global travel services amex

About American Express Global Business Travel 

American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) is the world’s leading B2B travel platform, providing software and services to manage travel, expenses, and meetings and events for companies of all sizes. We have built the most valuable marketplace in B2B travel to deliver unrivalled choice, value and experiences. With travel professionals in more than 140 countries, our customers and travelers enjoy the powerful backing of American Express Global Business Travel.

Visit amexglobalbusinesstravel.com for more information about Amex GBT, and follow @amexgbt on Twitter , LinkedIn and Instagram .

Business Travel Made Simple

Experience moments that matter, with american express global business travel, at gbta 2019.

• August 5-7, 2019
• Chicago, Illinois
• McCormick Place Convention Center

Discover Business Travel Made Simple.

We listened carefully to what is necessary in a managed travel programme and created Business Travel Made Simple, one solution that brings together the best in travel technology and services to meet your organisation and traveller needs and demands. No complicated contracts, simple commercial terms, swift implementation, and employee engagement from the very start with both online and offline support 24/7/365. Key Highlights Business Travel Made Simple will have your travellers booking travel and saving you money in no time at all. Pricing Let’s not waste time spending hours negotiating complex pricing structures and endless clauses in what seems like a never-ending contract. We provide simple and straightforward pricing with a contract that is only two pages long. Implementation From start to finish, we have a complete suite of tools to make sure you are up and running quickly and efficiently. Change Management Easy-to-tailor employee communication tools will help you educate and support your travellers’ use of the technology and travel bookings, and we’ll provide advice when they need it quickly and effectively. Technology to Know your Travellers Business Travel Made Simple understands your travellers and technology is at the core of it. We deliver a personal seamless experience whether you are booking online or speaking to one of our consultants. It means that your travellers can book and communicate with us 24/7/365 no matter where they are. It also empowers our consultants so that they know your travellers even before they pick up the phone, answer an email message, or reply to a chat request. Savings and Compliance If your travellers are booking within policy, it saves you time, money, and anxiety. Our booking channels encourage your travellers to only book within your policy, maximising your savings and making sure you know where your travellers are, for peace of mind. Plus our relationship with suppliers means that you don’t have to worry about negotiating rates. We do all of that for you. Reporting A clear and comprehensive dashboard gives you access and reports when you need them. You’ll know when you need to make a change to policy and communicate to your travellers using the suite of templates available to you. On the road If any of your travellers face delays, we will contact them and provide the right support to get them moving again as quickly and as safely as possible. Our proactive locating and rebooking service helps your travellers avoid disruptions and stay productive

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The power behind the trip..

Our innovative suite of booking solutions gives travelers and travel managers the ability to seamlessly book business travel.

Recommended

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Contact Sales To find out more, get in touch with a GBT specialist who can help you optimise your travel management programme, gain visibility into travel spend, improve your traveller experience and more. Complete the form on the right and we’ll be in touch.

At American Express Global Business Travel (GBT), we believe in the strength of meaningful connections because when people are in front of people, anything can happen. We’re capturing these moments that matter at GBTA. Come join us and see how we’re propelling businesses forward with breakthrough technology, proven savings methods, best-in-class traveler care, and global consistency and security.

Don’t miss the opportunity to snap and share a selfie on your public Twitter or Instagram using #momentsthatmatter, for the chance to be part of our mosaic – a one-of-a-kind work of art. While you’re at the event, you’ll find out how the travel landscape is evolving, network with travel professionals, see live demos, and enjoy refreshments.

WE’RE AT BOOTH #2021

Monday, august 5, 2:30pm to 6:00pm, tuesday, august 6, wednesday, august 7, 9:00am to 11:30am, click here to access the full convention schedule.

Let’s meet one-on-one

Arrange a meeting with one of our consultants and enjoy a surprise gift.

JOIN US FOR THE AFTER-PARTY!

YOUR MOMENT

August 5, 2019, field museum, enjoy an unforgettable evening with dancing, open bar, and live performances., better than ezra, and featuring dj madrid.

Arrive early! We expect a packed party.

GBTA badge required for admission

We make business travel easy

• for you and for travellers.

See how easy business travel can be:

With Business Travel Made Simple, we make business travel easy. For you and for your travellers.

We understand that business travel isn’t always easy. After speaking to businesses like yours, we created a unified end-to-end travel and expense solution, designed on a single platform to minimise your costs and help you manage of your business travel programme.

