What TIDS means
Suppliers need to know who sent them a booking, even when the seller is not an accredited agent. TIDS answers that by giving non-accredited intermediaries a code listed alongside accredited agents in the IATA agency list. IATA describes it as the non-ticketing IATA code for travel agencies and tour operators.
Eligible applicants include travel agencies, businesses selling travel online to the public, incoming tour operators and event planners that provide travel services. Accredited agents can also use TIDS to identify points of sale that are not accredited. Applications need proof of legal form and ownership, a business registration, a bank letter or statement, one recommendation from an IATA member airline, a GDS or a major supplier, and a travel licence where local law requires one. IATA says it processes complete applications in 3 to 5 business days.
The programme has been free since October 2020; annual revalidation of business details replaced the renewal fee. TIDS is offered worldwide except in the United States, where IATAN runs a separate non-ticketing programme.
The limits are clear in IATA's own wording. TIDS agents cannot issue airline tickets through the BSP, may describe themselves only as a TIDS sales intermediary rather than an accredited agent, and may not lend or hire out their code. To issue tickets, a TIDS holder either gains full accreditation and an IATA number or books through a consolidator.
How TIDS works
TIDS is an identity service: the work is in the application and in keeping details current so suppliers recognise the code.
- Apply onlineThe business completes IATA's online form and attaches its registration, ownership, banking, recommendation and licence documents electronically.
- IATA reviews the fileIATA checks eligibility and documents, normally within 3 to 5 business days of a complete application, and accepts or rejects it.
- Code is allocatedThe approved business receives a TIDS numeric code and access to the TIDS platform, where it manages its own profile and branch users.
- Suppliers and GDSs are informedThe holder tells its GDS and suppliers its code. The code appears in the IATA agency list, though IATA warns some suppliers take up to 30 days to update.
- Details are revalidatedIATA periodically asks holders to confirm their business details. Missing the deadline, losing a trade licence or misusing the code can lead to cancellation.
TIDS in practice
Hilton's published terms for event bookings in Australia say commission is paid only to certified agencies, naming IATA, TIDS and HBAA as examples. A planner holding a TIDS code can therefore qualify for commission on a group hotel booking without being an accredited airline agent.
Illustrative case: an incoming tour operator in Dubai books hotels, desert excursions and transfers for overseas visitors but does not sell flights. It applies for TIDS so hotel groups and attraction suppliers can track its volume and pay commission against one code.
Illustrative case: a non-accredited agency in Dhaka uses a consolidator to ticket flights. The tickets carry the consolidator's IATA number, while the agency's own TIDS code identifies it to hotels and car rental companies it books directly.
Who uses it
Advantages and limitations
Advantages
- It is free, and IATA aims to process complete applications within a week.
- One code replaces several supplier-specific IDs and is visible to suppliers through the IATA agency list.
- It needs no bank guarantee or financial review of the kind BSP accreditation requires.
- Holders update their own details once on the TIDS platform instead of with each supplier.
Limitations
- TIDS holders cannot issue airline tickets through the BSP, so they still depend on a consolidator or airline direct channel for flights.
- It is not available in the United States, where sellers must use IATAN's programme instead.
- Holders may not present themselves as IATA-accredited or use the accredited agent logo.
- Suppliers decide for themselves whether a TIDS code qualifies for commission or trade rates.
Frequently asked questions about TIDS
Can a TIDS agent issue airline tickets?
No. IATA states that TIDS agents cannot issue airline tickets through the BSP. TIDS is an identification code only. A seller that wants to ticket flights itself needs full IATA accreditation, for example under the GoLite or GoStandard model, or must book through a consolidator or an airline's own agency channel.
How much does a TIDS code cost?
Nothing. IATA removed the application fee and the annual renewal fee in October 2020, and the programme has been free since. Holders still have to complete IATA's periodic revalidation of their business details, and failing to do so by the deadline can lead to the code being cancelled.
How long does it take to get a TIDS code?
IATA says it processes applications within 3 to 5 business days once the online form and all supporting documents have been submitted. Incomplete files take longer. After approval, some suppliers may need up to 30 days to load the new code into their own systems.
Is TIDS available in the United States?
No. IATA offers TIDS everywhere except the USA. American travel sellers that need a non-ticketing industry identifier are directed to IATAN, which runs its own non-ticketing programme for the US market with a similar purpose.
What documents are needed to apply for TIDS?
IATA asks for proof of the business's legal form and ownership, its registration and tax number, a bank letter or statement in the company name, one recommendation from an IATA airline, GDS or major supplier, a travel licence where the country requires one and signed TIDS terms.
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