> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.payvessel.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Book a Flight

> Confirm a flight booking with passenger details

Book a selected flight by submitting passenger details. PayVessel reserves the seats with the airline and returns a **booking ID** and your internal **reference**. After booking, collect payment from your customer and then call [Issue Ticket](/flight/ticket-flight) to issue the final e-ticket and PNR.

## How it works

1. Call [Select a Flight](/flight/select-flight) to lock in the price and get a fresh `flightKey`.
2. **POST** passenger details to this endpoint.
3. Receive a PayVessel `reference` and a `bookingId` — save both.
4. Collect payment from your customer.
5. Call [Issue Ticket](/flight/ticket-flight) with the `bookingId` to complete the ticket.

## Usage

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.payvessel.com/pms/api/external/request/flights/book/ \
  -H "api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "api-secret: YOUR_API_SECRET" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "flightKey": "a1b2c3d4e5f6...",
    "contactEmail": "traveller@example.com",
    "contactPhone": "08031234567",
    "passengers": [
      {
        "firstName": "Amina",
        "lastName": "Ibrahim",
        "title": "Mrs",
        "dateOfBirth": "1988-03-22",
        "gender": "Female",
        "passengerType": "Adult",
        "nationality": "NG",
        "passportNumber": "A12345678",
        "passportExpiryDate": "2030-03-22",
        "email": "amina.ibrahim@example.com",
        "phoneNumber": "08031234567"
      }
    ]
  }'
```

## Request body

| Field          | Type   | Required | Description                                               |
| -------------- | ------ | -------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| `flightKey`    | string | Yes      | `flightKey` from [Select a Flight](/flight/select-flight) |
| `contactEmail` | string | Yes      | Primary contact email for booking notifications           |
| `contactPhone` | string | Yes      | Primary contact phone number                              |
| `passengers`   | array  | Yes      | At least one passenger object (see below)                 |

### Passenger object

| Field                | Type   | Required | Description                                       |
| -------------------- | ------ | -------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| `firstName`          | string | Yes      | Passenger first name (as on ID)                   |
| `lastName`           | string | Yes      | Passenger last name (as on ID)                    |
| `title`              | string | Yes      | `Mr`, `Mrs`, `Ms`, `Dr`, or `Prof`                |
| `dateOfBirth`        | date   | Yes      | `YYYY-MM-DD`                                      |
| `gender`             | string | Yes      | `Male` or `Female`                                |
| `passengerType`      | string | Yes      | `Adult`, `Child`, or `Infant`                     |
| `nationality`        | string | Yes      | ISO 3-letter country code (e.g. `NGA`)            |
| `passportNumber`     | string | No       | Required for international flights                |
| `passportExpiryDate` | date   | No       | Required for international flights (`YYYY-MM-DD`) |
| `email`              | string | No       | Passenger email                                   |
| `phoneNumber`        | string | No       | Passenger phone number                            |

## Response

| Field                    | Type    | Description                                                     |
| ------------------------ | ------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `status`                 | boolean | `true` on success                                               |
| `message`                | string  | Human-readable message                                          |
| `data.reference`         | string  | PayVessel booking reference (e.g. `FLT-A1B2C3D4E5F6`)           |
| `data.booking.bookingId` | string  | Booking ID — required for [Issue Ticket](/flight/ticket-flight) |
| `data.booking.status`    | string  | Booking status (`BOOKED`)                                       |

```json theme={null}
{
  "status": true,
  "message": "Flight booked successfully",
  "data": {
    "reference": "FLT-A1B2C3D4E5F6",
    "booking": {
      "bookingId": "BK-20260820-98765",
      "status": "BOOKED",
      "airline": "Arik Air",
      "flightNumber": "W3 204",
      "origin": "LOS",
      "destination": "ABV",
      "departureTime": "2026-08-20T06:30:00",
      "passengers": [
        {
          "firstName": "Amina",
          "lastName": "Ibrahim",
          "passengerType": "Adult"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

<Warning>
  Save the `reference` and `booking.bookingId` immediately — you will need `bookingId` to issue the ticket.
</Warning>

<Card title="API Reference" icon="code" href="/api-reference/flight/book">
  Full request/response details and Try it
</Card>