Sky Bird Travel Tours
Sky Bird Travel & Tours is a U.S. airline consolidator founded in 1976 that purchases tickets in bulk from 90+ airline partners and redistributes them to B2B travel agents and agencies via its proprietary WINGS Booking Platform, earning weekly commissions across airfare, hotels, insurance, tours, and group travel.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersSouthfield, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sky Bird Travel Tours does
Sky Bird Travel & Tours, Inc., founded in 1976 by Arvin Shah and headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, is a privately held, family-owned airline consolidator and travel technology provider serving B2B travel agents and agencies across North America and select international markets. The company purchases airline tickets in bulk at discounted net fares from 90+ airline partners and resells them through its proprietary WINGS Booking Platform, where registered agents can mark up fares and earn weekly ACH commissions across airfare, hotels, insurance (25%), tours (8-12%), car rentals, and group travel. WINGS is a visual, point-and-click booking engine — distinct from traditional command-line GDS interfaces — that integrates with Sabre, Amadeus, Worldspan, and Travelport GDS systems and now offers NDC content from 10 major carriers as well.
Supporting revenue lines include the Opteticket multi-GDS PNR importer (launched August 2024 for Sabre with Amadeus support planned), the Sky Vacations FIT tour division, a dedicated Umrah pilgrimage service, group travel for 10+ passengers, student travel discounts, AIG Travel Guard insurance sales, and Slice Pay payment solutions. The company employs approximately 180 people across 10 U.S. offices (Detroit, Atlanta, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco/Bay Area, Seattle, Washington DC) plus international offices in Toronto and Vancouver (Canada), Manila (Philippines), and India.
Commercially Sky Bird is a channel-partner model with no consumer-direct retail: free agent registration on WINGS, weekly commission payments, 24/7 multilingual support (25+ languages), inside sales onboarding, and quarterly webinars drive agent acquisition and retention. Distribution is reinforced by GDS integrations, the skyAPI, the B2C WINGS Widget for partner websites, and an industry-association footprint including IATA, ARC, IATAN, ASTA, CLIA, and PATA. The firm has held the Travvy Award Gold for Best Airline Consolidator in 2017, 2018, 2024, and 2025 and reports annual airline ticket issuance above $700M USD.
Sky Bird Travel Tours firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sky Bird Travel Tours
- Legal name
- Sky Bird Travel & Tours, Inc.
- Website
- https://skybirdtravel.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Sky Bird Travel & Tours is a U.S. airline consolidator founded in 1976 that purchases tickets in bulk from 90+ airline partners and redistributes them to B2B travel agents and agencies via its proprietary WINGS Booking Platform, earning weekly commissions across airfare, hotels, insurance, tours, and group travel.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sky Bird Travel Tours industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Airline Ticket Consolidation
- NAICS
- Travel Agencies (561510), Air Transportation (481)
- SIC
- Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Air Travel Booking Platforms (Flights) (BPAMAIAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Charter Flight Brokers & Air Charter Ticketing Agents (THAKALAK)
Keywords
Where Sky Bird Travel Tours is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Southfield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices14 records
Markets served
Sky Bird Travel Tours business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Airline Ticket Commissions: Travel agents book airline tickets through WINGS or GDS and earn commission on each transaction. Sky Bird acts as airline consolidator purchasing bulk tickets at discounted rates and reselling to agents who mark up prices.
- Travel Insurance Commission: 25% commission on travel insurance bookings made through WINGS platform, powered by AIG Travel Guard.
- Hotel Commission: 15% commission on pre-paid hotel bookings through WINGS platform with access to 1 million+ hotels globally.
- Tour Commission: 8-12% commission on customized tour packages through Sky Vacations division.
- Car Rental Commission: Commission earned on car rental bookings from trusted industry brands through WINGS platform.
- Umrah Package Sales: Complete Umrah pilgrimage packages including visa assistance, airfare, transportation, tours, accommodations, and travel insurance with bundled pricing.
- Group Travel Services: Group booking services for 10+ passengers with locked-in rates and itinerary assistance. Deposits of $50 per person for domestic and $100 for international groups.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Weekly | Standard agent commission on airfare |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Weekly | Travel insurance commission |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Weekly | Pre-paid hotel commission |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Weekly | Tour packages commission |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Group travel minimum booking |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Final payment terms |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
Sky Bird Travel Tours product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sky Bird Travel Tours is an airline consolidator that purchases bulk tickets at discounted net rates from 90+ airline partners and resells them to travel agents, who earn commissions on each booking. Travel agents access inventory and book through Sky Bird's proprietary WINGS Booking Platform, the Opteticket multi-GDS PNR importer, or directly via Sabre, Amadeus, and Worldspan GDS systems, with additional commissions on hotels, car rentals, tours, and travel insurance bundled into the same transactions.
