Question 1

Can I use the flight booking API to see what ancillary services like seat selection and baggage are included with each fare so I know what to tell my customers they're getting?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the flight booking API includes information about what comes with each fare, and you can pass that information on to your customers before they book. When you search for flights through the API, you get back details about included baggage allowance, carry-on limits, seat selection options, meal services, and other add-ons that vary by airline and fare type. This means you can show your customers exactly what they are paying for instead of them finding out after they book that they have to pay extra for a seat or checked luggage. How much detail you see depends on what the airline supplies through the API. Some airlines share comprehensive information about every service and restriction tied to each fare, while others provide less detail. You will always get the essentials like baggage and seat selection, but extras like lounge access or priority boarding may not always come through. Your system will show you what is available from each supplier, so you can see what you have to work with. You can display this information in your white label portal or share it with customers through your own booking process, so they make an informed choice before they commit. Some travel agencies use this data to highlight which fares offer the best value for money, while others use it to upsell premium fares that come with extra services. Check what your current API connection is returning in test searches so you know exactly what ancillary details you have available to show your customers.

Question 2

Can I use travel agency software to send my customers their booking confirmations and travel documents automatically after they book?

Accepted Answer

Yes, most travel agency software can send automated confirmations and documents to your customers after a booking is completed, which saves you time and keeps your customers happy with instant information about their trip. When a customer completes a booking through your white label portal or through a booking you make via the API, the system can trigger an automatic email with their confirmation details, itinerary, and any travel documents that the supplier provides. This happens right away without you having to manually prepare and send each one. Your customers get their information immediately, which means fewer calls asking where their confirmation is, and they have everything they need in one place. The documents and information you can send automatically depend on what each supplier gives you through their system. Some suppliers provide full itineraries and booking references right away, while others may take longer to send certain details like hotel vouchers or final ticket numbers. You can usually customize what goes into those automated emails so your branding and company information appears instead of looking generic. Check your software settings or ask your support team what documents are included in your automated confirmations and whether you can customize the email template to match your brand.

Question 3

Can I get information about hotel room amenities and facilities through the API so I know what to tell my customers about what comes with their booking?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the hotel booking API returns details about room amenities and facilities, but what you get back depends on what the supplier has provided to us. Most of the time you will see standard information like whether the room has air conditioning, a TV, Wi-Fi, or a minibar, along with bed type and room size. This helps you give your customers a clear picture of what they are paying for before they commit to the reservation. The depth of detail varies by hotel and supplier. Some properties send us comprehensive lists of every amenity down to specific toiletries or entertainment options, while others provide only the basics. You might see features like whether there is a bathtub or shower, desk space, or views, but a hotel that does not share that level of detail through the supplier system will not appear in the API response either. The information is only as good as what the supplier makes available to us. Keep in mind that amenities can sometimes change between when the supplier updates their data and when you search through the API, so if your customer asks about something specific that matters to their decision, it is worth confirming directly with the hotel or checking the supplier's website as a final step. You should test a few hotel searches through the API to see what level of amenity information comes back for the properties you typically book for your customers.

Question 4

Can I set up different commission rates or markups for different products on my white label portal so I make more money on some bookings than others?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can set up different commission rates or markups for different products through your white label portal, but how much control you have depends on your plan and how your suppliers work. Most white label portals let you configure markups at the product level, which means you can charge different amounts on top of flights versus hotels versus car rentals, for example. Some systems also let you set markups by supplier, so you could charge more for bookings through one airline and less through another. The challenge is that your actual profit on each booking also depends on what your suppliers are charging you, and those costs change constantly. Your white label portal can show you the supplier cost and calculate your markup automatically, but you need to monitor those costs over time to make sure your markup percentages still make sense. If a supplier raises their prices, your fixed markup might suddenly be too low to cover your business costs, or too high and no longer competitive. Some suppliers also have rules about how much you can mark up their products, especially for flights, so you may not have complete freedom to charge whatever you want. Your white label portal should let you see what those restrictions are and help you stay within them. Check your plan details and talk to your account team about which markup strategies are available to you and whether there are any supplier restrictions you need to know about.

Question 5

Can I use travel agency software to keep track of all my customers' passports and visa requirements so I know when they need to renew before their trip?

Accepted Answer

Yes, many travel agency software systems let you store and track important customer documents like passport numbers and expiration dates, and some can flag when a passport is about to expire or when a visa needs renewal. This helps you stay on top of travel requirements before your customers book, so you can catch problems early and avoid last minute cancellations or complications. What you can do depends on which software plan you choose and which features are included. Some systems let you set automatic reminders based on how far in advance a visa needs to be obtained for a particular country, while others just store the information and leave it to you to monitor. You can also usually add notes about visa applications or document requirements in your customer's profile so your whole team sees the same information. The software cannot pull visa requirements automatically from government websites or tell you whether a specific customer actually qualifies for a visa, since those rules change and differ by nationality and personal circumstances. You still need to advise customers to check official government sources or use a visa service if they are unsure. What the software does is help you remember to ask the right questions and keep those details organized in one place instead of spread across emails and spreadsheets. Check what document tracking features come with your plan, and ask whether the system can send you reminders based on expiration dates so you do not have to manually check every customer file.

