Powering around 70 airlines and 200 travel brands, CarTrawler is one of the world’s leading B2B mobility solutions providers. Boasting partners from all four corners of the world, including American Airlines, Jet2, and Qantas, CarTrawler’s mission is to get airlines closer to their customers through car rental.

In an exclusive interview, CEO Peter O’Donovan reveals what gives CarTrawler an edge in the market and how he sees their position in the travel industry moving forward. Key to the company’s proposition is their proprietary platform that gives customers access to car rental in over 50,000 locations.

We have a really advanced machine learning-based revenue management platform that adapts prices in real time to optimise revenue outcomes.

O’Donovan also sees car rental as critical to evolving airline loyalty programmes. American Airlines AAdvantage and and United’s MileagePlus are among CarTrawler’s loyalty partners, with customers able to put points towards car rental.

That allows customers to get value from the loyalty points they generate, so they don’t just sit on a card somewhere. And that investment in loyalty is very productive for us and very powerful for airline marketers.

Insurance tech company Koala was recently acquired by CarTrawler, offering a significant opportunity for the company to upgrade its offering. Through Koala, CarTrawler partners add products such as cancel for any reason to booking flows. This focus on delivering value to partners is what O’Donovan believes makes the company stand out in a competitive market.

Our proposition is developed from the ground up with B2B in mind, allowing us to deliver customised solutions to our airline partners. So the fact that our platform can adapt and adapt in a very scalable way is why we continue to win and retain new business.

Looking at the future of the travel industry, O’Donovan predicts that premiumisation and personalisation will continue to be transformative trends. In technology, he sees AI as another tool that could be used to push CarTrawler’s advantage.

We are exploring and delivering solutions through generative AI, be that agentic solutions or large language models. There’s lots of opportunity in what is a very fast emerging and dynamic space.

🎥 Watch the interview to hear Peter O’Donovan’s full thoughts on car rental, airline ancillaries, and the B2B market.

Questions asked include:

  • CarTrawler recently acquired the insurtech company Koala. How does this acquisition enhance your partner-first strategy and expand the value you deliver across the travel ecosystem?
  • How does your pure B2B model give you an edge?
  • How has your loyalty proposition evolved?
  • As Chief Executive of CarTrawler, what do you see as the biggest risk and opportunity for the travel industry for 2026?

Join us at World Aviation Festival 2025 to discuss the future of modern airline retailing.

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