United and Travelport Launch New Collaboration Model to Accelerate NDC and Modern Retailing

United Airlines and Travelport have entered a strategic agreement that both companies describe as a new model of collaboration between an airline and a global distribution system. The partnership aims to accelerate development of New Distribution Capability (NDC) features and modern retailing tools used by travel agencies and corporate buyers.

Unlike traditional GDS relationships, where airlines and distribution platforms build technology independently before attempting to integrate it, United and Travelport will now co-create functionality for the Travelport Plus platform. According to Travelport chief commercial officer Jason Toothman, this shift is intended to eliminate long-standing friction points in the adoption of airline retailing technology.

United already distributes NDC content through the major GDSs, primarily for merchandising bundles that include items such as extra-legroom seating, checked bags or club passes. The new agreement will allow Travelport to deploy United’s merchandising and post-booking features more efficiently across Travelport Plus and the company’s Deem online booking tool for corporate travel.

Corporate buyers are expected to gain access to a wider set of United OBT extras, including the ability to pool unused travel credits, enroll in MileagePlus directly within the booking workflow and use United Jetstream amenity funds as a payment method for ancillary products. These additions position both companies to strengthen corporate travel value propositions as demand continues to recover.

Rollout of the new capabilities will take place in phases beginning early next year and continuing through 2026. United plans to support agencies throughout the transition with specialized teams to streamline adoption and help maximize the benefits of the enhanced NDC features.

The agreement signals a deeper cooperative approach to retailing technology development at a time when airlines, GDSs and travel management companies are all working to modernize content delivery and improve consistency in the booking experience.