AT A GLANCE
- American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) offers a robust ground transportation booking and management offering for travelers.
- Platform minimizes fragmentation, provides access to discounted content, and increases visibility of program spend for travel managers via multiple points of sale.
- Holistic view of bookings across ground and airport rail supports compliance and duty of care for corporations.
NEW YORK, N.Y., April 26, 2018 – American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) has unveiled a multi-channel ground transportation platform that gives travel managers and travelers expanded flexibility, choice and control.
GBT’s ground platform offers access to more than 750 ground operators in more than 2,000 cities in 18 countries. Integrated options include black cars, taxis, limos, airport express trains and shuttles, plus ridesharing via a recently announced partnership with Lyft − the first integration of its kind between a ride-sharing company and a travel management company.
The platform equips clients with a GDS-agnostic solution that seamlessly captures and manages ground bookings in one place, regardless of whether the booking was made online, offline or via the Amex GBT Mobile app. Customizable at both company and traveler level, the platform can evolve as corporate travel policy requirements and individual preferences change.
Travel managers will now have access to all company bookings in a single location, giving companies comprehensive visibility into their ground program. It underpins GBT booking channels including the Amex GBT Mobile app, and connects to Global Trip Record™ (GTR) – GBT’s single source of accurate, reliable real-time and historic trip data.
Michael Qualantone, Executive Vice President of Global Supplier Relations for American Express Global Business Travel, said: “Traditionally, ground spend has been a blind spot for travel managers. GBT clients saw 95%+ leakage through out-of-policy booking channels for ground bookings in 2017, resulting in lost opportunities for our clients to negotiate on that spend and ensure traveler compliance. Our ground transportation platform is the first solution of its kind for booking via a seamless user experience that meets both the content and choice expectations of travelers and the core needs of travel managers, all in one place.”
The new GBT ground transportation platform offering includes:
- Ability to shop, compare rates and book in one place for black cars, taxis, limos, airport express trains and shuttles, and ridesharing with Lyft
- Access to 24/7 global customer service and negotiated supplier discounts
- Promotion of corporate duty of care through Global Trip Record™ (GTR) integration and connection into GBT’s Expert Care™ travel disruption and risk management platform.
- Flight status monitoring in real-time to ensure smooth and timely transfers
- Attachment of ground bookings to existing trips, so air, hotel and ground reservations are displayed as one itinerary
- Secure data and privacy standards
- Access to reporting and benchmarking data to create visibility into spend and program value
- Advice on program optimization for travel managers
- Ability for travel counsellors to edit bookings remotely on behalf of the traveler
- Editing and viewing bookings on all portals, including all GDS platforms
The platform is currently in pilot with early adopter clients in North America and EMEA. GBT clients can contact their client managers for more information about the GBT ground platform.
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About American Express Global Business Travel
American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) equips multinational, large and mid-sized companies with the insights, tools, services and expertise they need to keep their travelers informed, focused and productive while on the road. With approximately 12,000 employees and operations in nearly 140 countries worldwide, American Express GBT empowers customers to take control of their travel programs, optimizing the return on their travel and meetings investments, while, more importantly, providing extraordinary traveler care.
Learn more at amexglobalbusinesstravel.com.
American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) is a joint venture that is not wholly owned by American Express Company or any of its subsidiaries (American Express). “American Express Global Business Travel,” “American Express,” and the American Express logo are trademarks of American Express and are used under limited license.
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Media Contacts:
American Express Global Business Travel
Megan Kat
[email protected]
Kwittken PR for GBT