Amadeus vs Sabre vs Galileo: Which GDS is Right for Your Travel Business?
Global Distribution Systems (GDS) have become the backbone of booking operations, connecting travel agents, airlines, hotels, and car rental services in one powerful network. Among the major players, Amadeus, Sabre, and Galileo stand tall, each offering unique features, global reach, and competitive advantages. But when it comes to choosing the right one for your business, things can quickly get overwhelming.
With all three giants boasting robust features and extensive travel content, how do you decide which GDS aligns best with your business needs, customer expectations, and future growth?
In this blog, we’ll break down Amadeus, Sabre, and Galileo, comparing their key features, strengths, and limitations. We’ll also walk you through the essential criteria to help you confidently choose the GDS that’s right for your travel business.
Why Are GDS Platforms Vital for Travel Agencies?
Integrating the well-featured GDS into your travel business brings countless benefits to your travel business. Popular GDS platforms, as we mentioned above, serve as a centralized hub that connects travel agencies with airlines, hotels, car rental companies, and other service providers.
By acting as an intermediary, GDS platforms enable travel agencies to access real-time inventory, pricing, and availability across a vast range of travel products, all through a single interface.
- Centralized access to flights, hotels, and car rentals from multiple suppliers
- Real-time inventory and pricing updates
- Streamlined booking and reservation management
- Increased efficiency and reduced manual workload
- Enhanced ability to serve both leisure and corporate travelers
- Competitive pricing and dynamic offers
- Expanded reach to global travel markets
- Supports NDC (New Distribution Capability) for better travel retailing
Major GDS Providers Powering the Global Travel Industry
Global Distribution Systems have changed, and these platforms act as a powerful intermediary, enabling seamless connectivity between travel suppliers and sellers through advanced technology and an extensive content network.
Amadeus
Founded in Spain in 1987, Amadeus is one of the best GDS providers, used in over 190 countries with a 40% global market share.
Its key APIs cover flight booking, hotels, car rentals, fare optimization, and AI-driven personalization.
Sabre
Established in the USA in 1960 by American Airlines, Sabre holds 35% of the global market, with a strong foothold in North America.
Offers Sabre Red 360 and Dev Studio APIs for travel shopping, reservations, loyalty, and itinerary management.
Galileo (By Travelport)
Part of Travelport, Galileo originated in the UK and now operates in over 180 countries with a 25% global market share. Travelport Universal API provides unified access to air, hotel, car, pricing, and NDC content.
Amadeus vs Sabre vs Galileo – Feature Comparison
Choosing the right GDS platform is important for travel agencies, as each system offers unique strengths in booking capabilities, global reach, integration, and support.
Amadeus, Sabre, and Galileo (part of Travelport) are the industry leaders, powering millions of travel transactions every day. Here’s a detailed comparison to help you understand how these platforms stack up across key features.
Booking Capabilities and Travel Content
Amadeus is renowned for its vast inventory, connecting to over 490 airlines, 770,000 hotel properties, 69 car rental companies, 43 rail carriers, and 53 cruise and ferry lines. It excels in both air and non-air bookings, making it a top choice for agencies seeking comprehensive content.
Sabre provides access to 400+ airlines, 175,000 hotels, 40 car rental brands, and a wide range of cruises and rail options. It is particularly strong in airline and hotel bookings, with a reputation for robust fare aggregation and dynamic packaging.
Galileo (Travelport) offers connectivity to over 400 airlines, 650,000 hotel properties, major car rental companies, and global rail and cruise content. Galileo is especially valued for its multi-source content aggregation and flexible APIs, supporting a wide range of travel products.
Geographic Coverage and Market Reach
Amadeus dominates in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with a presence in over 190 countries. Its stronghold in these regions makes it ideal for agencies serving international and corporate clients.
Sabre is the leader in North America and Latin America, but also has a significant footprint in Asia-Pacific. Its extensive reach supports agencies with a global or transatlantic focus.
Galileo (Travelport) is known for its balanced global presence, particularly strong in the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. It is often chosen by agencies seeking a truly international solution.