Question 6

Can I get hotel cancellation policies and refund terms through the API before I book a room for my customer?

Accepted Answer

Yes, cancellation policies and refund terms are included in the hotel room details you pull through the API, so you can see them before you commit to a booking. This matters because different room rates often come with different cancellation rules, and your customer needs to know whether they can get their money back if their plans change. The API will show you details like whether the room is refundable, when the cancellation deadline is, and what fees apply if the customer cancels late or doesn't show up. The exact information you receive depends on what the hotel supplier provides through the API. Some properties give you very detailed policies with specific dates and penalty amounts, while others may provide simpler terms. You should always read through the cancellation details carefully before you present the room to your customer, because these terms are part of what they are paying for and they will expect you to explain them clearly. Keep in mind that cancellation policies can change based on the room type, the rate you are getting, and the time of year you are booking. A discounted rate might have stricter cancellation rules than a standard rate at the same hotel. Check the policy information every time you search for rooms rather than assuming the terms are always the same for a particular property, and make sure your customer understands the cancellation terms before they complete their reservation.

Question 7

Can I change the look and feel of my white label portal to match my own brand instead of it looking generic?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can customize the appearance of your white label portal so it reflects your brand, not ours. The portal can be configured with your logo, colors, fonts and imagery so your customers see your business when they search for and book travel. You can also customize the wording and messaging throughout the booking flow to match how you talk to your customers and the tone of your business. The extent of what you can customize depends on which plan you choose. Some customization options may be available on all plans, while others might be limited to higher tier plans or require custom development work. You should check with our team about what customization is included in the plan that fits your budget and business needs. Keep in mind that while you control the look and branding, the underlying technology and booking engine remain ours. This means your customers are still booking through our systems and suppliers, even though it looks like your own site. That is the whole point of a white label solution, so you get a professional, fully-featured booking portal without having to build the technology yourself. Reach out to our sales team to discuss which customization options are available for your business and what they would cost.

Question 8

Can I see which hotel rooms are already booked through the API so I don't offer them to my customers?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can see real-time room availability through the hotel booking API, which tells you which specific room types are sold out at a property on any given date. When you search for a hotel, the API returns the rooms that are still available for booking, so you only show your customers options that actually exist. This means you won't accidentally try to book a room that is no longer there, which would create problems for you and your customer. The availability information updates constantly as other travel agents and customers book rooms, so what was available an hour ago might be gone now. The API reflects these changes in real time, but you should know that between the moment you show a customer a room and the moment they actually book it, someone else could grab it. Most suppliers give you a short window to complete the booking before the room becomes unavailable again. How quickly the availability updates depends on the hotel supplier and their system, so there can sometimes be a slight delay before the API shows that a room has been booked by someone else. If a customer tries to book a room that has just sold out, the booking will fail and you will need to offer them a different option. Check with your supplier or your account manager about their specific availability update process so you understand how fresh the information is when you are showing it to your customers.

Question 9

Can I use the flight booking API to see how many seats are left on a flight before I book my customer?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can see seat availability through the flight booking API, but what you get depends on what the airline supplier gives us. When you search for a flight, the results include information about how many seats are available in each cabin class. This helps you know whether a flight is nearly full or has plenty of room left. The data updates as bookings are made, so you get a current picture of what is left in stock. Keep in mind that seat counts can change quickly, especially on popular flights. Between the time you check availability and when you actually book, another agent or customer might take some of those seats. The API will tell you if a flight becomes unavailable when you try to complete the booking, so you will know straight away if something sold out. Some suppliers also release or hold back inventory in their own systems, which means the seat count you see might not match exactly what the airline shows on their website. You can use this information to help your customers decide whether to book a flight now or wait, and to know which flights have good availability for their travel dates. Just remember that availability is real-time but can shift moment to moment, so do not promise your customer a specific number of seats if you are not booking right away. Check the current availability in your system just before you complete the booking to make sure the flight is still open.

Question 10

If I set up a white label portal for my customers, can I control which suppliers show up in the search results?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can control which suppliers appear in your white label portal, but the extent depends on how you set it up and what your agreement includes. When you build a portal with glideFares, you choose which airlines, hotel chains, and other travel suppliers to connect to through our APIs and integrations. This means you decide whether to show budget carriers, full-service airlines, luxury hotel brands, or budget accommodations. You can also decide whether to display all available options or filter the results before showing them to your customers. However, what you can filter depends on the supplier data available through the API. Some suppliers give you access to their full inventory while others may have restrictions on what information they share or how you can display it. For example, you might be able to exclude certain airlines from appearing in flight searches, but you cannot always control which specific fare types or cabin classes show up without additional configuration. The filtering options also depend on which features are included in your plan and how your portal is configured. You should think about your business strategy when deciding what to show. Some agencies filter results to highlight partners they work closely with or to promote bookings with better margins. Others show everything available so customers can compare and choose. You can also change your filters over time as your business needs change, though this might require updating your portal settings. Contact your account manager or check your portal settings to see what filtering options are available to you and how to set them up for your business.