United Airlines Holdings Inc. (UAL) and Travelport announced Tuesday they've struck a multi-year deal that goes well beyond the usual airline-distributor handshake. The agreement gives travel agencies and corporate travel managers enhanced tools to shop, book, and manage United flights through New Distribution Capability technology, the industry's modern replacement for decades-old booking systems.

What makes this arrangement different is the early access component. Travelport gets a front-row seat to United's NDC product roadmap and a say in what gets built. Instead of simply distributing United's inventory, the two companies are assigning dedicated teams to co-develop features specifically for Travelport+, the platform used by travel agencies and corporate buyers.

Andrew Nocella, United's executive vice president and chief commercial officer, framed the partnership as a way to deliver "the most innovative retail travel solutions available" to agencies and corporate customers. Translation: United wants its full menu of products and services available wherever corporate travelers and their managers are booking flights, not just on United's own website.

The practical benefits sound genuinely useful. United plans to integrate Online Booking Tool features into Travelport's Deem platform, including the ability to pool unused United travel credits across a company, enroll employees directly in the United MileagePlus loyalty program during booking, and tap into United Jetstream amenity funds to pay for extras like seat upgrades or checked bags.

The timeline stretches into 2026, with initial capabilities expected early in the year and additional functions rolling out over the following months. United says it will provide support to help travel agencies navigate the transition to the new tools.

UAL Price Action: United Airlines Holdings shares were up 0.38% at $101.50 at the time of publication on Tuesday.