User Interface and Ease of Use
Amadeus offers a modern, intuitive interface with both desktop and web-based options. Its learning curve is moderate, and it is praised for customizable workflows and robust reporting tools.
Sabre features a user-friendly interface with Smartpoint and Red Apps, which streamline complex bookings. It is well-liked for its speed and efficiency, especially for high-volume agencies.
Galileo (Travelport) provides a flexible interface with Smartpoint, supporting both command-line and graphical modes. It is considered easy to learn, especially for agencies familiar with traditional GDS commands.
Integration with OTA and Travel Tech
Amaedus stands out for its extensive API suite, supporting XML, REST, and SOAP protocols. It integrates seamlessly with OTAs, travel management companies, and custom travel tech solutions.
Sabre offers robust APIs (including REST/ JSON) and developer tools, making it easy to connect with OTAs, mobile apps, and third-party platforms. Its NDC capabilities are industry-leading.
Galileo is highly regarded for its open APIs and middleware, enabling smooth integration with OTAs and travel portals. Its API documentation and support are strong points for developers.
Customer Support and Training
Amadeus provides amazing customer support, including round-the-clock helpdesks, online resources, and in-depth training programs for agencies of all sizes.
Sabre is known for responsive customer service and a wide range of training modules, including certification courses and live webinars.
Galileo offers dedicated support teams and extensive training, both online and onsite, to ensure agencies maximize platform value.
In short,
| Feature | Amadeus | Sabre | Galileo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booking Capabilities | 490+ airlines, 770,000 hotels, 69 car rentals, 43 rail, 53 cruises | 400+ airlines, 175,000 hotels, 40 car rentals, cruise & rail | 400+ airlines, 650,000 hotels, major car rentals, rail, and cruise |
| Available in | 190+ countries, strongest in EMEA | Global, strongest in North America & LATAM | Global, strong in the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific |
| User Interface | Modern/ Customizable, & Desktop/web | User-friendly, smartpoint, Red Apps | Flexible, Smartpoint, command-line/GUI |
| OTA/ Travel Tech Features | XML, REST, SOAP APIs, strong OTA & TMC support | REST/JSON APIs, NDC leader, strong developer tools | Open APIs, strong OTA/portal integration |
| Support & Training | 24/7 support, in-depth training | Responsive support, certification, webinars | Dedicated teams, online/onsite training |
This comparison highlights the strengths of each platform, helping agencies choose the best fit for their business model and market focus.
Choosing the Right GDS for Your Travel Business
After reviewing the strengths and features of leading GDS platforms, it’s clear that choosing the right GDS for your travel business is a decision that impacts your efficiency, service quality, and long-term growth.
The best fit depends on several factors such as :
- The size and focus of your agency
- The market you serve
- The type of travel products you sell
- And your need for seamless integration with other travel technologies
It’s also important to consider the provider’s global reach, cost structure, user experience, and customer support. By carefully evaluating these aspects, you can choose the GDS that matches your business requirements and helps you deliver exceptional value to your customers.
Which GDS Stands Out in 2025?
In 2025, Amadeus, Sabre, and Galileo, all three, continue to stand out as the dominant GDS players, each having firmly established their presence on a global scale. Together, these three giants control an average of 65% of the global GDS market, leveraging advanced technologies like AI-powered automation, dynamic pricing, and cloud-based infrastructure to stay ahead in a highly competitive landscape.
While all three platforms excel in different regions and segments, the best choice ultimately depends on your agency’s specific requirements, market trends, and integration goals.
We hope that the above information helps you in selecting the platform that fits your business in today’s evolving travel industry.
Conclusion
Every travel business requires a good GDS that caters to all of its needs, after all, it gives the major advantage of personalization that can be helped to generate more and more revenues.
Guru TechnoLabs is one of the best travel portal development companies that specializes in GDS integration and has experience working with GDS systems such as Amadeus, Sabre, and Galileo. No matter with whom you sign up, we provide the best travel API integration services to our clients.
Contact us, and our team of experts will help you achieve privileges that others don’t.
