Best Travel Agency Accreditation, Explained: IATA, IATAN, ARC, CLIA, and TRUE in USA 2024

The subject of travel agency certification adds another layer of complexity to the already challenging world of travel distribution. Travel agencies who want to use exclusive features and perks are assigned unique codes by CLIA, CCRA, ARC, IATA, and other organizations. And it could be hard to figure out which ones do what.

If you should become accredited, what would you say? Can you succeed without an accreditation, and is it worth the trouble? In addition, which of the several acronyms for accreditation should I use, and what makes them unique? To assist you in making an informed decision, we will discuss all the accreditation kinds below, together with their application procedures and advantages.

What does accreditation mean for travel agencies? What makes you require it?

The number of businesses selling travel services in the aviation industry outnumbers the number of businesses offering them Over 80,000 travel agencies and about 5,000 airlines operate in the US alone.

That being said, it seems reasonable for ticket suppliers to expect assurances of professionalism and dependability from the people selling their tickets. Moreover, how can you decide whether agency is reliable? It must be verified in some way.

Accreditation is meant for precisely that. Travel vendors who meet specific standards are accredited by organizations such as IATA, ARC, CLIA, or CCRA. These organizations oversee the distribution of travel services. Prior to granting them the ability to market travel, lodging, and cruises, they evaluate possible partners.

A unique code or number that enables other industry participants (mostly suppliers) to identify you as a respectable partner is usually what it means to be authorized. If you want to prosper, you should join this group, which is similar to an elite membership club.

It’s not always necessary for you to get the accreditation yourself. If your company is smaller, you can partner with a hosting agency, which is a large, successful company with a sizable clientele. Accredited agencies share their membership with you in exchange for a commission on sales. To gain access to booking capabilities, a lot of newly established travel firms or individual agents join a host agency. However, not everyone wishes to carry out this.

Who thus requires accreditation? Three primary groups exist.

Independent organizations and agents. Instead of employing the services of a host agency, home-based or brick-and-mortar agencies who choose not to split their sales with an intermediary may decide to get certified.

Agencies that hosted. Simultaneously, entities that are currently utilizing their host’s accreditation may decide to obtain accreditation for certain purposes. For instance, they require direct access to suppliers, but they also require ticketing to be handled by a host agency. Thus, it is possible for them to get accreditation without a ticket, which is frequently less expensive and time-consuming. Later in the post, we will discuss tickets in more detail.

Departments of Corporate Travel. Special programs exist for organizations—not agencies—that frequently provide travel for the business trips of their workers. They are eligible to make direct reservations with suppliers and reduce their out-of-pocket travel costs.

The following accreditation pathways will be discussed in this article.

• IATA authorization to market air travel internationally
• Travel agency registration number (ARC) for US sales
• Booking a cruise with CLIA accreditation
• Booking cruises and tours with TRUE accreditation

Every one of these choices caters to a particular travel niche; some allow international agents, while others do not, and some offer ticketing skills. Which one should you select? Let’s address each one separately.

A comparison of IATA, IATAN, and TIDS accreditation for air travel

Airlines worldwide collaborate to create industry standards and procedures through the International Air Transport Association, or IATAIATA certification is used to certify travel agencies and control revenue flow. Everywhere recognizes it.

A similar service, but tailored only for US-based travel agents, is provided by IATAN, or the International Airlines Travel Agent Network.

For ease of comparison, we will highlight some of the key features from our dedicated post about gaining all forms of IATA accreditation here.

For travel agents, what does it mean to have that IATA Numeric Code?

Ability to purchase airline tickets. Booking tickets for airlines can be handled by a travel agency that has earned IATA certification. Using specialized billing software, such as IATA’s BSP or the US-only ARC, ticketing is the process of verifying a transaction. Only agencies that are accredited and have ticketing access are able to use that program. Lack of it forces an agency to handle ticketing through intermediaries, adding to costs and lengthening processing times. Nonetheless, accrediting alternatives exist without the ability to purchase tickets.

legitimacy as well as industry recognition. You don’t need to establish more credibility or satisfy airlines or lodging facilities in order to use the IATA emblem on your website. Suppliers can be directly negotiated exclusive rates, or you can establish a strong relationship with them after they understand that IATA has already verified that your methods follow industry standards.

Financial mastery. Agency billing software, the Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP), ticket issuance, and payment handling and reporting are all made easier after obtaining IATA certification.

IATA offers four alternatives for its flexible accreditation program, based on your region and needs.

