Southwest Airlines Selects CarTrawler to Power Enhanced Car Rental Experience | News
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.”
The partnership, which went live last week, gives Southwest Customers and Rapid Rewards members access to a broader range of car rental options through a more integrated booking experience across Southwest’s website and app, allowing travelers to easily compare, choose, and book vehicles as part of their trip planning.
The move also reflects how airlines are working to keep more of the travel experience within their own digital channels rather than directing to third-party sites, particularly as loyalty programs become more connected to services such as car rental, travel insurance and ground transportation.
Southwest carried more than 134 million revenue passengers in 2025, making its car rental program one of the largest loyalty and ancillary engagement opportunities in the North American airline market.