MAXIMISE YOUR SAVINGS

Spot cost saving opportunities quickly. Our unified platform offers accurate forecasting and visibility of spend BEFORE and AFTER travel. It helps you see what your travellers are spending, meaning you can make informed decisions to set spending limits and optimise your business travel policy.

MAKING COMPLIANCE EASY

Eliminate travel and expense separation. We provide one place where all business travel and related expenses can be easily managed. Door-to-door booking via our online booking tool means you have sight of total trip activity and a smart graphical timeline to help you keep track of compliance and spending.

EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE

Put your travellers at the heart of the business travel experience with intelligent caller ID and designated support at their fingertips or just a phone call away 24/7. Proactive disruption management also anticipates your travellers’ needs and gets them where they need to be with minimal fuss.

DUTY OF CARE

Tools configured to your policy help locate your travellers, to identify where they are in case of disruption in their journey. Plus, we offer support with destination-specific advice, especially in emerging regions where your travellers may need extra guidance.

INSIGHTS AND REPORTING

See a clearer picture. And act decisively.

Knowledge is power. And our analytics and reporting products deliver through robust data, insights, and benchmarking so you can clearly understand your entire travel program— including your carbon footprint.

A tool built for you and your team:

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Authorise spend requests with pre-and post-approval.

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HOTEL MONITOR

Did you know Europe is experiencing a hotel development boom?

Our latest Hotel Monitor report examines how the region is responding to traveller demands despite an uncertain global economic outlook.

ACTE WHITEPAPER

Do your travellers demand a consumer experience when using your OBT?

They aren’t alone. In this whitepaper we’ve partnered with ACTE to explore the issues, concerns, and objectives around online booking.

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TERMS OF SERVICE | PRIVACY STATEMENT

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Tailor-made travel management.

Business travel doesn’t have to be complicated. From booking and expenses to duty of care and strategy, Amex GBT Select (Select TM ) simplifies everything, adapting to the needs of your business and travelers — effortlessly.

Contact sales to see how you can benefit from Amex GBT Select.

From savings to service, your needs drive our solutions.

Businesses that want to transform their corporate travel experience choose Select. And for good reason. With Select, the travel products and services help meet the needs of your company. Whether you’d like a cost-efficient travel program, or consultative advice, you can count on us for help.

Get up and running with a self-service online booking tool pre-loaded with booking options at preferential rates. You can access those same options through our travel counselors.

Meet the diverse needs of your business with scalable solutions that work for you and your teams. Select also easily integrates with your existing travel program and tech.

Streamline processes with automated tools that use your program data to help enhance your savings, simplify workflows, and keep travelers in the know.

Personalized

Support travelers on a personal level with itinerary-specific information and 24/7 digital assistance, delivered by our travel counselors.

Manage travel your way.

Get the right mix of corporate travel solutions to balance the needs of your business with the needs of your travelers.

Insights to savings

Quickly spot opportunities to save through easy reporting tools that show your travel program data. Put the data in context by comparing your travel spend to industry peers so you can activate change and boost savings.

Booking and expenses

When combined with our travel and expense tool, Amex GBT Neo, Select lets you manage bookings and expenses in a unified platform. Take advantage of over 2 million accommodations and preferential rates on everything from flights to hotels to car rentals.

Risk Management

Rest easy knowing travelers get a proactive flight disruption service, complete with notifications and rebooking assistance. Managers can also pinpoint a traveler’s location to minimize risk, make them feel supported, and fulfil the company’s duty of care responsibility.

Want to learn more?

We're here to help. Whether you’re considering business trips or you already have a travel program in place, get in touch today about our corporate travel solutions and services.

1 SURVEY METHODOLOGY

This poll was conducted between January 31 – February 8, 2024 among a sample of 2,005 US Adults, 1,007 Australia Adults, 1,002 Canada Adults, 1,002 UK Adults, 1,002 Japan Adults, 1,006 Mexico Adults and 1,005 India Adults who have at least a $50k+ income equivalent and typically travel at least once a year. The interviews were conducted online. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 2-4 percentage points. Some geographies may be weighted with fewer variables depending on local census data availability.

