Add-on – An option/item added to the travel itinerary for which an extra sum of money is usually paid.
Airport Access Fee – The fee that the airport’s management charges from the car rental companies in return for letting them use the airport ground. This fee is passed on by the company to the customers under one name or the other.
ARC (The Airlines Reporting Corporation) – A body that keeps a track of payments that are made to the airlines by the travel agencies upon issuing flight tickets.
Adjoining Rooms – The rooms in the hotel, resort, or villa that are next to each other but are without connecting doors.
Advance Purchase Requirement – A flight ticket that must be bought before a certain specified number of days before the flight’s scheduled departure so the best airfares can be enjoyed.
Base Fare – The airfare that is shared before applying any taxes, fees, surcharges, etc.
Boarding Pass – A pass with the Gate check-in and seat number that is issued at the check-in counter at the airport.
Bulk Contract – A pact between airlines and third parties wherein the former sells bulk tickets at a discounted price to the latter.
Bulk Fare – Fares that are available only when airline seats in bulk are bought.
Business Class – A class of travel that lies between First Class and Economy Class with the former being the most luxurious and the latter being the most economical.
Blackout Dates – Dates during which airline tickets, cars, hotels, etc at a particular rate aren’t available.
Blocked Space – Tickets of an airline or rooms in a hotel that are kept aside to be sold by the consolidators.
Consolidator – An agency/company/organization that has contracts with airlines to sell tickets at a discounted price because they buy the same in bulk.
Cancellation penalty – A monetary loss that a traveler has to bear when he cancels an already confirmed ticket.
Commission – A sum of money that is added to the base fare by a travel firm, travel agent, or a consolidator to earn some profit.
Domestic Fare – Airfares that are charged when a traveler travels within a country.

Electronic Ticket – A paperless ticket that is safer to use since it can’t be lost or stolen and allows travelers to check-in using photo identification.

First Class – The most superior class in the flight in terms of luxury.

Global Distribution System (GDS) – A computer reservation system used worldwide that has access to various databases of suppliers, airlines, etc. Sabre is an example of the same.

Hub – A city or an airport from where a particular airline operates.

IATAN (International Airlines Travel Agent Network) – The only authentic travel agent identification.

Interline Connection – When one airline’s flight connects to another airline’s flight.

Land arrangements – The arrangements that are made once you land at the airport, be it transfer, hotels, car rentals, sightseeing, etc.

Layover – A place at which a period of time is spent before boarding another flight.

Leisure Travel – Contrary to business travel, leisure travel is for fun and recreational purposes.

Lowest Available Fare – The current lowest airfare that is available for purchase at that moment.

Maximum Stay – The longest duration you can stay at a destination for the same airfare.

Minimum Connect Time – The shortest time that is needed to transfer from one flight to another.

Net Fare – The airfare that is quoted after applying the commission.

No Show – A passenger who doesn’t show for a booking.

Non-Refundable – An airline ticket that, if canceled, won’t be eligible for a refund.

Non-Transferable – An airline ticket that cannot be passed on to someone else.

Nonstop – A flight that takes no stops/pauses until the destination is reached unlike direct flights that have layovers.

Offline Connection – When both the airline and the aircraft are changed.

Off-Peak – Not the time when everybody flocks to take flights. This is the time when fares seem to be cheaper because of low demand.

Operator – An organization, company, or agency that offers travel-related services.

Overbooking – When an airline indulges in selling more seats than are actually available in order to cover losses that may happen due to last-minute cancelations.

Passenger Name Record (PNR) – The official name of one’s reservation registered in a computer reservation system (CRS).

Published Fare – Airfares offered directly by airlines and are usually the highest.

Rack Rate – A price that is set before any discounts are applied.

Reconfirm – When a booking is rechecked.

Record Locator – It’s a unique number that is given to a reservation stored in an airline’s system.

Red-Eye Flight – A flight that leaves at night and arrives post morning; usually cheaper

Reissue – When a plan is changed (dates, destination, etc) and a new ticket is issued after charging a penalty.

Round Trip – A flight that is booked to and from the destination together.

Sabre® – A computerized travel reservation system.

Saturday Night Stay – A condition put forth by the travel agency or airline that your travel must involve a Saturday night stay in order to enjoy the lowest airfare.

Scheduled Carrier – An airline that operates at the published time.

Special Fare – A fare that is discounted or is different from the one published.

Shoulder Season – It is the season that lies between the peak season and the off-season. The fares are, thus, neither the highest nor the lowest.

Travel Agent – Any person who sells travel items (flight tickets, hotels, holiday packages, etc) on the basis of commission.

Travel Agency – An organization that has travel agents to sell travel products.

Through Passenger – A passenger who, while en route to the final destination, doesn’t disembark at a particular stop.

Unlimited Mileage It’s when one rents a car with no mileage restriction.

Waiver – A written agreement that agrees to a traveler having declined something.

Travel Glossary