Do I need my own IATA licence to sell flights on a white label travel website?

No, in most cases you do not need your own IATA accreditation to start selling flights on a white label travel portal. The ticketing is normally done through a consolidator or a supplier who already holds the accreditation, and you sell their fares under your own brand. Your customers see your name, your logo and your contact details, while the actual issuing sits with the accredited party behind the scenes.

What you do need depends on where you are based and on the supplier you connect to. Most suppliers will ask for proof that you are a properly registered business, and some will ask for a local travel or tourism licence before they switch on live fares. Rules about holding customer money, bonding, trust accounts or insurance are set by the authority in your own country, not by us, so please confirm those with them rather than assuming the portal covers it.

If you do hold your own accreditation or you have a direct agreement with an airline, that can usually be used instead. Your own credentials can be connected so tickets are issued under your agreement and you keep your own commercial terms and commission. Whether this is possible in a particular case depends on the supplier, the API and the plan you are on, so it is worth asking before you plan around it.

The best next step is to write down exactly which products you want to sell, then ask us which documents each supplier will want from you, and check the licensing position with your local tourism authority before you go live.