Navitaire

Navitaire is a travel technology company serving airlines and railway operators, with particular strength among low-cost carriers and hybrid airlines. The company develops and operates systems that support reservations, passenger service, travel commerce, ancillary sales, merchandising, revenue accounting, revenue management, reporting, and rail distribution. Rather than selling travel directly to consumers, Navitaire supplies the operational and commercial infrastructure that carriers use to sell seats, manage bookings, distribute offers, account for passenger revenue, and add services such as baggage, insurance, car rental, and other ancillary products. The business began in 1993 as PRA Solutions, a company established by Accenture to provide airline revenue accounting and revenue-protection software. It later expanded from back-office financial systems into airline distribution and reservations. Its World Network platform was designed as a direct-distribution alternative to the traditional global distribution system model, allowing airlines to sell through their own digital and call-center channels while also connecting with external distribution networks. In 2000, PRA Solutions acquired Hewlett-Packard's Open Skies reservation system. The company adopted the Navitaire name in 2001. A major technological transition followed Hewlett-Packard's decision to discontinue support for the HP3000 hardware on which Open Skies operated. Navitaire responded by developing New Skies, a replacement passenger service system. Client migrations to New Skies began in 2005. The platform supported Internet and call-center reservations, global distribution connections, ticketless travel, electronic ticketing, codeshare arrangements, low-fare search, and more complex itineraries such as multi-city bookings. These capabilities helped position Navitaire as a specialist provider for carriers that sought flexible, digitally oriented systems and business models built around unbundled fares and ancillary revenue. Navitaire's product scope subsequently broadened beyond core reservations. Its Travel Commerce capabilities support the creation, sale, and management of ancillary products and other travel offers. The company also provides revenue accounting, revenue management, real-time reporting, and related commercial tools. For railway customers, Navitaire Rail supports distribution across channels and operational processes such as station check-in. The company has also developed capabilities for loyalty, partner connectivity, codeshares, and integration with adjacent travel services. Navitaire became part of Amadeus in 2015. Under Amadeus ownership, it continued to operate as a specialist brand focused on airline and rail technology, while benefiting from the wider group's global technology and distribution ecosystem. The company has been associated with a client base of roughly 60 carriers and operators and a workforce of approximately 750 people in the reference period. Its offices and data-center footprint have included Minneapolis, London, Manila, Salt Lake City, and Sydney. Customers identified in published material include Wizz Air, Jetstar, Spirit Airlines, Azul Brazilian Airlines, HK Express, Volaris, SNCF, and SNCF subsidiary iDTGV. Navitaire has described itself as a leading passenger service system provider for the low-cost-carrier segment, although market shares and customer counts vary by date and measurement method. The brand's market identity is therefore that of a business-to-business airline and rail technology specialist rather than a consumer travel marketplace. Its value proposition centers on helping carriers modernize passenger sales, operate ticketless or digitally delivered journeys, monetize ancillary services, and manage financial and revenue processes through integrated platforms. Recognition has included industry awards for sales and distribution innovation, ancillary-revenue technology, and ticketless systems. In 2019,…

Navitaire was established in 1993 as PRA Solutions by Accenture. Its initial business focused on airline revenue accounting and revenue-protection software, addressing financial-control and revenue-assurance needs rather than consumer-facing ticket sales. The company later moved into airline distribution by developing World Network, a direct-distribution platform intended to let carriers sell reservations through their own channels while reducing reliance on the conventional global distribution system model. In 2000, PRA Solutions purchased the Open Skies reservation system from Hewlett-Packard. The transaction gave the company a broader foundation in passenger reservations and airline operational technology. In 2001, PRA Solutions changed its name to Navitaire. The renamed company continued expanding the system's airline capabilities, including the implementation of codeshare technology for Virgin Blue in 2002. It also developed multi-city booking functionality in response to customer requirements, including a request from Jetstar. A significant technical challenge emerged when Hewlett-Packard announced plans to end support for the HP3000 hardware on which Open Skies operated. Navitaire developed New Skies as a replacement platform and began converting customers to it in 2005. New Skies supported reservations through websites, call centers, and global distribution systems, while accommodating ticketless travel and electronic ticketing. Its functionality also covered low-fare search, multi-city itineraries, integration with services such as insurance and car rental, and codeshare relationships. Published material states that the system had dozens of codeshare connections and multiple global distribution links by 2010. Navitaire broadened its portfolio beyond passenger reservations. Travel Commerce addressed ancillary-revenue generation and merchandising, enabling carriers to sell additional products alongside air transportation. The company also developed loyalty-related functionality, real-time reporting, revenue accounting, and revenue management. Its rail business, branded Navitaire Rail, supplied reservation and distribution capabilities for railway operators, including support for multi-channel sales and station check-in processes. The company built a strong position among low-cost carriers and hybrid airlines, whose operating models often require flexible digital sales, unbundled fares, ancillary products, and relatively streamlined passenger-service infrastructure. Published reference material identifies customers and users including Wizz Air, Jetstar, Spirit Airlines, Azul Brazilian Airlines, HK Express, Volaris, SNCF, and iDTGV. The same material describes a global footprint with headquarters in Minneapolis and offices in London, Manila, Salt Lake City, and Sydney, supported by data centers in Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, and Sydney. In 2015, Amadeus acquired Navitaire. The company subsequently operated as an Amadeus subsidiary while maintaining its own specialist identity and product focus. Its recognition during the 2010s included awards for sales and distribution innovation, ancillary revenue and merchandising technology, and ticketless systems. In 2019, Navitaire received IATA ONE Order capability certification, an industry milestone connected with the shift toward order-based airline retailing and accounting. Navitaire's historical development reflects a progression from airline revenue accounting to a broader technology stack covering reservations, retailing, distribution, revenue processes, and rail operations.

