QPX Express API: ticket business without getting up off the couch
The airline ticket market is gaining momentum. Thought about how to start selling them on your project? Google has a simple solution for entering this market: QPX Express API , which allows you to connect to one of the most powerful global flight search system QPX . This is one of the most affordable ways to start your own airline ticket business, complement the functionality of a travel blog, or replace the ticketing system on the airline’s website with a more efficient one.
The QPX flight ticket search system was developed by the ITA Software team in 1999. Currently it is used by companies such as Kayak.com, CheapTickets, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Alitalia, S7 and others. You can test the system directly on the site: matrix.itasoftware.com .
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In 2011, ITA Software received a prefix by Google for the title. Later, we presented an API for free access to this search engine QPX Express API, which will be discussed in this post.
To activate your account and get the API key, you just need to start a project on the Google Developers Console (GDC) . All interaction with the developer comes down to getting the API key and payment.
The QPX Express API has only one trips / search API method. This means that the actual purchase / booking of a ticket is carried out through the GDS (Global Distribution System).
GDS, the global distribution system - an international computer booking system, including the possibility of booking air tickets, hotel rooms, sea cruises, car rental, etc. The list of the largest GDS can be viewed on Wikipedia .
In the search response trips / search QPX Express API provides maximum information (table immediately after the JSON structure) , which can be used in the GDS to book a ticket, but still we recommend that you carefully study everything so as not to miss the set of parameters.
Somewhere between these stages, the user pays the air ticket, but this already depends on the GDS.
For the use of the QPX Express service, the developer (company, travel agency, etc) is paid from their budget. 50 search queries per day are provided free of charge, but if your business has outgrown these scales, then from the 51st query the price will be $ 0.035 per share.
The QPX platform is traditionally used by large market players. In May of this year, S7 Airlines switched to a new booking platform using the QPX Express API:
Now passengers have the opportunity to purchase a ticket not only in one direction or round-trip, choosing from the options offered by the system, but also build a complex route from several flights. Flight search results are displayed in a more convenient format, allowing the passenger to get all the necessary information on one page: flight duration, distance, type of aircraft, type of food on board, free baggage allowance, number of miles that participants can receive for this flight “S7 Priority .
But the emergence of QPX Express API opens up the same opportunities for start-ups and companies that had never thought about finding and selling tickets themselves.
Little history
The QPX flight ticket search system was developed by the ITA Software team in 1999. Currently it is used by companies such as Kayak.com, CheapTickets, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Alitalia, S7 and others. You can test the system directly on the site: matrix.itasoftware.com .
')
In 2011, ITA Software received a prefix by Google for the title. Later, we presented an API for free access to this search engine QPX Express API, which will be discussed in this post.
How it works
To activate your account and get the API key, you just need to start a project on the Google Developers Console (GDC) . All interaction with the developer comes down to getting the API key and payment.
The QPX Express API has only one trips / search API method. This means that the actual purchase / booking of a ticket is carried out through the GDS (Global Distribution System).
GDS, the global distribution system - an international computer booking system, including the possibility of booking air tickets, hotel rooms, sea cruises, car rental, etc. The list of the largest GDS can be viewed on Wikipedia .
In the search response trips / search QPX Express API provides maximum information (table immediately after the JSON structure) , which can be used in the GDS to book a ticket, but still we recommend that you carefully study everything so as not to miss the set of parameters.
As a result, the work process is as follows:
- Receive from the user information about the flight, which he planned.
- Send a request to Google API (QPX Express) with data from the user.
- Show the user on the screen all possible options.
- Receive from the user a request to register tickets for the selected flight.
- Send a request to the GDS to register a ticket.
- All registered, happy, notify the user.
Somewhere between these stages, the user pays the air ticket, but this already depends on the GDS.
For the use of the QPX Express service, the developer (company, travel agency, etc) is paid from their budget. 50 search queries per day are provided free of charge, but if your business has outgrown these scales, then from the 51st query the price will be $ 0.035 per share.
In life
The QPX platform is traditionally used by large market players. In May of this year, S7 Airlines switched to a new booking platform using the QPX Express API:
Now passengers have the opportunity to purchase a ticket not only in one direction or round-trip, choosing from the options offered by the system, but also build a complex route from several flights. Flight search results are displayed in a more convenient format, allowing the passenger to get all the necessary information on one page: flight duration, distance, type of aircraft, type of food on board, free baggage allowance, number of miles that participants can receive for this flight “S7 Priority .
But the emergence of QPX Express API opens up the same opportunities for start-ups and companies that had never thought about finding and selling tickets themselves.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/230883/
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