Sabre and Air India have renewed their distribution agreement that will see domestic fares made available to travel agents in the country from January.

The new deal with the Star Alliance member builds on a partnership first sealed in April this year.

Access to GDS content for Indian agencies will provide them with an expanded portfolio of fares and seats to better serve their customers.

Air India also has the added ability to distribute New Distribution Capability (NDC) content globally through Sabre’s travel marketplace in the future.

Earlier this year, the companies signed a new distribution deal that provided travel buyers globally with access to Air India content through Sabre’s travel marketplace.

That agreement gave travel agencies outside of India access to Air India’s domestic and international flight options, while agencies within India could shop international fares.

Nipun Aggarwal, chief commercial and transformation officer at Air India, said: “India is already one of the largest domestic aviation markets in the world, and all the building blocks are in place for significant future growth.

“One of our key priorities is to work with the right technology partners to capitalize on these growth opportunities as we forge ahead with our transformation efforts.

“Our collaboration with Sabre has already proven successful, which aligns perfectly with our commitment to offering convenient and accessible travel options to our guests.

“By joining forces with Sabre to distribute our domestic content to our domestic India market, we are further enabling travellers to explore the diverse destinations that Air India’s domestic network covers and, to travel seamlessly abroad.”

The expanded partnership gives Sabre increased access to the fast-growing Indian travel market, while enhancing content for travel agents, and enabling Air India to widen its reach.

Air India’s domestic network spans the length and breadth of the country, connecting major cities, popular tourist destinations, and business hubs.

Adding domestic content into Sabre’s GDS means travel agents in India will be able to access and book Air India flights alongside other global carriers opening the door to multi-carrier itineraries and improving the experience for travellers.

“We’re thrilled that our relationship with Air India continues to gain in strength and momentum,” said Roshan Mendis, chief commercial officer at Sabre.

“Air India has incredibly ambitious expansion plans, and adding its domestic content to our global travel marketplace will enable the carrier to broaden its distribution strategy, expand geographic reach, and enhance revenue opportunities in one of the world’s fastest growing aviation markets.

“Bringing Air India’s domestic content into our GDS reflects our dedication to empowering travel agents with rich content and enhances the value we bring to our customers.”