Metasearch Integration

Integration with flight metasearch engines including Google Flights, Skyscanner, and Kayak.

Scope

Major Platforms

Google Flights: Largest, NDA-based partnership
Skyscanner: Strong in Europe, Redirect model
Kayak: US-focused, Booking.com owned
WEGO: Asia-Pacific focus
Momondo: European markets
TripAdvisor Flights: Travel ecosystem

Integration Models

Redirect/Affiliate: User redirected to airline site
Instant Book: Complete purchase on metasearch
Hybrid: Partial booking, complete on airline

Data Requirements

Schedule data (SSIM format)
Real-time availability
Pricing (cached + live)
Deep linking URLs
Fare rules display

Research Topics

Google Flights partnership requirements
SSIM file format specification
Price caching strategies
Deep linking implementation
Booking accuracy tracking
Cost per acquisition optimization
Mobile landing page best practices
Affiliate program structures

Architecture Considerations

Integration Architecture

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                 Metasearch Platform              │
│  (Google Flights, Skyscanner, Kayak)            │
└───────────────────────┬──────────────────────────┘
                        │
         ┌──────────────┼──────────────┐
         │              │              │
    ┌────▼────┐   ┌─────▼─────┐  ┌────▼────┐
    │Schedule │   │  Pricing  │  │  Deep   │
    │  Feed   │   │   API     │  │  Links  │
    │ (SSIM)  │   │           │  │         │
    └────┬────┘   └─────┬─────┘  └────┬────┘
         │              │              │
         └──────────────┼──────────────┘
                        │
              ┌─────────▼─────────┐
              │   Airline Systems │
              └───────────────────┘

SSIM Format

Standard Schedules Information Manual
- 200-byte fixed-width records
- Record Type 1: Carrier header
- Record Type 2: Flight leg
- Record Type 3: Segment data
- Record Type 4: Trailer
- Record Type 5: Notes

Pricing Strategy

Caching Tiers

Tier	Data	TTL	Use Case
Hot	Popular routes	1 hour	Initial display
Warm	Medium routes	4 hours	Browse queries
Cold	Long-tail	24 hours	Rare searches
Live	All	Real-time	Final price

Accuracy Requirements

99%+ offer bookability target
Price change notification
Sold-out handling
Currency consistency

Deep Linking

URL Structure

https://airline.com/book?
  origin=JFK&
  destination=LHR&
  departDate=2024-06-15&
  returnDate=2024-06-22&
  adults=2&
  cabin=economy&
  fare=YOWUS&
  utm_source=google&
  utm_medium=metasearch

Requirements

Pre-populate search results
No re-search required
Mobile-responsive landing
Price match with metasearch display
Fast page load (<3 seconds)

Integration Points

System	Direction	Data
Schedule	Outbound	SSIM files
Pricing	Outbound	Cached/live prices
Analytics	Inbound	Click/booking data
IBE	Bidirectional	Landing pages

Google Flights Specifics

Partnership Model

NDA-required partnership
No public API (QPX discontinued 2018)
Direct data feed arrangement
Quality scoring for ranking

Ranking Factors

Price (primary)
User preference signals
Link quality
Mobile friendliness
Booking reliability

Schedule Distribution

SFTP or iiNET delivery
SSM/ASM for changes
SIM for full schedule updates
Minimum 48-hour advance

Performance Metrics

Key KPIs

Metric	Target
Look-to-book ratio	500:1 or better
Price accuracy	>99%
Booking success rate	>95%
CPA (cost per acquisition)	<$10
Mobile conversion	Match desktop

Attribution

UTM parameter tracking
Booking confirmation pixels
Revenue reconciliation
ROI by platform