Advance Passenger Information (API)
Personal traveler data that airlines collect and transmit to destination border authorities before a flight arrives.
Advance Passenger Information is a structured dataset — typically including passport details, nationality, date of birth, and travel document expiry — that airlines are legally required to capture from passengers and submit to immigration authorities at the destination country before the aircraft lands. API requirements vary by country but are now standard practice on international routes, particularly those crossing borders into the US, UK, EU, and Australia.
Why it matters
For corporate travellers, API compliance is non-negotiable. Failure to submit accurate data on time can result in boarding being refused, supplementary screening at the destination, or the traveler being flagged on arrival. Programme managers and booking platforms must ensure that traveler profiles are complete — including passport numbers, nationalities, and expiry dates — before international tickets are issued, because missing data creates friction at every step.
How it works in practice
API data is collected at the time of booking or check-in and transmitted electronically by the airline to the destination country's border authority, typically several hours before departure. Many airlines capture this data through their booking flow or at online check-in. Corporate booking tools and traveler profiles that store verified passport details enable automatic API submission, reducing the risk of last-minute data gaps for frequent business travellers.
The takeaway
Keep traveler profiles complete and current. Passport details that expire between booking and travel — or documents not entered correctly at booking — can cause preventable delays. Building API data verification into the pre-trip checklist guarantees travellers are cleared before they reach the airport.