What BSP means
The BSP sits between IATA-accredited travel agencies and the airlines whose tickets they issue. Without it, an agency selling twenty carriers would need twenty sets of contracts, invoices and payments. The BSP replaces that with one standard agreement, one consolidated sales report and one payment per billing period.
IATA runs a BSP in each participating market. Its BSP page, viewed in November 2026, cites more than 400 participating airlines, over 59,000 accredited agents and more than US$242 billion settled a year. The plan dates from 1971, and agents manage refunds, ADMs, credit memos and ticketing authority through the BSPlink portal.
Remittance frequency is set market by market. In a January 2026 notice IATA said 134 BSP markets remit weekly and 42 remit fortnightly, with others on twice-monthly or four-times-monthly cycles. A November 2025 amendment to Resolution 812 standardised the remittance day in weekly markets, with the remaining markets due to align by June 2026.
Since 2018 IATA has moved BSP markets to NewGen ISS, its modernised settlement framework. It introduced three accreditation models (GoGlobal, GoStandard and GoLite), a Remittance Holding Capacity limit on unpaid cash sales, and IATA EasyPay, a prepaid e-wallet for ticketing. In the United States the equivalent role is played by ARC rather than a BSP.
How BSP works
A BSP cycle runs from ticket issue to airline payment in a fixed rhythm set for each market.
- Agency issues ticketsAn accredited agency issues an e-ticket or EMD through a GDS or NDC channel using its IATA number. The sale is reported to the BSP automatically by the issuing system.
- BSP compiles the billingAt the end of the reporting period the BSP produces a single billing for the agency covering every airline, including refunds, ADMs and ACMs.
- Agency reviews in BSPlinkThe agency checks the billing in BSPlink, raises disputes on any errors and prepares the payment for the net amount due.
- Agency remitsThe agency pays the net amount due to the IATA clearing bank by the market's remittance date. Late or missed payments trigger IATA default procedures.
- Airlines are paidThe BSP splits the funds and pays each airline its share in one consolidated settlement, with reconciliation data for its revenue accounting team.
BSP in practice
Illustrative example: an agency in a weekly-remitting market issues tickets on four airlines during one sales week. Rather than paying four carriers, it sees one billing in BSPlink listing every ticket, two refunds and one ADM, and pays a single net amount to the clearing bank on the market's remittance day.
A smaller agency that only sells with customer cards and EasyPay might choose GoLite accreditation. IATA's 2018 NewGen ISS announcement describes GoLite as having minimal financial security requirements because the agency holds no cash facility. EasyPay funds are blocked at issue, and IATA says airlines typically receive them within 48 to 96 hours.
A third case: a multi-country agency group with offices in several BSP markets can apply for GoGlobal accreditation, which IATA describes as one set of requirements covering locations in multiple BSP countries.
Who uses it
Advantages and limitations
Advantages
- One agreement and one payment replace separate contracts and invoices with every airline.
- Standard rules for refunds, memos and remittance make cross-airline accounting predictable.
- IATA's risk tools and default procedures give airlines confidence to let agencies issue their tickets.
- NewGen ISS options such as GoLite and EasyPay lower the financial barrier for smaller agencies.
Limitations
- Accreditation needs financial security such as bank guarantees, which ties up working capital.
- Missing a remittance deadline can quickly lead to irregularities, suspension of ticketing and default action.
- Remittance frequency and local rules differ by market, so multi-country agencies must manage several calendars.
- Low-cost carriers and some NDC-only content may sit outside BSP settlement and need separate payment flows.
Frequently asked questions about BSP
How often do travel agents pay BSP?
It depends on the market. IATA reported in January 2026 that 134 BSP markets use a weekly remittance cycle and 42 use a fortnightly one, while others remit twice a month. Agencies must check the calendar published for their own BSP, because the remittance date is fixed and late payment is treated as an irregularity.
What is BSPlink used for?
BSPlink is IATA's web portal for BSP participants. Agencies use it to view billings, request refunds, accept or dispute agency debit memos, issue credit memos and download settlement reports. Airlines use the same portal to manage ticketing authority and memos, so it acts as the shared record between both sides.
Do you need IATA accreditation to use BSP?
Yes. Only IATA-accredited agents can issue tickets and settle through a BSP. Agencies without accreditation usually buy tickets through a consolidator or host agency that holds a BSP account and settles on their behalf, adding its own fee or margin to the fare.
What is NewGen ISS?
NewGen ISS (New Generation of IATA Settlement Systems) is IATA's modernisation of the BSP, approved by airlines in November 2017 and first launched in Norway in March 2018. It added three accreditation models, Remittance Holding Capacity limits, optional default insurance and the IATA EasyPay prepaid e-wallet.
Can travel agencies collect their own service fees through BSP?
Yes, in markets where IATA offers TASF (Travel Agent Service Fee). The agency charges its fee to the customer's card through its GDS, the fee can be linked to the ticket on BSP documents, and the money is settled back to the agency in each BSP settlement period. IATA says the service is voluntary and free for BSP agents.
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