Travel agents based outside of the United States have access to:

• comprehensive IATA accreditation, which is the norm for foreign companies looking to facilitate ticketing and
• an IATA accreditation that is non-ticketing, known as a TIDS (travel industry designator services). Your supplier network might expand with the use of a TIDS code, which is merely an identity. Awards of commissions are also made with it.

Similar programs are available for US-based agencies:

• IATAN accreditation, which is only available to US businesses, is the same as complete IATA accreditation.
• The same opportunities as a TIDS code are offered by IATAN non-ticketing accreditation.

Complete IATA certification

This is a primary choice for travel agency accreditation.

To whom is it intended? Any non-US agency (storefront or home-based) that wishes to handle their own ticketing and sells a lot of airline tickets can choose this option.

How should I apply? You can apply for IATA accreditation in this manner.

Get the ensuing paperwork ready:

• evidence of typical corporate activities,
• confirmation of your credentials,
• certification of travel agent experience.
• evidence of financial stability.

Create an account on the customer portal.

Enclose the completed application and all required documentation.

Make the registration payment.

What’s the price of it? There are three IATA accreditation levels: Go Lite, Go Standard, and Go Global, which are all modifiable at any moment. With the exception of Go Lite’s lack of certain payment features and its single multi-country coverage, all of them offer relatively comparable capabilities. In line with this, the application fees vary from 250 CHF (~$280) to 1500 CHF (~$1700) and 2500 CHF (~$2800). In addition, if you are approved, there is an annual fee that is based on your total yearly sales through the BSP.

Additionally, you may be asked by IATA to furnish evidence of your financial stability, which you have thirty days to do. The examination will begin as soon as they receive all the paperwork and typically takes two weeks.

TIDS accreditation

Travel Industry Designator Service (TIDS) is an IATA initiative that doesn’t require full accreditation and gives travel agents a unique designation known as the IATA code or TIDS code. The purpose of this technology is to help travel suppliers like hotels, airlines, and auto rentals locate locations of sale and to identify vendors in international reservation systems. It is not necessary for you to apply for TIDS if you are an IATA accredited agent since you already have an IATA code.

To whom is it intended? In essence, any business that offers services for booking travel—air, hotel, car, cruises, etc.—is eligible to apply for TIDS. In the US, where IATAN covers this service, TIDS is not accessible.

How should I apply? Applying for TIDS is done as follows.

Get the ensuing paperwork ready:

• Verification of the ownership of the business
• A copy of the business registration
• bank statement,
• one endorsement letter from GDS, an IATA airline, or another significant supplier to the industry,
• license for a travel agency,
• TIDS terms & conditions in a signed copy.

Create an account on the customer portal.

Choose TIDS.

Send in your application so it can be examined.

What’s the price of it? It costs nothing to register for TIDS. There aren’t any yearly costs either, but you must finish the Annual Revalidation.

See the TIDS FAQ section and this website for additional information about the application procedure.

Full IATAN accreditation

While the concept underlying IATA and IATAN accreditation is the same, there are some distinctions between the two:

• IATAN is exclusively utilized by US-based travel companies with at than two years of experience and
• All payment transactions in the US are handled by the Airline Reporting Corporation (ARC), not the BSP.

To whom is it intended? Travel agencies with headquarters in the US can use IATAN to reserve and issue airline tickets.

How might one apply? Applying for IATAN accreditation is done as follows.

Get the ensuing paperwork ready:

• ARC clearance,
• business authorization,
• evidence of possession,
• Evidence of Seller for Travel Registration in the states of Florida, Hawaii, California, Iowa, and Washington.
• documentation for two years of experience.

Complete the necessary forms (download the.zip file by clicking on it).

Send the paperwork and forms to info@iatan.org.

Make registration fee payments.

What’s the price of it? A main office or branch must pay $247 for IATAN accreditation, while a corporate travel department must pay $410. The yearly service charges are $184 and $103, respectively.

Usually, it takes four to six weeks to receive an answer.

Non-ticketing IATAN accreditation

This alternative has booking capabilities, credibility, and recognition similar to what TIDS provides to international travel brokers; however, it does not have ticketing capabilities.

To whom is it intended? For businesses who wish to buy flights directly from airlines but do not intend to issue tickets, this is a good solution. For instance, corporate travel departments or home-based, retail, meeting planner companies.

How should I apply? You don’t need to prepare the ARC permission, but the procedure is the same as for a regular IATAN application. For a breakdown of the financial papers your kind of business must submit, view the file we supplied above (click to download the.zip file).

What’s the price of it? The whole IATAN accreditation area charges the same prices as previously mentioned.

