Prinicipal, Airline Partnerships

About the Role

As Principal, Airline Partnerships, you will own the execution of Engine’s airline supply ecosystem — serving as the subject-matter expert and execution lead for airline partnerships and supply-side connectivity strategy, while partnering closely with Product and Engineering on product design and delivery.

This is a senior individual contributor role operating at the intersection of supply strategy, product, commercial, and pricing. You will act as the single-threaded owner for air supply initiatives, driving clear recommendations, execution, and outcomes across airline partnerships, connectivity models, and commercial alignment.

This role provides deep airline domain expertise, structured judgment, and execution leadership to inform and support those decisions as flights continue to scale as a core Engine capability.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the strategy and execution for Engine’s air supply ecosystem aligned to 2026 priorities
• Identify, negotiate, and activate direct airline agreements in partnership with executive leadership
• Define and drive Engine’s preferred airline connectivity strategy by carrier and market
• Own senior airline relationships and serve as the internal subject-matter expert on airline distribution models (NDC, GDS, fare filing, ancillaries)
• Develop and maintain a strategic roadmap for airline content, connectivity, and commercial alignment
• Partner cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Pricing, and Operations to translate strategy into delivered outcomes
• Provide clear recommendations on tradeoffs across customer experience, coverage, performance, and margin
• Track and report on air supply KPIs to measure progress against strategy
• Monitor industry dynamics across airline commercial, distribution technology, regulatory, and competitive landscapes to inform Engine’s long-term positioning

What We’re Looking For

• 7–10+ years of experience in airline distribution, supply strategy, partnerships, or commercial roles
• Deep understanding of airline distribution models, including NDC, GDS, fare filing, and ancillaries
• Strong commercial judgment with experience negotiating complex airline agreements
• Ability to translate airline supply dynamics into clear strategic recommendations
• Proven ability to drive cross-functional execution without direct authority
• Clear, executive-level written and verbal communication skills
• Comfort operating in ambiguity and making tradeoff-driven decisions

Nice to Have

• Experience at an airline, OTA, GDS, aggregator, or travel platform
• Familiarity with ARC settlement and airline commercial constructs
• Experience working with API-based distribution or airline connectivity platforms