TBO vs Tripjack vs eTrav: Best B2B Portal for Indian Agents in 2026
By Kabir Malhotra (Kabir Malhotra writes about how Indian travel buyers actually pay — UPI vs credit card vs forex card surcharges, reward-point math on the top travel credit cards, RBI tokenisation, EMI-on-flights and the small fees that compound across a year of bookings.) · Published · 12 min read
TBO, Tripjack, and eTrav are the three platforms most Indian travel agents end up comparing when they start out. They look similar on the surface — all give you GDS access, wallet-based booking, and sub-agent management. The real differences are in inventory depth, LCC coverage, API terms, and what size of agency each one is actually built for.
TL;DR — Which Portal Wins for Which Agent?
For domestic LCC-focused agents: Tripjack is the sharpest on IndiGo, Akasa, Air India Express content and has the cleanest UI. For international-heavy agencies (Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe): TBO's inventory depth is hard to beat. For corporate and group specialists who value deep airline relationships and sub-agent management: eTrav is the veteran worth considering. Most high-volume agents eventually hold accounts on at least two of the three to arbitrage net fares.
Inventory Depth: Where Each Portal Is Strongest
TBO has arguably the widest international coverage of the three — strong on GCC (Gulf) routes, Southeast Asia, and intra-Europe content. If your clients are frequently flying Delhi–Dubai, Kochi–Abu Dhabi, Mumbai–Kuala Lumpur, or any of the hundreds of routes where Middle East carriers like IndiGo codeshares, Air Arabia, and flydubai play, TBO's content is deep. They also have solid hotel and holiday package inventory layered in.
Tripjack wins on domestic. Their IndiGo, Akasa Air, Air India, Air India Express, and SpiceJet net fares are consistently competitive, and they're often faster to add new LCC sale fares into their system than the older platforms. International content is present but thinner — adequate for common routes, but if a client needs something unusual like a multi-leg Africa routing, you'll probably switch to TBO for that booking.
eTrav sits between the two — solid domestic and decent international, with particularly good content on group and series fares (bulk-seat agreements where you buy a block of seats at a fixed price weeks in advance). If group bookings (15+ pax, pilgrimage tours, corporate offsites) are a meaningful part of your business, eTrav's group desk relationships are worth having.
Wallet System and Payment: How Each One Works
All three operate on prepaid wallet systems — you load money in advance, and each booking debits your wallet. This is standard B2B practice in India; it eliminates credit risk for the platform and means you book in real time without waiting for payment clearance.
TBO: Wallet top-up via NEFT/IMPS is reflected quickly (usually within 1–2 hours during business hours). Minimum wallet thresholds vary by account tier. Refunds from cancelled bookings credit back to the wallet — timeline can be 7–14 days for airline-initiated cancellations.
Tripjack: Similar top-up mechanics; known for relatively faster refund crediting on domestic bookings (often 3–7 days for IndiGo/Akasa refunds). Their wallet dashboard is cleaner to read than TBO's — the ledger view is easier to reconcile at month-end.
eTrav: Adds the option of a credit line for established accounts — a float that lets you book slightly beyond your deposited amount. Useful for large group bookings where you can't always pre-load the full amount. This is a genuine differentiator for agencies doing regular ₹5–20 lakh group tickets.
For a newer platform that handles wallet management with an advance-credit model built in, FlightGPT Partner is worth comparing — especially if you want integrated AI search alongside booking.
LCC Access: Does Each Portal Catch All the Cheap Fares?
This is where it matters most for domestic bookings. India's LCC landscape in 2026 is dominated by IndiGo, with Air India Express and Akasa Air taking growing shares, and SpiceJet operating a constrained network. Air India covers premium and a growing number of metro routes post-Vistara merger.
Tripjack is generally regarded as having the strongest IndiGo content — they've had a long working relationship and their system often reflects IndiGo sale fares quickly. Akasa Air is also well-represented.
TBO is competitive on most domestic LCCs but the UI for domestic search is less slick. Where TBO shines is on international LCCs — Air Arabia, FlyDubai, AirAsia routes — where Tripjack can be thinner.
eTrav has all the major LCCs but sometimes slightly higher net fares on competitive domestic sectors. The trade-off is their group booking desks, which can get you block fares that none of the standard B2B booking interfaces show.
Practically: search the same flight across all portals you're registered on before booking. A ₹150–300 difference on net fare compounds significantly across a hundred bookings a month.
API Access: Who Offers It and At What Price?
If you eventually want to build your own booking interface, integrate inventory into a custom CRM, or pipe content into a consumer app, you'll need API access. All three platforms offer this — but not to everyone, and usually at a premium.
