don't provide availability or pricing to ITA. You can configure web-sourced services such as Southwest Direct Access and Orbitz Hotels.
TravelFusion: Several low-cost airlines don't make their pricing and availability available to ITA, but will allow access to their websites through TravelFusion. Examples include JetBlue and VMI Baby.
SilverRail: SilverRail is the provider of train availability and pricing.

Note: Some non-ITA participating carrier search requests – for example, for Southwest – go directly to the GDS, using GDS Sourcing. Others – like EasyJet – can be sent to TravelFusion, which accesses the carrier's website for availability and pricing.

Adding an Ancillary Source

To add an ancillary source, you work with Deem to configure settings internally, and then configure settings on Ancillary Sources page.

Note: You must enter a support case if this is the first time you are enabling a new ancillary source. Once support has notified you of the case's completion, you are ready to configure the Ancillary Sources page. See Entering a Support Case for instructions.

For instructions on configuring ancillary sources for flights and hotels, see Setting Up Air and Hotel Ancillary Sources. For instructions on configuring train travel, see Setting Up Train Travel.