United Airlines (UA) and Travelport have entered into a long-term strategic relationship that brings a new model of collaboration to the global travel industry, redefining how airlines and multi-source content providers work together. The agreement marks a departure from the traditional airline-distributor setup, with both companies committing to deeper technical integration, shared development resources, and faster delivery of innovative retailing tools for travel agencies and corporate buyers.
Under this partnership, Travelport gains early access to United’s NDC (New Distribution Capability) technology roadmap, enabling it to co-develop and deliver new features more rapidly. By working closely with United’s development teams, Travelport aims to equip travel counselors and corporate travel managers with enhanced merchandising and servicing tools available through its next-generation platform, Travelport+. The collaboration will ensure agencies and travel management companies have access to richer content, improved fare transparency, and more flexible retailing options.
United Airlines emphasized that the strengthened relationship will help ensure its travel agency and corporate partners receive the most advanced retail travel solutions. By working alongside Travelport, the airline aims to establish a higher standard for distribution transparency and value, ultimately improving how travelers shop for and manage United flights. Travelport echoed this sentiment, describing the partnership as a major milestone that advances the industry’s shift toward modern airline retailing. By combining United’s growing suite of NDC-enabled capabilities with Travelport’s technology, the partnership is expected to benefit customers worldwide through better choice and improved service solutions.
A key component of the agreement is the introduction of United’s Online Booking Tool (OBT) extras into Travelport’s Deem OBT platform. This integration will eventually give corporate travelers access to a range of customer-friendly features, including the ability to pool unused United travel credits, enroll directly into the United MileagePlus loyalty program, and use United Jetstream amenity funds as a form of payment for ancillary products. These extras will also be made available through Travelport+, giving travel counselors direct access to the same expanded functionality.
The new model also prioritizes accelerated innovation. With co-developed features rolling out faster, agencies and corporate buyers can expect more frequent enhancements to search, booking, and servicing tools. Both companies have dedicated development teams committed to building capabilities optimized for Travelport+, a modern retailing platform designed to offer faster search results, improved automation, and better content curation.
The partnership will roll out in phases beginning in early 2026. United will deploy specialized support teams to guide travel agencies through the transition and ensure the smooth adoption of enhanced NDC features. This includes ensuring that agencies fully benefit from the advanced retailing capabilities developed through the collaboration.