---
title: "What is Global distribution system? | Benefit Systems"
description: "A global distribution system is the technical platform travel agencies and booking sites use to search flights, price them and send bookings to airlines."
source: "aus dem gebauten HTML abgeleitet"
---
# What is Global distribution system?

A global distribution system is the technical platform travel agencies and booking sites use to search flights, price them and send bookings to airlines.

Also called: GDS.

## How it works #

These systems explain several things that look arbitrary to travellers: different prices by sales channel, fares visible only to certain agencies, and booking rules that come from system logic rather than airline policy. Knowing there is a layer between airline and booking site also explains why some changes get stuck exactly there.

## Not to be confused with #

A global distribution system is not the same as an airline’s own website: the website sells from its own inventory, the distribution system spreads inventory to third parties.

## In German #

The German term is Globales Vertriebssystem. [German version of this term](/de/glossar/globales-vertriebssystem)

## Related terms #

- [Online travel agency](/en/glossary/online-travel-agency): An online travel agency is an intermediary that sells flights and hotels in its own name, sitting between the traveller and the airline or hotel.
- [Booking reference](/en/glossary/booking-reference): A booking reference is the six-character code identifying a reservation record for the airline, the agency and the airport.
- [Fare basis code](/en/glossary/fare-basis-code): A fare basis code is the full tariff code on a ticket, encoding promotions, validity and restrictions on top of the fare class letter.

## Articles that use this term #

- [Book direct or through an online travel agency?](/en/knowledge/direct-vs-ota)
- [What’s in the fare rules, and why read them?](/en/knowledge/fare-rules)
- [When is the best time to book a flight?](/en/knowledge/when-to-book)