What Is Amadeus GDS?
Amadeus GDS is the global distribution system run by Amadeus, the reservation network travel agents use to book flights, hotels, rental cars and other travel for their clients. Amadeus describes it as one of the largest global distribution systems in the world. A hotel listed in it can be booked by Amadeus subscriber travel agencies (Amadeus (XOTELS glossary)) (Want to Expand Your Hotel's Horizons?).
Last updated: October 2026
How Amadeus GDS works for hotels
Amadeus GDS sits between hotels and travel agencies. The hotel loads its rates and availability, and Amadeus passes them to its global network of subscriber travel agencies through the Amadeus Travel Platform (Want to Expand Your Hotel's Horizons?).
Most hotels connect from their central reservation system (CRS). A hotel with a CRS links to the Amadeus Travel Platform either directly or through a switch company (Want to Expand Your Hotel's Horizons?).
Amadeus also sells a representation service called LinkHotel. It connects one hotel to Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport, the GDSs the hotel chooses to work with (Amadeus LinkHotel Representation Solutions). Amadeus says LinkHotel gives a hotel exposure to more than 350,000 travel agencies worldwide (Amadeus LinkHotel Representation Solutions).
The hotel catalogue has grown over time. In December 2008 the system reached 80,000 properties, with more independent hotels and smaller chains joining (Amadeus Now Allows Travel Agencies to Book 80,000 Hotels (Hotel Executive)). A 2020 sales sheet listed 310 hotel chains with real-time rates and availability (Amadeus Hotels GDS content sales sheet). An undated Amadeus quick card now puts the count at 120,000+ hotels across 320+ chains and independents (Amadeus GDS Hotels quick card).
Why it matters for hotel distribution
For a hotel, the reason to be in a GDS is the buyer at the other end. GDS distribution is the way in to corporate bookers (Amadeus (XOTELS glossary)). Roughly 200 million hotel bookings a year flow through the three big GDS networks of Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport combined (How GDS Commission Shares Impact Global Hotel and Agency Revenue (Skift, sponsored by Onyx CenterSource)). Upscale properties rely on it most: in 2024, luxury and upper-upscale hotels took 6% to 7% of their stays through GDS channels (How GDS Commission Shares Impact Global Hotel and Agency Revenue (Skift, sponsored by Onyx CenterSource)).
The GDS also lets a hotel sit inside the whole trip. Agents book and service hotels alongside air, rail and car in one itinerary, so the hotel is booked in the same step as the rest of the trip (Amadeus GDS Hotels quick card).
For the wider picture of how GDSs fit next to OTAs and metasearch, see our global distribution system (GDS) page.
Amadeus GDS compared with related systems
| Amadeus GDS | Sabre and Travelport | Central reservation system (CRS) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A GDS connecting hotels to subscriber travel agencies | The other GDSs a hotel can join through the same LinkHotel service | The hotel's own reservation system |
| Who books through it | Travel agencies subscribed to Amadeus | Travel agencies on those networks | Amadeus agencies, once the CRS is connected to Amadeus |
| How a hotel connects | From its CRS, directly or through a switch | Through a service such as LinkHotel | It is the starting point for the GDS connection |
Table sources: Want to Expand Your Hotel's Horizons?, Amadeus LinkHotel Representation Solutions.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amadeus a GDS?
How do agents use Amadeus GDS?
How does a hotel get access to Amadeus GDS?
What is the Amadeus GDS system?
Can short-term rentals be booked through a GDS?
Related terms
See all termsWhere Jetstream fits
Amadeus GDS is one of several places a property can sell, next to OTAs, metasearch, home-sharing platforms and its own website. Each one needs the same rooms, rates and availability, kept current. Jetstream builds an AI channel manager that connects a property's systems to the channels where guests and agents book, and keeps inventory accurate on each one.