• 2019

  IATA ONE Order capability certification

  [1]Navitaireen.wikipedia.org

  Navitaire becomes the first passenger revenue accounting provider reported to receive IATA ONE Order capability certification.

• 2015

  Acquired by Amadeus

  [1]Navitaireen.wikipedia.org

  Navitaire becomes a subsidiary of Amadeus IT Group.

• 2013

  Ancillary-revenue innovation recognition

  [1]Navitaireen.wikipedia.org

  Navitaire receives Airline Information's Innovation of the Year recognition in Ancillary Revenue and Merchandising.

• 2010

  Sales and distribution innovation award

  [1]Navitaireen.wikipedia.org

  Navitaire receives the Best Sales and Distribution Innovation award at the Budgies World Low Cost Airlines Awards.

• 2005

  New Skies customer migrations begin

  [1]Navitaireen.wikipedia.org

  Navitaire starts converting customers to New Skies, its replacement for the Open Skies environment.

• 2002

  Codeshare capability implemented for Virgin Blue

  [1]Navitaireen.wikipedia.org

  Navitaire implements codeshare technology for Virgin Blue, extending the platform's partner-airline functionality.

• 2001

  Company renamed Navitaire

  [1]Navitaireen.wikipedia.org

  PRA Solutions adopts the Navitaire name as its airline reservation and distribution activities expand.

• 2000

  Open Skies reservation system acquired

  [1]Navitaireen.wikipedia.org

  PRA Solutions purchases Hewlett-Packard's Open Skies airline reservation system.

• 1993

  PRA Solutions is founded

  [1]Navitaireen.wikipedia.org

  Accenture establishes PRA Solutions to provide airline revenue accounting and revenue-protection software.

A specialist business-to-business travel technology provider for low-cost and hybrid airlines, with capabilities spanning passenger reservations, direct and indirect distribution, ancillary merchandising, revenue accounting, revenue management, and rail sales operations.

• Passenger service system · 2005

  New Skies

  New Skies is Navitaire's principal airline passenger service platform. It supports reservations through online, call-center, and global distribution channels, together with ticketless travel and electronic ticketing. The platform includes tools such as low-fare search and multi-city booking, and can connect airline reservations with codeshare partners and adjacent travel services including insurance and car rental. It was developed as the successor to Open Skies and entered customer migration in 2005.

• Travel retailing and ancillary revenue

  Travel Commerce

  Travel Commerce supports airline merchandising and the sale of ancillary products. It is intended to help carriers create and distribute offers beyond the base fare, including optional services and related travel products. The offering fits the commercial requirements of low-cost and hybrid airlines, whose business models commonly depend on unbundled pricing and ancillary income.

• Railway reservation and distribution

  Navitaire Rail

  Navitaire Rail is a reservation and distribution system for railway operators. It supports sales across multiple channels and operational functions such as station check-in. The product extends Navitaire's travel technology model beyond aviation and has been associated with railway customers including SNCF and its former subsidiary iDTGV.

• Direct airline distribution

  World Network

  World Network was an early Navitaire direct-distribution platform for airline reservations. It was designed as an alternative to traditional global distribution arrangements by enabling airlines to sell through their own channels while supporting broader reservation connectivity. Its development marked Navitaire's transition from revenue-accounting software into passenger sales and distribution technology.

• Airline financial and commercial systems

  Revenue accounting and revenue management

  Navitaire provides software and services for airline revenue accounting, revenue protection, revenue management, and real-time reporting. These capabilities help carriers record passenger revenue, monitor commercial performance, manage inventory and pricing decisions, and connect operational activity with financial processes.

• 2015

  Join the Amadeus groupM&A

  Background

  Navitaire operated as a specialist airline and rail technology provider with a substantial low-cost-carrier customer base.

  Action taken

  Amadeus acquired Navitaire and made it a subsidiary of Amadeus IT Group.

  Aftermath

  Navitaire retained its specialist brand and continued supplying passenger service, travel commerce, revenue, accounting, and rail technology within the Amadeus group.

  Source

• 2005

  Develop and deploy New SkiesGeneration change

  Background

  Hewlett-Packard announced plans to discontinue support for the HP3000 hardware used by the Open Skies reservation system.

  Action taken

  Navitaire developed New Skies as a replacement platform and began migrating customers to it.

  Aftermath

  New Skies became the company's principal airline passenger service system and added capabilities such as low-fare search, multi-city bookings, ticketless travel, and broader distribution connectivity.

  Source

• 2001

  Rename the company NavitaireStrategy

  Background

  After acquiring Open Skies and expanding from revenue accounting into airline reservations and distribution, PRA Solutions required a brand reflecting its broader technology role.

  Action taken

  The company changed its name from PRA Solutions to Navitaire.

  Aftermath

  Navitaire continued developing airline reservation, distribution, codeshare, and travel-commerce capabilities under the new identity.

  Source

1. 1Navitaireen.wikipedia.org