How to Book Flights Using the Galileo API: A Developer’s Guide for OTAs

This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Anshi

Looking to power your travel platform with real-time flight booking? Whether you’re building an OTA, travel app, or corporate booking system, integrating with a Global Distribution System (GDS) like Galileo API can unlock unrivaled access to flight inventory and pricing.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to book flights using the Galileo API, highlight the benefits, and show how you can enhance your booking workflows with AI-powered automations.

What Is the Galileo API?

The Galileo API, part of the Travelport GDS ecosystem, allows developers to:

• Search flight availability across hundreds of airlines
• Retrieve fare rules, booking class options, and schedules
• Create and cancel PNRs (Passenger Name Records) for confirmed reservations
• Issue and retrieve e-tickets

This integration is essential for building reliable, scalable flight booking engine systems.

Why Integrate Galileo for Flight Booking?

Integrating with Galileo provides:

• Global flight coverage and real-time prices
• Secure access to booking, ticketing, and schedule data
• Consistent API protocols across carriers
• Scalable architecture for OTAs and travel platforms

Comparatively, integration paths also include Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport Universal, or NDC airline APIs such as Duffel or Direct LCC connections. Each system complements different B2B or B2C booking models.

Code Example: Booking a Flight with Galileo (High-Level)

Here’s a conceptual overview, not full working code, for how you’d typically interact with the Galileo API using SOAP or REST:

<!-- Simplified SOAP request -->
<soapenv:Envelope>
  <soapenv:Body>
    <univ:AirCreateReservationReq>
      <univ:BillingPointOfSaleInfo OriginApplication="UAPI"/>
      <univ:AirItinerary>
        <air:FlightSegment>
          <air:DepartureDateTime>2025-09-01T10:00:00</air:DepartureDateTime>
          <air:FlightNumber>123</air:FlightNumber>
          <air:Origin>JFK</air:Origin>
          <air:Destination>LHR</air:Destination>
        </air:FlightSegment>
      </univ:AirItinerary>
      <univ:TravelerInfo>
        <com:PersonName>
          <com:GivenName>Jane</com:GivenName>
          <com:Surname>Smith</com:Surname>
        </com:PersonName>
      </univ:TravelerInfo>
    </univ:AirCreateReservationReq>
  </soapenv:Body>
</soapenv:Envelope>

Of course, you’ll need to wrap these calls in your authentication, handle error responses, manage fare rules, and follow up with ticketing requests.

Best Practices for Galileo Integration

1. Start in test environment: Use sandbox credentials to test your flows.
2. Implement error handling: Retry on timeouts and gracefully fallback when fare data fails.
3. Use middleware: Abstract GDS differences into a modular engine for Amadeus, Sabre, and Galileo.
4. Log everything: Track PNRs, request IDs, and customer actions for traceability.
5. Manage rate limits: GDS systems often limit throughput—efficient caching helps.

Final Thoughts

Galileo API booking integration is powerful—but building your system on it is about more than just endpoints. With robust error handling, clear middleware, and smart automations, you can create a truly scalable flight booking engine.

If you’re ready to integrate Galileo or even layer in multi-GDS solutions for redundancy and better coverage, we’re here to support your journey.

This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Anshi