2 Gen-Z and Millennials are defined as respondents as being born between 1981 - 2012.

3 GenX are defined as respondents as being born between 1965 - 1980.

4 Baby Boomers are defined as respondents as being born between 1946 - 1964.

*Terms and Conditions

Fine Hotels + Resorts Program:  Fine Hotels + Resorts® (FHR) program benefits are available for new bookings made through American Express Travel with participating properties and are valid only for eligible U.S. Consumer, Business, and Corporate Platinum Card® Members, and Centurion® Members. Additional Platinum Card Members on Consumer and Business Platinum and Centurion Card Accounts are also eligible for FHR program benefits. Companion Card Members on Consumer Platinum and Centurion Card Accounts, Additional Business Gold and Additional Business Expense Card Members on Business Platinum and Centurion Card Accounts, and Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Card Members are not eligible for FHR program benefits. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express® Card, in the eligible Card Member's name, and that Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked. The average total value of the program benefits is based on prior-year bookings for stays of two nights; the actual value varies. Noon check-in and room upgrade are subject to availability and are provided at check-in; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. The type of experience credit or additional amenity (if applicable) varies by property; the experience credit will be applied to eligible charges up to the amount of the experience credit. Advance reservations are recommended for certain experience credits. The type and value of the daily breakfast (for two) varies by property; breakfast will be valued at a minimum of US$60 per room per day. If the cost of Wi-Fi is included in a mandatory property fee, a daily credit of that amount will be applied at check-out. Benefits are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay). Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional FHR benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the Property reserve the right to modify or revoke FHR benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you may have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your FHR benefits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in USD or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and amenities at those properties are subject to change. To be eligible for FHR program benefits, your eligible Card Account must not be cancelled. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.

The Hotel Collection Program:  The Hotel Collection (THC) benefits are available for new bookings of two consecutive nights or more made through American Express Travel with participating properties and are valid only for eligible U.S. Consumer and Business Gold Card, Platinum Card® Members, and Centurion® Members. Additional Card Members on Consumer and Business Platinum Card Accounts, and Additional Card Members on Consumer and Business Centurion Accounts are also eligible for THC program benefits. Delta SkyMiles® Gold and Platinum Card Members are not eligible. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express® Card, in the eligible Card Member's name, and that Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked. Room upgrade is subject to availability and is provided at check-in; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. The type of experience credit or additional amenity (if applicable) varies by property; the experience credit will be applied to eligible charges up to $100. Advance reservations are recommended for certain experience credits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay). Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional THC benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the Property reserve the right to modify or revoke the THC benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your THC benefits. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in USD or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and amenities at those properties are subject to change. To be eligible for THC program benefits, your eligible Card Account must not be cancelled. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.

$200 Hotel Credit:  Basic Card Members on U.S. Consumer Platinum Card Account are eligible to receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when they or Additional Platinum Card Members use their Cards to pay for eligible prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings made through American Express Travel (meaning through amextravel.com, the Amex® App, or by calling the phone number on the back of your eligible Card) or when Companion Platinum Card Members on such Platinum Card Accounts pay for eligible prepaid bookings for The Hotel Collection made through American Express Travel (meaning through amextravel.com, the Amex® App, or by calling the phone number on the back of your eligible Card). Please note, access to the benefit may take up to 24 hours to take effect on your Card after Account opening. Purchases by both the Basic Card Member and any Additional Card Members on the Card Account are eligible for statement credits. However, the total amount of statement credits for eligible purchases will not exceed $200 per calendar year, per Card Account. Fine Hotels + Resorts® program bookings may be made only by eligible U.S. Consumer Basic Platinum and Additional Platinum Card Members. The Hotel Collection bookings may be made by eligible U.S. Consumer Basic and Additional Platinum Card Members and Companion Platinum Card Members on the Platinum Card Account. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Card Members are not eligible for the benefit. To receive the statement credits, an eligible Card Member must make a new booking using their eligible Card through American Express Travel on or after July 1st, 2021, that is prepaid (referred to as "Pay Now" on amextravel.com and the Amex App), for a qualifying stay at an available, participating Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection property. Bookings of The Hotel Collection require a minimum stay of two consecutive nights. Eligible bookings must be processed before December 31st, 11:59PM Central Time, each calendar year to be eligible for statement credits within that year. Eligible bookings do not include interest charges, cancellation fees, property fees or other similar fees, or any charges by a property to you (whether for your booking, your stay or otherwise).  

