Travel glossary

ARC

Airlines Reporting Corporation — settles ticket transactions between travel agencies and U.S. airlines. ARC-accredited agencies can issue airline tickets directly.

ASTA

American Society of Travel Advisors — the largest U.S. trade association representing travel agencies.

B2B Travel

Business-to-business travel programs — typically corporate-managed travel where a company books for its employees.

BAR Rate

Best Available Rate — the lowest publicly available hotel rate at a given moment, before negotiated discounts.

Block Space

A negotiated allotment of hotel rooms or cruise cabins held for a group at a contracted rate.

CFAR

Cancel For Any Reason — a travel insurance rider that reimburses 50–75% of pre-paid costs if you cancel for any reason. Must be purchased within 14–21 days of first deposit.

CLIA

Cruise Lines International Association — the global trade association for cruise lines. CLIA-certified agents have completed cruise-specific training.

Concur

SAP Concur — the most widely used corporate T&E (travel & expense) booking and reporting platform.

Connecting Flight

A flight that requires a plane change at an intermediate airport before reaching the final destination.

Day Pass

A fee paid at an all-inclusive resort to admit non-guests for the day. Common at destination weddings when guests stay at a different resort.

DMC

Destination Management Company — a local operator that handles on-the-ground logistics (transfers, tours, events) in a specific destination.

Duty of Care

A company's legal obligation to ensure the safety of employees while traveling for business. Includes locating travelers in emergencies.

FAM Trip

Familiarization trip — a discounted trip offered by suppliers to travel agents so they can experience the product firsthand.

GDS

Global Distribution System — Sabre, Amadeus, or Travelport — the wholesale inventory networks travel agencies use to book air, hotel, and car.

Group Rate

A discounted rate available to groups of 10+ rooms or 16+ passengers, often with additional concessions (free welcome event, complimentary upgrades).

IATA

International Air Transport Association — the global trade body for airlines. IATA-accredited agencies meet financial and operational standards.

IATAN

IATA Number — a unique identifier issued to accredited travel agencies and used as a professional credential by individual advisors.

IDP

International Driving Permit — a translation of your U.S. driver's license required in many countries to rent a car.

Itinerary

The detailed plan of a trip — flights, hotels, transfers, activities, and confirmation numbers, usually delivered as a single document by your agent.

Leakage

Out-of-policy bookings made outside of an approved corporate travel tool. Leakage reduces visibility, savings, and duty-of-care coverage.

Net Rate

A wholesale supplier rate available only to accredited travel agencies. Net rates are typically 10–30% below publicly available pricing.

OTA

Online Travel Agency — Expedia, Booking.com, Priceline, Kayak. Consumer-facing booking sites without dedicated agent support.

PNR

Passenger Name Record — the unique reservation file in an airline's system that holds your booking details.

Pre-existing Condition Waiver

A travel insurance feature that covers medical claims related to pre-existing conditions, if the policy is purchased within 14–21 days of first deposit.

Preferred Supplier

A hotel, airline, cruise line, or tour operator with which an agency or network has a negotiated commercial relationship.

Repositioning Cruise

A one-way cruise sailing as a ship moves between seasonal regions (e.g., Caribbean to Mediterranean in April). Typically deeply discounted.

RFP

Request for Proposal — the formal document a company sends to travel management companies when shopping for a corporate travel partner.

Room Block

A reserved group of hotel rooms held for a group event (wedding, conference) at a contracted rate. Usually requires a minimum room-night commitment.

Schengen Area

27 European countries with open borders. A 90-day Schengen visa or visa-free entry applies across all of them collectively, not per-country.

Shoulder Season

The travel periods between high season and low season — usually offering good weather, smaller crowds, and lower prices.

TLN

Travel Leaders Network — a North American consortium of 6,000+ travel agencies generating $20B+ in annual sales, providing negotiated supplier rates.

TMC

Travel Management Company — an agency specializing in corporate travel, typically offering booking tools, reporting, duty of care, and 24/7 support.

Transfer

Ground transportation between an airport or port and a hotel — booked through the agency to ensure timing and accountability.

Voucher

A pre-paid receipt presented at check-in (hotel, tour, transfer) instead of paying on-site. Issued by the agency to suppliers.

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