ARC certification for American airline reservations

The US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and/or the United States regulate travel agency and airline transactions through the Airline Reporting Corporation, or ARC In essence, all of the money that agencies provide it is taken and sent to the airlines. On behalf of the airlines, it also pays commissions to agents concurrently. You may refer to it as the US equivalent of IATA BSP, as we have already stated.

ARC also confers accreditation on organizations who want to sell and issue airline tickets. Essentially, the advantages offered by IATA are the same: trustworthiness, access to reporting tools, and ticketing capabilities.

In terms of accreditation, what distinguishes ARC from IATAN, then? Travel agency codes in the US were first assigned by ARC, and subsequently IATAN was created to imitate the ARC codes so that they would be recognized by foreign airlines. One or the other is yours. Different ID cards can offer different discounts, but it actually doesn’t matter because they are identical to one other.

ARC has three types of accreditation.

• The most comprehensive choice available to you for ticketing is the ARC-Accredited Agency.
• Similar, but unable to book tickets, is the Verified Travel Consultant (VLC).
• Businesses outside of the travel industry can choose to use the Corporate Travel Department (CTD).

Which one would you require? Let’s discuss. Additionally, for a more thorough discussion of ARC’s function and the accreditation procedure, see our dedicated article on the subject.

ARC-Accredited Agency for issuing flight tickets

Is it intended for whom? When US-based agencies wish to sell plane tickets, they typically have this option available.

How might one apply? Here is the process for getting your agency ARC-Accredited.

Get the ensuing paperwork ready:

• license for a travel agency,
• verification that you have a bank account with ARC,
• Bond or $20k statement from the bank.

Select an ARC Specialist inside your organization who needs to obtain the certification.

Fill out the application completely.

Fill out the application, send in the required payment, and attach the required files.

Win a job interview.

What’s the price of it? The yearly location cost is $228, while the application charge is $2,300.

CLIA credentials for cruise booking

Approximately 95% of the capacity for oceangoing cruises is represented by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the largest trade body for the cruise industry globally. 50+ cruise companies, 54,000 travel agents, and 15,000 travel agencies are among their members.

It is common for cruise lines to operate outside of CLIA membership, even though the organization has the ability to influence the industry and no legal authority to impose laws or restrictions. On the African continent, for instance, CLIA is completely unrepresented.

For individuals who are selling cruises and looking to expand in the cruise market, CLIA does, however, provide the sole industry-recognized accreditation program. A CLIA card or number is what it’s known as.

With the use of a CLIA card, which is a special ID number, you can book cruises and earn commissions as a marketer of cruises to suppliers and other vendors. The IATA agency code and it have the same function. A CLIA ID may also be applied for individually by each agent in your agency. Let’s go through these alternatives.

Travel Agency Membership (TAM)

Credential #1 for CLIA is Travel Agency Membership the TAM program provides you with a CLIA Industry ID number, which you can use to book direct bookings with CLIA’s member and partner cruise lines. The whole list of their affiliates, which you can see here, includes several well-known companies in the business, such as Carnival, Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and more. Vendors and suppliers can also use the CLIA website to validate your ID and confirm that you have a solid reputation in the sector.

In addition, it offers advantages like:

• Bonus commissions, special discounts, and savings on office supplies and equipment are all included in the program, in addition to a coupon booklet for special commissions that you receive as part of your membership welcome package.
• Exclusive content for members, including access to news digests, exclusive webinars, and other up-to-date information on the cruise business.
• Your agency will be promoted as a reliable professional by having a listing on CLIA’s Agent Finder program, which allows travelers to locate your agency by postal code.
• Individual Agent Members’ eligibility to join CLIA Individual Agent Memberships are available only to agents connected to CLIA’s TAM and offer a unique set of advantages. This is the option we will discuss below.

Individual Agent Membership (IAM)

The CLIA offers Individual Agent Membership to any travel agent who works with an agency that has undergone TAM verification. A CLIA EMBARC ID is a personal card that offers industry recognition, exclusive partner commissions, and other member perks, much as a CLIA agency ID. It is the primary benefit.

You may enhance your professional abilities by taking advantage of the training and certificate programs offered by CLIA, since the organization places a strong emphasis on education and professional certification.