Statement credits are typically received within a few days, however it may take 90 days after an eligible prepaid hotel booking is charged to the Card Account. American Express relies on the merchant’s processing of transactions to determine the transaction date. The transaction date may differ from the date you made the purchase if, for example, there is a delay in the merchant submitting the transaction to us or if the merchant uses another date as the transaction date. This means that in some cases your purchase may not earn the statement credit benefit for the benefit period in which you made the purchase. For example, if an eligible purchase is made on December 31st but the merchant processes the transaction such that it is identified to us as occurring on January 1st, then the statement credit available in the next calendar year will be applied. Statement credits may not be received or may be reversed if the booking is cancelled or modified. If the Card Account is canceled or past due, it may not qualify to receive a statement credit. If American Express does not receive information that identifies your transaction as eligible, you will not receive the statement credits. For example, your transaction will not be eligible if it is a booking: (i) made with a property not included in the Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection programs, (ii) not made through American Express Travel, or (iii) not made with an eligible Card. Participating properties and their availability are subject to change. If American Express, in its sole discretion, determines that you have engaged in or intend to engage in any manner of abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with this benefit, American Express will not have an obligation to provide and may reverse any statement credits provided to you. If a charge for an eligible purchase is included in a Pay Over Time balance on your Card Account, the statement credit associated with that charge may not be applied to that Pay Over Time balance. Instead, the statement credit may be applied to your Pay In Full balance. Please refer to  AmericanExpress.com/FHR  and  AmericanExpress.com/HC  for more information about Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection, respectively. 

5X Membership Rewards® Points Platinum Card:  Basic Card Members will get 1 Membership Rewards® point for each dollar charged for eligible purchases on their Platinum Card® or an Additional Card on their Account and 4 additional points (for a total of 5 points) for each dollar charged for eligible travel purchases on any Card on the Account (“Additional Points”), minus cancellations and credits. Eligible travel purchases are limited to: (i) purchases of air tickets on scheduled flights, of up to $500,000 in charges per calendar year, booked directly with passenger airlines or through American Express Travel (by calling 1-800-525-3355 or through AmexTravel.com); (ii) purchases of prepaid hotel reservations booked through American Express Travel; and (iii) purchases of prepaid flight+hotel packages booked through AmexTravel.com. Eligible travel purchases do not include: charter flights, private jet flights, flights that are part of tours, cruises, or travel packages (other than prepaid flight+hotel packages booked through AmexTravel.com), ticketing or similar service fees, ticket cancellation or change fees, property fees or similar fees, hotel group reservations or events, interest charges, or purchases of cash equivalents. Eligible prepaid hotel bookings or prepaid flight+hotel bookings that are modified directly with the hotel will not be eligible for Additional Points.

Bonuses that may be received with your Card on other purchase categories or in connection with promotions or offers from American Express cannot be combined with this benefit. Any portion of a charge that the Basic Card Member elects to cover through redemption of Membership Rewards points is not eligible to receive points. Additional terms and restrictions apply.

Merchants are assigned codes based on what they primarily sell. We group certain merchant codes into categories that are eligible for Additional Points. A purchase with a merchant will not earn Additional Points if the merchant’s code is not included in an Additional Points category. Basic Card Members may not receive Additional Points if we receive inaccurate information or are otherwise unable to identify your purchase as eligible for an Additional Points category. For example, you may not receive Additional Points when: a merchant uses a third-party to sell their products or services, a merchant uses a third-party to process or submit your transaction to us (e.g., using mobile or wireless card readers), or you choose to make a purchase using a third-party payment account or make a purchase using a mobile or digital wallet.

To be eligible for this benefit, the Card Account must not be cancelled. If American Express, in its sole discretion, determines that you have engaged in or intend to engage in any manner of abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with this benefit in any way American Express may remove access to this benefit from the Account. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card or visit americanexpress.com/rewards-info for more information about rewards.

5X Membership Rewards Points for Business Platinum Card:  You will get one point for each dollar charged for an eligible purchase on your Business Platinum Card® from American Express. You will get 4 additional points (for a total of 5 points) for each dollar spent on eligible travel purchases. Eligible travel purchases include scheduled flights and prepaid flight+hotel packages made online at AmexTravel.com, minus returns and other credits. Additionally, eligible travel purchases include prepaid hotel purchases made through American Express Travel, over the phone with our Travel Consultants or made online at AmexTravel.com, minus returns and other credits. Eligible travel purchases do NOT include non-prepaid hotel bookings, scheduled flights and prepaid flight+hotel packages over the phone, vacation packages, car rentals, cruise, hotel group reservations or events, ticketing service, cancellation or other fees, interest charges, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents. To be eligible for the 5x Membership Rewards® points, you must both reserve and charge the travel purchase with the same eligible Business Platinum Card®. To modify a reservation you must cancel and rebook your reservation. You can cancel and rebook your reservation on AmexTravel.com or by calling a representative of AmexTravel.com at 1-800-297-2977. Cancellations are subject to hotel cancellation penalty policies. If hotel reservations are made or modified directly with the hotel provider, the reservation will not be eligible for this 5X Membership Rewards® point benefit. To be eligible to receive extra points, Card account(s) must not be cancelled or past due at the time of extra points fulfillment. If booking is cancelled, the extra points will be deducted from the Membership Rewards account. Extra points will be credited to the Membership Rewards account approximately 6-10 weeks after eligible purchases appear on the billing statement. Bonuses you may receive with your Card on other purchase categories or in connection with promotions or offers from American Express may not be combined with this benefit. The benefits associated with the Additional Card(s) you choose may be different than the benefits associated with your basic Card. To learn about the benefits associated with Additional Card(s) you choose, please call the number on the back of your Card.