TBO API is probably the most widely used by third-party developers in India — there's a reasonable ecosystem of PHP/Node developers who know the TBO API. Access is tiered based on volume commitments and a separate fee structure. Expect a contractual conversation before you get sandbox credentials.
Tripjack API has improved significantly over the last couple of years. Documentation has gotten better, and their response times are competitive. They're more accessible to mid-size agencies wanting API access than TBO historically was — worth calling their tech team directly if this is a priority.
eTrav API is mature and well-documented, particularly for group booking workflows. If your tech team needs to automate group seat holds and releases, eTrav's API handles this better than the other two.
Sub-Agent Management: Building a Network Under Your Account
All three support sub-agent hierarchies — you can onboard associate agents who book through your account and earn a margin split. The implementation differs in how granular your control is.
TBO's sub-agent module is comprehensive: you can set markup caps, view sub-agent-wise P&L, and limit which products they can book. eTrav is similarly deep here and is the preferred choice for franchise-model agencies that run 20–50 sub-agents under a master account. Tripjack's sub-agent management is functional but slightly lighter — adequate for small networks (under 10 sub-agents) but can feel constrained as you scale.
If you're building a B2B network specifically, this is worth demoing before you commit. Ask each platform to walk you through sub-agent creation, markup setting, and what reports you get on sub-agent activity. The interfaces differ significantly.
Which Platform for Which Agency Size?
| Agency Profile | Best Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New/solo agent, mostly domestic | Tripjack | Clean UI, strong LCC fares, fast onboarding |
| International-heavy (Gulf/SEA/Europe) | TBO | Deep international inventory, solid hotel content |
| Corporate/group specialist | eTrav | Group fares, credit line, deep sub-agent management |
| Franchise model (many sub-agents) | eTrav or TBO | More granular sub-agent controls at scale |
| Tech-first / API integration | TBO or Tripjack | Larger developer ecosystems, better API docs |
| High volume, wants best net fares | All three + compare | Net fares vary by sector; multi-portal comparison pays |
Bottom Line: You Don't Have to Pick Just One
Experienced agents rarely limit themselves to one portal. Register on Tripjack and TBO at minimum — domestic on Tripjack, international on TBO — and add eTrav if group bookings become a regular line. The wallet deposits are working capital, not lost money, and the ability to cross-check net fares across portals is one of the most reliable ways to protect your margin without charging clients more.
For a more modern take on agent tooling — AI-assisted search layered on top of traditional B2B inventory — check out FlightGPT Partner. And use FlightGPT's consumer search to spot publicly available fares as a cross-reference before booking.
See also: White-Label Flight Portals for Indian Agents | How Much Can a Travel Agent Mark Up Flights?
Frequently asked questions
Is TBO or Tripjack better for domestic flight bookings in India?
Tripjack is generally regarded as stronger for domestic LCC content — particularly IndiGo and Akasa Air. Their domestic net fares are often marginally better and their UI for domestic search is cleaner. TBO's domestic content is solid but its real advantage is international inventory.
Do all three portals — TBO, Tripjack, and eTrav — offer API access?
Yes, all three offer API access, but it's typically not free and requires volume commitments or separate agreements. TBO has the largest third-party developer ecosystem in India. Tripjack's API documentation has improved significantly. eTrav's API is mature and particularly strong for group booking automation.
Can I run sub-agents under my TBO or Tripjack account?
Yes. All three platforms support sub-agent hierarchies. TBO and eTrav offer more granular control at scale (markup caps, product-level restrictions, consolidated P&L). Tripjack's sub-agent management is functional for smaller networks. If you plan to onboard many sub-agents, demo the sub-agent management module specifically before signing up.
Which portal is best for a travel agent focused on Gulf routes?
TBO has the deepest content for India–Gulf routes — IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, Air Arabia, FlyDubai, and full-service carriers. If Gulf (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Riyadh, Dammam) bookings are a core part of your business, TBO's international inventory is the standard recommendation among agents.
What minimum wallet deposit do these portals require?
Minimums vary and change with account tiers. Broadly, new accounts typically need to deposit ₹25,000–1 lakh to start booking. eTrav offers credit lines to established accounts, which can reduce the upfront wallet burden for large bookings. Always confirm current deposit requirements directly with the platform.
Is eTrav good for group travel bookings?
Yes — eTrav is consistently cited by agents as having the best group booking support among the three. Their group desk can access block/series fares (where you buy a batch of seats at a fixed price in advance) that aren't visible in standard online search. If groups of 15+ passengers are a regular part of your business, eTrav's group team is worth engaging.