On Dec. 6, car rental and mobility provider CarTrawler announced a new partnership with United Airlines for a car rental platform.

As part of the multi-year partnership, United has integrated CarTrawler’s technology across its website and app so its customers can book cars through Avis Budget Group's brands. United’s MileagePlus members will also be able to earn miles on car rentals or redeem miles they have already accumulated to pay for rental cars.

CarTrawler’s technology analyzes customer and flight data, allowing the platform to deliver relevant rental offers with award miles — what the company says is a big advantage for customers amidst a tight car rental market. 

“CarTrawler’s industry leading technology uses data science to display contextual displays based on customer and flight data," Cormac Barry, CEO of CarTrawler, explains. "When customers are booking a flight through united.com or the United Airlines app, they’ll now see customized rental car offerings based on the size of their party and the duration of their trip, as well as their loyalty status, making it easier for passengers to book cars through United’s car rental partner, Avis Budget. The result is more customers directed to Avis Budget, stronger ancillary revenue for United, and better flexibility on ground transportation for United customers.”

“CarTrawler’s loyalty proposition for car rentals allows United MileagePlus members to both earn and redeem miles on car rentals," Barry adds. "CarTrawler also gives United the ability to award miles based on multiple variables, such as tier class. The new partnership will allow United customers to save up to 35% off base rates from Avis Budget, and earn up to 1,250 MileagePlus miles per booking.”

Reportedly, one goal of the partnership is to drive new streams of ancillary revenue through car rental services for the travel industry as it continues its pandemic recovery. This news follows a number of other partnerships for CarTrawler within North America, including Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Hopper, Hotels.com, American Express, WestJet, and Uber.  

“United has always embraced innovation and close collaboration with strategic partners where the intended objective is to deliver a differentiated and elevated travel experience for our passengers,” said Shane Smith, managing director of product and partnerships at United. “CarTrawler is setting a new standard in B2B travel platforms. We’re looking forward to harnessing those enhanced digital capabilities across our MileagePlus program and we believe this partnership will not only strengthen the value proposition for our existing loyalty members, but it will also serve as another compelling reason for why all airline travelers should join MileagePlus.”