How is Amadeus’ Distributed Data Exchange Project helping build a frictionless travel experience?

At Amadeus, we are primarily known for our transformative work in the travel and hospitality space. It’s an area where we have excelled for nearly four decades. But our cutting-edge technology has many wider applications.

An example is the work we are currently carrying out on the Distributed Data Exchange Project (DXP).

This five-year undertaking aims to create open-source, cloud-agnostic capabilities that enable secure, compliant, and decentralized data sharing across the travel and mobility ecosystem. In time, this will facilitate the exchange of data between different companies across the travel industry, offering a frictionless experience to travelers.

Technology deployed in the context of the EONA-X dataspace was used during the Paris 2024 Olympics to facilitate collaboration and data exchange between the airport infrastructures and transportation providers.

Both indoor and outdoor logistics for 60,000 delegates (athletes but also media) were supported, using predictive simulations of a digital twin to optimize processes and assign pickup zones.

Data connectors operated by Amadeus were used for trusted data exchange with the French Home Office, enabling real-time coordination with authorities to safeguard delegations across the Greater Paris area.

It also supported the necessary logistics for special requirements, whether related to equipment (such as pole vault gear) or individual needs (such as those of Paralympic athletes).

Amadeus’ DXP will work by applying a data mesh architecture to distributed data ecosystems, fostering trusted data exchanges over the systems of any provider. It will allow the creation of ecosystems that connect all travel actors, enabling the integration of the long tail of content providers.

This is an essential capability to improve the traveler experience, supporting the development of truly end-to-end journeys.

DXP aims to deliver a new approach to data exchange, making it simple, scalable, sustainable, trustworthy, and economically attractive. It will make it possible to create trusted ecosystems in which several participants are connected, empowering them to publish data and services that can be discovered by other participants.

At the same time, the open-source and cloud-agnostic architecture of DXP will allow data and service providers to remain in control of their assets at all times. This is thanks to the establishment of digital contracts, allowing consumers to access data directly from the source.

These technology principles are already used within Amadeus’ Open Platform and can now be utilized by external ecosystems to support their own solutions.

DXP means peace of mind for the traveler. By supporting the creation of ecosystems for a simpler exchange of data between major players, it will enable the development of innovative services to build a seamless and secure travel experience.

Among the early benefits of DXP will be end-to-end trip planning, offering continuous integration with all service providers, creating genuine door-to-door solutions. Soon, we will be able to take advantage of Agentic AI to orchestrate this journey.

Connection capabilities built by DXP will allow the implementation of frictionless passage through airport touchpoints and more. This will be the solution behind the scenes, allowing for near-real-time re-accommodation in case of delays across multi-modal trips.

DXP will allow for the development of new, more personalized services for passengers with specific requirements, be they linked to health, business, or group handling.

Amadeus is aligning DXP with the EU’s strategic goals (European Strategy for Data) to promote digital autonomy. The project enables cross-border data exchange while respecting EU jurisdiction and privacy laws.

Our solutions will contribute to the creation of new, value-added services within the tourism and mobility ecosystem.

New capabilities will be produced to reduce vendor lock-in, facilitate data exchanges between players, and allow anyone to participate and build innovative solutions. We hope this will contribute to the economic growth of the EU, improving productivity and competitiveness. At the same time, DXP is fully aligned with wider EU principles such as privacy, interoperability, transparency, and openness.

The project receives funding from Bpifrance (BPI), a French public sector investment bank, as part of the France 2030 investment plan. This 54ドル billion plan aims to position the country as a leader in breakthrough technologies, with a strong focus on the digital economy. France 2030 supports the development of strategic sectors such as cloud computing, AI, and immersive technologies, while promoting open data and innovation ecosystems.

This project is part of a wider undertaking, known as the Important Project of Common European Interest on Next-Generation Cloud Infrastructure & Services (IPCEI-CIS), which is designed to support research, development, and initial industrial deployment of European innovations in cloud and edge technologies.

IPCEI-CIS will drive the development of interoperable and accessible European data processing technologies, enabling a cloud to edge continuum across multiple providers. It aims to facilitate research to develop open-source software, allowing for real-time and low-latency applications by distributed computing resources close to the users.