Southwest Airlines Selects CarTrawler for Enhanced Car Rental Experience | News
CarTrawler, the leading B2B technology provider of car rental, ground transportation and insurtech solutions to the global travel industry, has announced a new partnership with Southwest Airlines®, the largest domestic airline in the United States, carrying more than 134 million paying passengers in 20251 and serving 122 destinations in the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.
Southwest® selected CarTrawler’s Connect Platform to enable a modern car rental experience, replacing the previous in-house car rental platform with a more dynamic, retail-focused solution through Southwest’s digital channels.
The CarTrawler Connect Platform makes it easier for Southwest customers and Rapid Rewards® members to compare, choose and book car options as part of their trip. Customers gain access to a wider range of car rental options through a faster, more intuitive booking experience, designed for airline retail environments. The enhanced platform is expected to support stronger conversions, improved merchandising, deeper loyalty engagement and additional long-term growth.
Southwest’s selection of CarTrawler represents another important milestone and strengthens its position as a trusted car rental partner for leading global travel brands. Southwest joins a growing list of major airlines using the CarTrawler Connect Platform, including Ryanair, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, easyJet, Qantas, Virgin Australia, Emirates and Air France-KLM Group.
Southwest’s scale of operations, extensive domestic network and strength of its customer relationships and Rapid Rewards program make it one of the premier airline car rental programs in North America.
The platform will offer customers more relevant car rental options at key points during the booking process, while Rapid Rewards members can earn points towards future trips when booking car rentals. Rapid Rewards points do not expire2 regardless of how they are earned, reinforcing Southwest’s commitment to providing more value throughout the travel experience.
“Southwest was looking for a trusted partner with deep expertise in car rental merchandising and optimization who could support the scale and complexity of our business,” said Phil Gouel, Vice President of Product Development at Southwest Airlines. “CarTrawler has consistently stood out as a market leader, with a proven platform and strong feedback from airline and travel industry partners. This partnership allows us to deliver a more convenient and personalized experience, while continuing to offer our customers more opportunities to earn Rapid Rewards points as part of their travel.”
CarTrawler continues to expand its presence in the North American aviation market as airlines place greater emphasis on delivering more relevant, value-added experiences through their digital channels. By combining global offerings, data-driven personalization 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 recognized 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 Southwest’s customer focus together with CarTrawler’s proven retail technology to deliver a more seamless car rental experience. Southwest’s decision to choose CarTrawler reflects the power of our Connect Platform, our deep expertise in car rental merchandising and our ability to support complex airline retail 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 on Southwest’s website and app, making it easy for travelers to compare, choose and book vehicles as part of their travel planning.
This move also reflects how airlines are working to keep more of the travel experience within their own digital channels rather than redirecting it to third-party sites, especially as loyalty programs become increasingly tied to services like car rentals, travel insurance and ground transportation.
Southwest carried more than 134 million paying passengers in 2025, making its car rental program one of the largest loyalty and additional engagement opportunities in the North American aviation market.