Importantly, using your agency’s CLIA number to make reservations does not require IAM. As such, rather than being merely a booking credential, it’s more of a special program with extra advantages. CCRA TRUE accreditation for niche travel booking

Throughout its history, the acronym CCRA has evolved to represent anything other than Computerized Corporate Rate Association. It now functions as a travel association, facilitating trade between suppliers and travel agents. Travel Retailers Universal Enumeration, or TRUE, is their accreditation program that accomplishes the same goals as IATA, CLIA, and ARC: it verifies travel agencies and permits direct booking of travel services through PRUE codes. What then are its advantages?

directly through travel vendors. Because it grants access to a wider range of travel service providers, a TRUE code differs from all of the accreditations previously discussed. These suppliers include travel agencies, rental car agencies, hotels, insurance firms, airline consolidators, theme parks, and cruise lines. They collaborate with over 150 large and small suppliers in their extensive network, which includes hotel chains Accor, Hilton, and IHG, travel company Contiki, vehicle rental company Hertz, and online tour booking portal Get Your Guide.

A dashboard equipped with practical tools. Members can access the dashboard, which facilitates the management of their companies. It includes tools and resources for agencies, including supplier training, webinars for education and training, and templates.

You will receive a TRUE code if you have a normal TRUE accreditation or a TRUE host. The distinction is in the number of workers you have on staff as well as in the associated costs. Both choices have a same application process.

Accreditation overview: IATA vs ARC vs CLIA vs TRUE

Let’s finish it off. Which certification ought you to select? Select by responding to a few questions.

Your choices if you wish to reserve a ticket and airfare independently are

• comprehensive IATA certification (if you’re not in the US),
• complete IATAN accreditation (in the US),
• ARC Accredited Agency (in the United States).

If you would want to reserve a flight but have someone else handle the ticketing, you can apply for

• If you are not a US citizen, TIDS,
• IATAN does not require a ticket if you are in the US.
• If you are in the US, use an ARC Verified Travel Advisor.

Use these programs to arrange travel for your company (Corporate Travel Department)

• No tickets for IATAN
• Department of Corporate Travel at ARC.

CLIA is your only option if you wish to make cruise reservations.

Please apply for TRUE if you are a specialized travel service that arranges hotel stays, tours, vehicle rentals, etc.

Additionally keep in mind that you can join an airline consolidator or host agency for a simpler choice if you’re not currently utilizing their services but don’t want to go through the hassle of registering for ticketing possibilities. For additional information, see our post about host travel companies.

Additionally, Amadeus has published a guest post for us regarding ticketing without an accreditation. Consider looking into that as well.

This should make things clearer for you. What else should we explain? Tell us in the comments, please.

FAQs

What is the difference between CLIA and ARC?

Vendors can use it to recognize travel brokers as legitimate representatives of travel suppliers. A distinct market within the travel business, cruises, is catered to by the CLIA Number, whereas the ARC and IATA numbers are mostly linked to airline ticket sales.

What accreditation should a travel agent have?

A successful travel agency is largely dependent on its international certification and reputation. For the purpose of validating travel agencies, IATAN accreditation is the benchmark. Following accreditation, you receive an IATA Code for your company.

What is the difference between IATA and ARC?

IATA is responsible for much more since it is the primary standards-setter in the airline sector, which is the biggest distinction between it and ARC. Travel agencies and airlines in the United States are the main subject of ARC’s research. ARC is a must for any agency situated in the United States, so that’s a simple reminder.

What is the difference between IATA and Iatan?

IATAN, a branch of IATA, has been providing services to all segments of the US travel and tourism industry for over 20 years. No other accrediting program can provide you with the worldwide recognition and reach that IATAN can.

Are Clia and IATA the same?

With a CLIA card, you can book cruises and earn commissions as a cruise seller. It is a unique ID number that you provide to suppliers and vendors. It has the same function as the agency code assigned by IATA. Additionally, each agent in your firm is eligible to qualify for a unique CLIA ID.

What is an arc travel agent?

The Airlines Reporting Corporation, or ARC, is a feature exclusive to American travel companies. They are a financial clearinghouse for the airlines, which is a difficult concept for newcomers to understand in the travel sector. They act as a go-between for the airlines and the travel agencies.

What is ARC accreditation?

Travel agencies in the United States may now quickly book flights on over 200 airlines worldwide using ARC, which also helps them to manage their connections with international air travel suppliers more efficiently.

Which two categories of travel agents are there?

Retail and wholesale travel agencies are the two main categories into which travel agents fall. With commissions collected, a retail travel agency represents product suppliers by directly selling travel-related items to the general public.

Conclusion

Your agency’s emphasis will determine which American travel agency accreditation is the finest. Airline booking specialists benefit from both IATA and IATAN (international) for domestic airline ticketing and IATA (international) for domestically. The majority of CLIA accredited agencies will be cruises focused. Broad access to commissionable travel products is provided by TRUE for independent or home-based agents looking for flexibility. By choosing the appropriate certification, organizations can flourish in their particular markets by gaining access to resources, credibility, and industry contacts.