Product overview
Sky Bird Travel Tours operates a platform-plus-services model built around the WINGS Booking Platform as its core product, complemented by specialized tools and services. The main WINGS platform is a visual, point-and-click booking engine providing access to airfares from 90+ airline partners, alongside hotel, car rental, activities, and insurance bookings with commission management. Supporting this are Opteticket (PNR importer for GDS workflow) and Chakra (multi-GDS solution portal). The company also operates distinct service divisions including Group Travel for 10+ passengers, Sky Vacations (customized FIT tours), Umrah Pilgrimages, Student Travel Discounts, and Travel Insurance through AIG. Additional services include Slice Pay and airline-specific NDC content integration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Sky Vacations: Sky Bird's FIT (Free Independent Travel) division offering customized tour packages to destinations including Asia, Europe, Americas, Middle East, and Africa. Features curated itineraries including South Africa tours, Tanzania safaris, Egypt tours, Morocco experiences, Hawaiian vacations, and Greek island packages.
- WINGS Booking Platform
- Opteticket
- NDC on WINGS
Products and services
- WINGS Booking Platform Proprietary online booking and management system for travel agents that provides a visual, point-and-click interface to search, book, ticket, and manage flights, hotels, cars, activities, and travel insurance in a single transaction. Connects to multiple GDS systems and provides access to net fares from 90+ airline partners, with built-in markup settings and weekly ACH commission payments.
- Opteticket Multi-GDS solution that allows travel agents who prefer to book via GDS systems to import PNRs from Sabre, streamline the ticketing workflow, reduce manual errors, and view commission earnings in real time.
- Chakra Multi-GDS solution platform offered as an alternative entry point to Sky Bird's booking inventory alongside the WINGS Booking Platform.
- Group Travel Dedicated booking service for group travel of 10 or more passengers, covering study abroad, volunteer trips, religious pilgrimages, and wellness retreats. Features locked-in group rates, itinerary assistance, and volume purchasing power, with deposits of $50 per person for domestic groups and $100 for international groups.
- Sky Vacations Customized tour package division offering curated FIT itineraries to Asia, Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa, including packaged tours to South Africa, Tanzania Safari, Egypt, Morocco, Hawaii, Greece, and Iceland, with up to 12% commission for travel agents.
- Umrah Pilgrimages Comprehensive Umrah pilgrimage service bundling visa assistance, airfare, ground transportation, tours, accommodations, travel insurance, and meet & greet services at Jeddah and Madinah airports, with tailored packages and specialized assistance for elderly and disabled travelers.
- Student Travel Discounts Discount program offering special student fares on international flights with access to dedicated travel advisors and destination information for Peru, Spain, Ireland, India, Greece, and Iceland.
- Travel Insurance AIG Travel Guard travel insurance product sold through the WINGS platform, covering trip cancellation, medical evacuation, and lost luggage, with travel agents earning 25% commission on each policy.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $700 million USD in airline tickets issued annually
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Sky Bird Travel Tours
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Sky Bird Travel Tours technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Feature4 records
Sky Bird Travel Tours partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Airline Partners (90+)coreSky Bird serves as airline consolidator/wholesaler purchasing bulk tickets at discounted rates from airlines including: American Airlines, Delta, United, Air India, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Turkish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, British Airways, and 80+ others. Airlines benefit from volume sales while Sky Bird provides agents access to competitive net fares.
- NDC AirlinescoreNDC (New Distribution Capability) content from American Airlines, Copa Airlines, Finnair, LATAM Airlines, Singapore Airlines, British Airlines, Emirates, Iberia, Lufthansa Group, and United Airlines. Enables access to richer content, personalized offers, and real-time pricing through WINGS platform.
- Aero MexicocoreRecognized as Top Sales Company Worldwide and 1 of 5 Strongest in the USA in 2023 and 2024. Partnership for air ticket distribution through Sky Bird's agent network.
- GDS Systems (Sabre, Amadeus, Worldspan)coreIntegration with Global Distribution Systems for travel agents to access and book airfares. Sabre, Amadeus, and Worldspan (Travelport) systems used for fare distribution and booking.
- TravelportcorePlatinum Partnership for 45th Anniversary recognition. GDS technology provider enabling Sky Bird's booking platform and agent access.
- Singapore AirlinescoreOutstanding Sales Achievement recognition in 2019. Partnership for air ticket distribution with emphasis on Singapore's premium positioning.
- Delta Air LinescoreMultiple recognitions including Best Consolidator Transatlantic Performance (2017), Best Transatlantic Performer (2016), and Agency Elite status. Strong partnership for transatlantic routes.
- EmiratescoreTravel Agent of the Year recognition in 2016-2017 and Outstanding Achievement Award for Sales Performance in 2007-2008. Strong partnership for Middle East routes.
- Turkish AirlinescoreBest Supporting Consolidator Plaque of Appreciation (2017), Star Performer Award (2013). Partnership for Turkey and connecting routes.
- Qatar AirwayscoreBest Performing Airline Consolidator recognition in 2011 and 2013. Strong partnership for Middle East and long-haul routes.
- AIG Travel GuardcoreTravel insurance partner providing products sold through WINGS platform. Sky Bird agents earn 25% commission on travel insurance sales with access to Travel Guard for quotes and policy management.
- CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association)minorIndustry membership for cruise industry representation and marketing support.
- PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association)minorIndustry membership for Pacific Asia travel promotion and networking.
- ASTA (American Society of Travel Advisors)minorIndustry membership for travel advisor advocacy and professional development.
- IATAN (International Airlines Travel Agent Network)minorIndustry accreditation and membership for travel agents operating internationally.
- IATA (International Air Transport Association)minorIndustry association membership for airline industry standards and accreditation.
- ARC (Airlines Reporting Corporation)minorIndustry accreditation and reporting services for travel agents and airlines.
- MMSDC (Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council)minorMinority business certification and supplier diversity advocacy in Michigan.
- African Tourism BoardminorTourism partnership for African destination marketing and Safari in Tanzania package endorsement.
- Adventure Travel Trade AssociationminorIndustry association for adventure travel operators and destination marketing.
- European Tourism Association (ETO)minorEuropean tourism partnership for destination marketing and tour package support.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sky Bird Travel Tours competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Travelport: Travelport is a global GDS provider (Worldspan/Apollo/Galileo) integrated into WINGS; as a broader incumbent in air distribution, it competes with Sky Bird's wholesale model at the platform layer.
- BCD Travel: BCD Travel is a top-tier global corporate travel management company that competes for the same travel-agent-driven air booking volumes that flow through consolidators like Sky Bird.
- American Express Global Business Travel: Amex GBT is a global travel management giant that books air, hotel, and ancillary services for corporate clients at scale — a broader incumbent operating in the same consolidated air distribution space.
- Sabre Corporation: Sabre operates one of the major GDS systems that Sky Bird integrates via WINGS; Sabre's travel agency marketplace and air distribution platform is a broader competitive layer over Sky Bird's consolidation business.
Direct peers
- Direct Travel: Direct Travel is a US travel management company serving corporate and leisure clients with agency services and consolidated air/hotel inventory — closely comparable to Sky Bird's agent-served model.
- WebBeds: WebBeds is a global B2B travel distributor/acquirer of hotel and ground inventory, with a similar wholesale distribution model to Sky Bird's tour and hotel consolidation arm.
- Frosch Travel: Frosch is a US luxury and leisure travel agency network with consolidator relationships, competing for the same independent and home-based agent base that Sky Bird serves.
- HotelBeds: HotelBeds is one of the largest B2B bed-bank and ancillary distributors globally, operating a wholesale intermediary model analogous to Sky Bird's consolidator role in airfare.
- Omega World Travel: Omega World Travel is a large US travel management company with a consolidator/wholesale division, similar in scale and agent-channel focus to Sky Bird.
- Travelong: Travelong is a long-standing US-based airline consolidator and wholesaler selling bulk-purchased tickets to travel agents, directly competing with Sky Bird's core airfare consolidation business.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sky Bird Travel Tours social profiles
Digital presenceSky Bird Travel Tours compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance9 records
Sky Bird Travel Tours financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sky Bird Travel Tours leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Sky Bird Travel Tours subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Sky Bird Travel Tours funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sky Bird Travel Tours M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sky Bird Travel Tours
What does Sky Bird Travel Tours do?
Sky Bird Travel Tours is an airline consolidator that purchases bulk tickets at discounted net rates from 90+ airline partners and resells them to travel agents, who earn commissions on each booking. Travel agents access inventory and book through Sky Bird's proprietary WINGS Booking Platform, the Opteticket multi-GDS PNR importer, or directly via Sabre, Amadeus, and Worldspan GDS systems, with additional commissions on hotels, car rentals, tours, and travel insurance bundled into the same transactions.
Is Sky Bird Travel Tours a public or private company?
Sky Bird Travel Tours is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Sky Bird Travel Tours founded?
Sky Bird Travel Tours was founded in 1976. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Sky Bird Travel Tours based?
Sky Bird Travel Tours is headquartered in Southfield, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sky Bird Travel Tours make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Airline Ticket Commissions are the primary driver. The others are travel Insurance Commission, hotel Commission, tour Commission, car Rental Commission, umrah Package Sales and group Travel Services.
Who are Sky Bird Travel Tours's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Travelport, BCD Travel, American Express Global Business Travel and Sabre Corporation. Direct peers are Direct Travel, WebBeds, Frosch Travel, HotelBeds, Omega World Travel and Travelong.
Does Sky Bird Travel Tours have an API?
Yes. skyAPI is mentioned as one of the booking channels available to partner agents, alongside Sabre GDS, Travelport GDS, and Amadeus GDS. Partner agents can access Sky Bird products and pricing through multiple channels including Sabre GDS, Travelport GDS, Amadeus GDS, skyAPI, and the WINGS Booking Platform.
What industry is Sky Bird Travel Tours in?
Sky Bird Travel Tours's product category is Airline Ticket Consolidation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAIAB, Air Travel Booking Platforms (Flights), with a secondary code of THAKALAK, Charter Flight Brokers & Air Charter Ticketing Agents. Its NAICS code is 561510 and its SIC code is 4522.