What is a travel agent ID number? IATA, CLIA, TRUE and other IDs explained
Tripdash Team
July 27, 2026
A travel agent ID number lets suppliers recognize your agency's bookings. Compare IATA, ARC, CLIA, TRUE and TIDS: issuer, cost, and which suppliers accept each.
A travel agent ID number is the code suppliers use to recognize your agency's bookings and pay its commission. The common ones are IATA (IATAN in the US), ARC, CLIA, TRUE and IATA's TIDS. They identify the agency, not you. Your personal proof is a separate ID card.
Here is who issues each ID, what it costs, which suppliers accept it, and how it differs from an agent ID card.
What is a travel agent ID number?
It is an agency identifier. IATA describes its TIDS code as one that allows the bookings of travel sales intermediaries to be recognized by airlines, hotel chains, cruise lines and other suppliers. IATAN accreditation qualifies you for preferred agreements, commission structures, and exclusive rates.
Suppliers ask for it when you register. Disney's agent site asks for an Agency ID (IATA / CLIA / ACTA / TIDS). Delta Vacations asks for a travel-industry-affiliated Agency ID.
Which travel agent ID numbers exist?
Five come up again and again. Costs are the latest each issuer publishes.
| ID | Who issues it | What it's for | Cost | Accepted on these suppliers' public pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IATA / IATAN number | IATA. US agencies go to IATAN, IATA's US arm | Supplier recognition, preferred agreements and commission structures | IATAN head office: $280 to apply, $120 a year (2026) | Disney, Delta Vacations, Norwegian |
| ARC number | Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) | Issuing air tickets on more than 200 airlines | $2,300 application plus a bond of at least $20,000 (2020 datasheet). The non-ticketing VTC is $195 | Delta Vacations, Norwegian |
| CLIA number | Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) | Booking directly with CLIA member cruise lines | $429 a year for agencies (2026) | Disney, Delta Vacations. Norwegian takes a CLIA certificate |
| TRUE number | CCRA, a travel agency network | A unique supplier-recognized code that enables direct commission payments | $399 a year, $375 to renew (2025) | Delta Vacations, Norwegian |
| TIDS code | IATA | Recognizing an agency's bookings. No BSP ticketing | Free. Not offered in the USA | Disney, Delta Vacations |
Disney also accepts an ID from the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies and Travel Advisors (ACTA). Delta Vacations accepts another travel-industry-affiliated number. Norwegian accepts a business license indicating travel as the principal business instead of an ID.
About TRUE. CCRA says TRUE stands for Travel Retailer Universal Enumeration and that it lets you operate as the agency of record, without a host. Not every supplier accepts it: Disney's list doesn't include it. Check each supplier you plan to sell before you pick TRUE.
How does each ID work?
IATA and IATAN. Outside the US, IATA-accredited agents settle airline tickets through the Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP). In the US, IATAN gives recognition, and ticketing needs ARC too. An IATAN ticketing location has to submit an ARC approval letter. An independent contractor business pays $110 to apply and $110 a year.
ARC. Full ARC accreditation is for ticketing. ARC's Verified Travel Consultant (VTC) gives you an ARC number for recognition, with a $195 fee, but no ticketing.
TIDS. It is free, but TIDS agents cannot issue airline tickets through IATA's BSP. IATA says the program is available globally except in the USA, and points US businesses to IATAN's Non-Ticketing Program.
What do you need to get each ID?
The bar rises with what the number lets you do. Recognition is easy. Ticketing is not.
| ID | Main requirements (issuer's own list) | Typical processing time |
|---|---|---|
| IATAN (non-ticketing) | Business license, proof of ownership, two years of experience for the qualifying person, proof of finances, E&O insurance or a waiver | Not published |
| ARC (ticketing) | US location, a bond, letter of credit or cash deposit of at least $20,000, a full-time manager, and one person who has passed the ARC Specialist exam | Completeness review typically within 10 business days |
| TRUE | No prior experience is required. Local rules on business license, E&O and Seller of Travel still apply | 5 to 7 business days after approval |
| TIDS (outside the US) | Proof of legal form and ownership, business registration, a bank letter, and one letter of recommendation from an IATA airline, a GDS or a major supplier | 3 to 5 business days |
IATAN's money test. Home-based businesses, and businesses open less than a year, must show $10,000 available capital or invested in the business. Businesses open more than a year show $20,000 in Gross Travel Income or $20,000 available capital, or $200,000 in Annual Gross Sales. IATAN also asks for Seller of Travel proof in Florida, Hawaii and Washington State.
