1) GDS stands for Global Distribution System 

2) Global Distribution System is a Travel Agency Network that enables interconnectedness between Airline Computer Reservation Systems and travel agency terminals. 

3) It’s distinct from a Computer Reservation System which is a reservation system used by Airlines. 

4) The Global Distribution System (GDS) is used by travel agents to make reservation on various airline’s reservations systems. 

5) A Global Distribution System (GDS) differs from an airline CRS in one critical aspect, a GDS holds no inventory of its own. The inventory is held in various airline reservation systems. 

6) The GDS system has links to all major airline CRS. 

7) When a travel agency terminal requests a reservation on the service of a particular airline the GDS system routes the request to the appropriate airline Computer Reservation System. 

8) This enables a travel agent with a connection to a single GDS to book flights and associated services on virtually all the airlines in the world. 

9) The major GDS systems are Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo & Worldspan.