Why are flight prices sometimes only held for 15 minutes? – Background, market logic, and solutions

Many companies are noticing that certain airfares are held for only a very short time – sometimes just 10–15 minutes. This development naturally raises questions, especially when internal approvals are required.

This article explains the background and outlines the available options.

Origin of the issue: Airline rules (NDC & Low-Cost Direct Connect)

The short fare-holding periods are not influenced by Intertours, the booking system, or agent behavior.
They are solely determined by the airlines.

What does this mean in practice?

• Many airlines now offer their lowest fares via NDC (New Distribution Capability) or Direct-Connect technologies.

• These fares often come with very short time limits, sometimes only a few minutes.

• Low-cost carriers (e.g., Ryanair, Wizz Air, Eurowings Discover) also use dynamic pricing models that result in short fare-holding periods.

• Each airline sets its own time limits – there is no standardized market rule.

Important:

These short fare-holding periods affect all market participants and all platforms.
It is a market logic that applies regardless of the service provider.

Why are fare-holding times changing compared to the past?

In the past, most fares were distributed exclusively through GDS systems (e.g., Amadeus).
There, reservation time limits of several hours or until the end of the day were common.

With the global shift toward NDC/Direct Connect, airlines aim to:

• price more dynamically

• react faster to fluctuations in demand

• reduce their distribution costs

• gain more control over the retail process

This naturally results in shorter fare-holding times – in some cases significantly.

What options are available?

Option A: Deactivate NDC/Direct-Connect sources

Intertours can deactivate these fare sources for your company.

Advantages:

• Longer fare-holding times again (GDS standards)

• Less time pressure for internal approvals

Disadvantages:

• Reduced fare variety

• Limited access to special fares

• Typically higher fare prices

T

his decision is always a balance between cost and process stability.

Option B: Adjust internal approval workflows

Many companies now use:

• preconfigured travel budgets

• app-based approval processes

• clear pricing and threshold rules

This shortens internal decision-making and reduces the risk of price increases.

Summary

• Short fare-holding periods are determined by the airlines, not the booking system.

• The logic results from modern distribution channels such as NDC and Direct Connect.

• Extending the fare-holding period is technically impossible as long as NDC sources are used.

• Intertours can deactivate NDC/Direct Connect upon request – with the trade-off of higher airfare costs.