How IATAN counts experience. A letter from an IATAN-accredited agency or a national supplier works. So do certificates such as the CTA, a CLIA certificate or a travel school diploma.
How to get your own travel agent ID number, step by step
This is practical guidance built from the requirements above.
- Decide what you need the number for. Supplier recognition, airline ticketing or cruise access. Only ARC (or BSP outside the US) lets you issue tickets.
- Check your suppliers' lists. Pick an ID that every supplier you plan to sell accepts.
- Set up the business. Get a business license and any Seller of Travel registration your state requires. See how to get a travel agent license.
- Gather your proof. Experience letters or certificates, bank statements and an E&O policy. See travel agent E&O insurance.
- Apply and pay. Budget for the first year's fee, plus a bond if you want ARC ticketing.
- Re-register with each supplier. A new number doesn't update supplier profiles on its own.
- Keep it active. Pay renewals on time. TIDS agents must complete an Annual Revalidation exercise instead of renewing.
What happens to your ID number if you leave a host agency?
The host's number stays with the host. Bookings made under it usually stay behind too, and the old host pays your share under its contract. Switching host agencies covers that side.
If you move to your own number, every supplier profile has to change. CCRA tells advisors leaving a host that you must re-register with suppliers under your TRUE Code. Your IATAN ID card also moves through the agency: you get listed on the new agency's personnel list and reissue the card.
If you let your own number lapse, suppliers find out. CCRA says an inactive TRUE Code means suppliers will remove your access or commission eligibility. For TIDS, IATA terminates the participation and notifies suppliers when revalidation isn't done.
Agency ID number vs individual ID card
The number belongs to the agency. The card belongs to the person. Suppliers check the number when you book, and the card when you claim an agent rate.
| Agency ID number | Individual ID card | |
|---|---|---|
| Who holds it | The agency or host agency | One advisor |
| Examples | IATA/IATAN, ARC, CLIA, TRUE, TIDS numbers | IATA/IATAN ID card, CLIA card |
| Used for | Booking recognition and commission | Supplier rates and discount programs |
| Needs the other? | No | Yes. The IATAN card requires an agency with a valid IATA code |
The IATA/IATAN ID card has its own rules. In the US you must work at least 20 hours a week in travel sales, earn at least USD 5,000 in the past 12 months, and be 18 or older. It costs $48 new and $40 to renew digital-only. For the cruise version, see what is a CLIA card.
Do you need your own travel agent ID number?
Usually not when you start. Most new advisors sell under a host agency's number. Norwegian, for example, tells independent contractors to contact your host agency for setup.
Practical guidance: before you join a host, ask which ID you'll book under. Then check it against the lists of the suppliers you plan to sell. Get your own when you want to be recognized, or ticket, under your agency's name. IATA codes explained covers the requirements, and how to become a travel agent covers the wider path.
Related terms
- IATA codes explained: IATAN, ARC and IATA costs and requirements
- What is ARC?: US airline ticketing and settlement
- What is a CLIA card?: the cruise ID card for individual advisors
- What is a host agency?: selling under another agency's numbers
- Switching host agencies: what moves with you and what stays
- How to become a Disney travel agent: the four agency IDs Disney accepts
Supplier access with Tripdash
Tripdash for Advisors includes IATA accreditation, E&O insurance, and supplier access. See how Tripdash works for advisors.
Sources
- IATA. Travel Industry Designator Service (TIDS) and TIDS FAQ, read October 21, 2026.
- IATAN. Become accredited, read October 21, 2026, and IATAN home.
- IATA/IATAN. IATAN Fee Schedule, fees effective January 1, 2026.
- IATA/IATAN. IATAN Accreditation Requirements, December 2025.
- IATA. Travel agent accreditation, Billing and Settlement Plan and ID card eligibility.
- ARC. Become an ARC-accredited travel agency, 2020.
- CLIA. Travel agency membership, 2026.
- Disney. Disney Travel Agents sign-in and registration page, archived copy captured May 21, 2026.
- Delta Vacations. Delta Vacations Pro: New User Registration and WorldAgent Direct: Agency ID, read October 21, 2026.
- Norwegian Cruise Line. New Agency Registration (Norwegian Central), checked October 21, 2026.
- ACTA. Association of Canadian Travel Agencies and Travel Advisors, homepage.
- HostAgencyReviews. Travel agency accreditation options, August 2024.
- CCRA Travel Commerce Network. TRUE Code accreditation: frequently asked questions, published July 28, 2025.
- ARC. Information on agency accreditation for airlines, read October 22, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
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