Merchants are assigned codes based on what they primarily sell. We group certain merchant codes into categories that are eligible for additional points. A purchase with a merchant will not earn additional points if the merchant’s code is not included in an additional points category. You may not receive additional points if we receive inaccurate information or are otherwise unable to identify your purchase as eligible for an additional points category. For example, you may not receive additional points when: a merchant uses a third-party to sell their products or services; or a merchant uses a third-party to process or submit your transaction to us (e.g., using mobile or wireless card readers); or you choose to make a purchase using a third-party payment account or make a purchase using a mobile or digital wallet.

Please visit  americanexpress.com/rewards-info  for more information about rewards.

Pay with Points:  To use Pay with Points, you must charge your eligible purchase through American Express Travel to a Membership Rewards® program-enrolled American Express® Card. Eligible purchases through American Express Travel exclude non-prepaid car rentals and non-prepaid hotels. Points will be debited from your Membership Rewards account, and credit for corresponding dollar amount will be issued to the American Express Card account used. If points redeemed do not cover entire amount, the balance of purchase price will remain on the American Express Card account. Minimum redemption 5,000 points.

See  membershiprewards.com/terms  for the Membership Rewards program terms and conditions.

If a charge for a purchase is included in a Pay Over Time balance on your Linked Account the statement credit associated with that charge may not be applied to that Pay Over Time balance. Instead the statement credit may be applied to your Pay in Full balance. If you believe this has occurred, please contact us by calling the number on the back of your Card. Corporate Card Members are not eligible for Pay Over Time.

Terms and Conditions for the Membership Rewards® program apply. Visit  membershiprewards.com/terms  for more information. Participating partners and available rewards are subject to change without notice.

The value of Membership Rewards points varies according to how you choose to use them. To learn more, go to  www.membershiprewards.com/pointsinfo .

American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. is acting solely as a sales agent for travel suppliers and is not responsible for the actions or inactions of such suppliers. Certain suppliers pay us commission and other incentives for reaching sales targets or other goals and may provide incentives to our Travel Consultants. For more information visit  americanexpress.com/travelterms

California CST#1022318; Washington UBI#600-469-694

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Heads up, the HRG Online Booking Tool is changing!

February 7, 2022 - Defence Stories

The HRG Shared Travel Services (STS) Portal will be migrating to a new interface on February 20, 2022 at 5:00 pm .

The new AMEX Global Business Travel (GBT) Travel Portal V2.0 will have all the same functionalities as the existing portal. Your username (TIN) and your password will remain the same.

What to expect during the launch of the new interface

• Portal will be unavailable during transition Please note the AMEX GBT Travel Portal V2.0 will be unavailable from Saturday, February 19 , 2022 at 5:00 pm to Sunday, February 20 at 5:00 pm EST . Any urgent travel needs during this period can be directed to Amex GBT via their call center: 1-866-857-3578 (toll free in Canada and the U.S.) or 1-613-822-3873 (collect call from anywhere else in the world).
• Easier access to training materials Once the new interface is launched, you will no longer need to log into the Learning Management System (LMS) to view training materials. Instead, they will be available in the "Training" tab under the heading ''Help Guide".
• No changes to the EMT Please note that the change applies only to the Online Booking Tool, and there are no changes to the existing Expense Management Tool (EMT) .

Should you have any questions before, during, or after this transition, please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] .

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Amex Global Business Travel Sees Big Gains From Tech Customers

Dennis Schaal , Skift

May 7th, 2024 at 4:52 PM EDT

Big companies are on the move again, but the business travel growth engine — small- to medium-sized businesses — took a step back because of high interest rates and inflation.

