Southwest Airlines Selects CarTrawler to Power Enhanced Car Rental Experience

Partnership expected to support ancillary growth, Rapid Rewards engagement, and a more intuitive booking experience across Southwest's digital channels

DUBLIN, May 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CarTrawler, the leading B2B technology provider of car rental, ground transport and insurtech solutions to the global travel industry, has announced a new partnership with Southwest Airlines®, the largest domestic airline in the United States, that carried more than 134 million revenue passengers in 2025¹ and serves 122 destinations across the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. 

Southwest® has selected CarTrawler's Connect Platform to power a modern car rental experience, replacing its previous in-house car rental platform with a more dynamic retail-led solution across Southwest's digital channels.

The CarTrawler Connect Platform will make it easier for Southwest Customers and Rapid Rewards® members to compare, choose and book car options as part of their travel journey. Customers will gain access to a broader range of car rental options through a faster, more intuitive booking experience, designed for airline retailing environments. The enhanced platform is expected to support stronger conversion, improved merchandising, deeper loyalty engagement and long-term ancillary growth.

Southwest's selection of CarTrawler represents another major milestone and further reinforces its position as a trusted car rental partner for leading global travel brands. Southwest joins a growing list of major carriers using the CarTrawler Connect Platform, including Ryanair, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, easyJet, Qantas, Virgin Australia, Emirates, Air France-KLM Group. 

The scale of Southwest's operations, its extensive domestic network, and the strength of its Customer relationships and Rapid Rewards program make it one of the most significant airline car rental programs in North America.

The platform will present Customers with more relevant car rental options at key moments throughout the booking journey, while enabling Rapid Rewards members to earn points toward future travel when booking car rentals. Rapid Rewards points do not expire,² regardless of how they are earned, reinforcing Southwest's commitment to delivering more value across the travel experience.

"Southwest was looking for a trusted partner with deep expertise in car rental merchandising and optimization that could support the scale and complexity of our business," said Phil Gouel, Vice President Product Development at Southwest Airlines. "CarTrawler consistently stood out as an industry leader, with a proven platform and strong feedback from partners across the airline and travel sectors. This partnership allows us to deliver a more convenient and personalized experience, while continuing to give our Customers more opportunities to earn Rapid Rewards points as part of their journey."

CarTrawler continues to expand its presence in the North American airline market, as airlines place greater focus on delivering more relevant, value-added experiences across their digital channels. By combining global supply, data-driven personalisation, and loyalty integration capabilities, CarTrawler's Connect Platform helps airlines and travel brands improve merchandising, conversion and commercial performance across the booking journey.

"Southwest is one of the most recognised and respected airlines in the world, with an extensive network and loyal Customer base that makes car rental a highly relevant part of the travel journey," said Aileen McCormack, Chief Commercial Officer at CarTrawler. "This partnership brings together Southwest's Customer focus with CarTrawler's proven airline retailing technology, helping deliver a more seamless car rental experience. Southwest's decision to select CarTrawler reflects the strength of our Connect Platform, our deep expertise in car rental merchandising, and our ability to support complex airline retailing programs at scale."

For more information about the CarTrawler and Southwest Airlines partnership, please contact Vanessa Horwell at [email protected]. 

About CarTrawler 

CarTrawler is a leading B2B technology platform powering car rental, ground transport and insurtech solutions for the global travel industry. Through its proprietary Connect Platform, CarTrawler enables airlines, online travel agencies and travel providers to unlock high-margin ancillary revenue and deliver seamless end-to-end customer experiences. Trusted by many of the world's leading travel brands, including Ryanair, American Airlines, Air France-KLM, Uber, easyJet, eDreams ODIGEO and American Express, CarTrawler connects partners to a global network spanning over 50,000 locations.

Headquartered in Dublin, with offices in Paris, London, New York and Sydney, CarTrawler's team of over 300 specialists combines deep industry expertise with advanced technology to drive partner success at scale. Its platform leverages data science, machine learning and dynamic pricing to optimise performance, increase conversion and maximise revenue.

About Southwest 

Southwest Airlines Co. operates one of the world's most admired and awarded airlines, offering its one-of-a-kind value and Hospitality at 122 airports across 12 countries. Southwest took flight in 1971 to democratize the sky through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel and now carries more air travelers flying nonstop within the United States than any other airline³. By empowering its more than 73,000⁴ People to deliver unparalleled Hospitality, the maverick airline cherishes a passionate loyalty among more than 134 million Customers carried in 2025. Southwest leverages a unique legacy and mission to serve communities around the world including harnessing the power of its People and Purpose to put communities at the Heart of its success. Learn more by visiting Southwest.com/citizenship.

^{1 Based on U.S. Dept. of Transportation quarterly Airline Origin & Destination Survey as of Q4 2025   
2 All Rapid Rewards rules and regulations apply. Learn more at Southwest.com/rrterms.
3} Based on U.S. Dept. of Transportation quarterly Airline Origin & Destination Survey as of Q4 2025 
⁴ Fulltime-equivalent active Employees as of March 31, 2026 

Media Contacts:  Visit the Southwest Newsroom at swamedia.com for multimedia assets and other Company news. 

SOURCE CarTrawler