Host agency Avoya Travel has just launched beta testing for Avoya Flights, the highly-anticipated new air travel booking capability teased during its 2022 Avoya Conference this past November.

Up to this point, Avoya has focused on helping Independent Agencies’ (IAs) clientele to book the cruise, hotel and tour portions of their vacations, leaving the aspect of booking air travel untouched, due to the dearth of commissionable airfare options and the outdated nature of Global Distribution Systems (GDS) technologies for air travel.

But, knowing that providing complete vacation packages and end-to-end service would mean including an Air Program, Avoya made this a key initiative within its five-phase ‘Avoya 2025’ corporate “roadmap to success” plan, Phase I of which kicked off back in 2018.

With the introduction of Avoya Flights, Avoya secures its spot as a future powerhouse in the business of selling complete vacation package solutions within the leisure travel sales segment. Not only does the inclusion of this new air program make planning and booking their vacations easier and more convenient for clientele, it also offers immense commission opportunities for the Independent Agencies within the Avoya Network.

The arrival of the Avoya Flights program also means travelers themselves will gain access to extremely competitive airfare pricing; while an already established correlation between airfare bookings and reduced cancellations when it comes to selling leisure travel products means that vacation suppliers can expect to experience lower vacation cancellation rates.

With Avoya Flights capability integrated into Agent Power, the Avoya Network’s Independent Agencies can now access an expanded booking engine via an intuitive user interface, as well as a dedicated full-service Air Desk support team. The new capability will allow travel advisors to quickly and efficiently compare available routes, carriers and airfare prices and select the best combination of options for their clients’ custom vacation packages.

“The launch of Avoya Flights ushers in a new era for Avoya’s travelers and advisors. The ability to seamlessly provide bespoke vacation planning and booking services to now include air travel will help elevate the Avoya Network to new heights,” Jeff Anderson, Co-CEO of Avoya Travel, said in a statement. “Avoya Flights further develops our award-winning platform to continuously deliver innovative solutions for all of its user groups and we couldn’t be more excited.”

The Independent Agencies that have been selected to participate in the beta testing phase are also thrilled about the new program’s potential. “I am excited for the Avoya Flights program. The ease of using the platform along with the dedicated support is a game changer,” said Badonna Birdsong, Owner of Badonna’s Travel World, LLC, a member of the Avoya Network. “This program is another wonderful resource in providing one-stop services within my Independent Agency.”

For the latest travel news, updates and deals, be sure to subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter here.