Dennis Schaal

Much of the discussion about business travel revolves around large corporations that have strict managed-travel policies. They require employees to book trips through sanctioned tools and at hotels and airlines that give corporations volume discounts.

In the first quarter, those corporations delivered significant gains for American Express Global Business Travel, the world’s largest travel-management company.

AmexGBT saw strength in transactions from global multinational corporations — tech companies in particular, with 30% growth. Other sectors turned in double-digit growth too, including pharmaceuticals, mining, energy and utilities.

But there was a downside: Small- to medium-sized businesses offer the largest opportunity in winning new business and they showed a decline in transaction growth of 3 percentage points in the fourth and first quarters.

These smaller businesses spend $30 million or less on travel annually and mostly let their employees book wherever they want.

They may not need a travel management company like Amex GBT. What’s more, they’ve been hit hard in recent months by higher inflation and interest costs, leading to tighter travel budgets.

Amex GBT CEO Paul Abbott told analysts during the earnings call Tuesday that of the $900 billion in total transaction value in play in business travel annually, “$300 billion sits with, if you like, professional managed-travel programs, and $600 billion in unmanaged.”

The entire business travel market is worth $1.4 trillion, he said, and “SME is the biggest opportunity within that.”

Amex GBT Is Poised to Acquire CWT in the Second Half of 2024

The earnings call took place with some unfinished business on the agenda — the $570 million acquisition of CWT , which officials said is poised to close in the second half of 2024.

Abbott said the companies’ integration teams are “established.”

He said the acquisition would increase company revenue by one-third and it would have the potential to be a “significant” contributor to earnings in the long run. There would be $155 million in “annual run rate cost synergies,” Abbott said. Meaning layoffs and trimming other redundant operations.

American Express Global Business Travel stated that a recent survey of its top 100 customers found they expect their travel spend to rise 8% in 2024.

Net Loss Narrowed, Positive Free Cash Flow

In the first quarter, the company narrowed its net loss to $19 million from a loss of $27 million in the year-ago period.

Revenue rose 6% in the first quarter to $610 million.

One of the brighter metrics was that free cash flow hit $24 million in the first quarter, up from minus $109 million a year earlier.

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Tags: AmexGBT , business travel , corporate travel , cwt , earnings , hotels , mergers , mergers and acquisitions , Travel Trends

Photo credit: A business traveler about to catch a flight. Pxfuel

What counts as travel on the Amex Green card?

Editor's Note

The American Express® Green Card is a decent option for travel purchases.

New cardholders can now get a welcome bonus of 40,000 bonus Membership Rewards points after they spend $3,000 on purchases on your new card in the first six months of card membership.

The Amex Green earns 3 points per dollar on travel, transit and dining at restaurants. For all other purchases, you'll earn one point. Terms apply.

But exactly which purchases count as "travel" and earn 3 points per dollar? Here's what you need to know.

The information for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Here are the travel purchases that will earn bonus points, according to the Amex Green Card's terms:

• Car rentals
• Campgrounds
• Third-party travel websites (i.e., Orbtiz, Expedia, Priceline)
• Travel booked through amextravel.com
• Vacation rentals (with exceptions—see below)

That's a pretty strong list — but let's see what purchases won't count as travel with your Amex Green card.

What doesn't count as travel on the Amex Green?

Amex's terms clearly specify that timeshare purchases will not count as travel.

Additionally, whether or not something counts as travel depends on how the merchant codes when you make your purchase. According to Amex's terms:

Merchants are assigned codes based on what they primarily sell. A purchase will not qualify for additional points if the merchant's code is not eligible.

This won't be an issue for most purchases, but it could be, depending on where you make the transaction. For instance, if you purchased a tour ticket from a convenience store, it likely wouldn't code as travel and would not earn any bonus points.

Another common area of confusion when it comes to determining travel purchases is home-sharing and vacation rental sites such as Airbnb , Homeaway and VRBO .

These will usually code as travel and earn bonus points, but some TPG staffers and readers have reported inconsistent experiences with these purchases.

Bottom line

The Amex Green Card has impressive bonus-earning on travel, transit and dining purchases . But before you put a big travel purchase on this card, ensure it falls under Amex's travel category and know that vacation rentals are hit-or-miss.

Fortunately, the travel category is broadly defined for the Amex Green card — great news for earning the most points possible.

For more information, read our full review of the Amex Green .