american express global business travel check in

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

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

We listened carefully to what is needed for a successful business travel programme and created Business Travel Made Simple. Quite simply, it’s business travel in a box. An end-to-end solution that brings together the best in travel technology and services and is packed full of products that give you exactly what you need to take the hassle out of your business travel programme. KEY HIGHLIGHTS Business Travel Made Simple will have your travellers booking travel and saving you money in no time at all. PRICING Want to push your online adoption? Prefer to pick up the phone? We provide simple and straightforward pricing based on how you and your travellers like to book. IMPLEMENTATION From start to finish, we will provide you with a dedicated team as well as 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 your travellers about your new business travel programme. KNOW-ME TECHNOLOGY A personal, seamless experience for every traveller, whether booking online or speaking to one of our consultants, 24/7/365. SAVINGS AND COMPLIANCE Encourage your travellers to only book within your business travel policy, maximising your savings and making sure you know where your travellers are, giving you peace of mind. REPORTING A clear and comprehensive dashboard gives you access and reports when you need them so you’ll know how to optimise your business travel policy. ON THE ROAD When your travellers face delays, we contact them and provide the right support to get them moving again as quickly and as safely as possible.

Get In Touch * Denotes required field.

The power behind the trip..

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

Recommended

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet

CONTACT SALES To find out how we can help you optimise your business travel 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:

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:

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consect elit.

Authorise spend requests with pre-and post-approval.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consect elit

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.

BACK TO TOP

TERMS OF SERVICE | PRIVACY STATEMENT

• Solutions & Services
• Energy, Mining & Marine
• Terms of Service
• Company Locations

STAY CONNECTED

Thank you for completing the form. Your download should start soon or click below if it does not start automatically.

Please enter your details to access the content.

Amex GBT Mobile 4+

Your go-to travel app.

• 4.2 • 754 Ratings

iPhone Screenshots

Description.

Welcome to Amex GBT Mobile: the business travel app that empowers customers of American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) by providing global access to booking, trip information, and live servicing. We focus on the details, so you can focus on the reason you are traveling (and maybe even get some rest). Whether you are a road warrior booking complex international trips with many connections, or simply trying to keep track of flight, hotel, car and rail details without resorting to paper itineraries that are hard to access when you need them – Amex GBT Mobile is your partner in all things travel. See how the new Amex GBT Mobile app will revolutionize the way you travel: Book directly from your mobile device. • Access booking features directly from the home screen of the mobile app. • Complete bookings with live agent Messenger. • Book hotels with Booking.com. All your travel organized in one place. • Updated itineraries and timeline view allow for easy access to all of your travel. • New action oriented trips and segments, with contextual options based on where you are in your journey. • Add trips booked anywhere using our new import feature. See the future with a complete travel timeline. • Our improved timeline view allows you to see all your trips in one feed. Chat with a travel counselor with Live Messenger. • Our Messenger feature allows you to connect with a travel counselor for assistance. • Modify or change existing trips booked with American Express GBT. • Book new trips, flights, hotels or other travel with a live agent. Never miss a beat, with trip updates and messages. • Receive important travel updates and notifications in real time. • Stay safe while on the road, with Expert Care and Proactive Traveler Care. Important note about App Access • In order to register and use Amex GBT Mobile, *your company needs to be a customer of American Express Global Business Travel* and have signed up for the app (if they have not, please ask your company's travel manager to get in touch with their account manager). You will then need to enter your company email address and complete a few registration steps. • To access a list of frequently asked questions, please click here: https://www.amexglobalbusinesstravel.com/faq • Available in 109 countries globally, in English, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, French Canadian, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish. If your company does not yet manage travel using American Express GBT’s tools, discounts and world-renowned customer service, please ask your leadership to get in touch with us to learn more about how we can help you get the most out of your travel: www.amexgbt.com.

Version 5.18.0

We are always working to improve the performance of our app and your experience using it. With this latest release we have improved our registration and login screens, alongside general bug fixes and updates.

Ratings and Reviews

754 Ratings

Quick & easy access to a GBT agent

I was stuck on a runway for an hour or more a few weeks ago at around 8pm. There was a weather issue so I suspected that we would be turned back to the gate. For security reasons with all the delays, I was not willing to fly out later and arrive at my destination at 1am. Rather than wait to get back to the gate, I chatted with an agent on the GBT app and booked a hotel near the airport and rebooked my flight for the next day morning all from my plane seat. It was easy and convenient. Sure enough, we turned back and while most folks were rushing to the gate agents, I walked out of the aircraft and headed to the hotel for a good night’s rest. Next morning, I was all set to take on the world !!

Developer Response ,

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience! We're so happy to hear that you've found the app helpful in a time of stress. Thanks for being an Amex GBT Mobile app user.

Less useful than a Call Center.

So, you’ve made an app. But I can’t do anything like cancel or modify a flight myself. I still need to talk to a person. But only through your app because you didn’t include the phone number in my itinerary. I have to download your app. Your app makes me sign up. You have privacy statements. Your app makes me talk to a bot. Your app queues me to talk to a person. Over text. Which means I can’t drive, or do anything else. I just sit here staring at my screen waiting for something to happen. All I want to do is phone someone, and say “I need to cancel that flight.” Or even better just hit a button to cancel it. But no, you have an app. An app that literally makes this more difficult than anything I have experienced before. And I get to pay for the pleasure. The only reason I use this is because my company forces me to use it. And I will now be actively campaigning for them to get something else. If this is the glorious future of apps, you can keep it.

Hi Robrobstation, you should have a phone number. If you don't mind, could you provide your specific details with us at [email protected]? We would love to take a look under the hood at what's going on with your situation. Kindly appreciate your patience and thank you for your patience!

I can’t believe AMEX associates with this

I have been using this app through work for about four months now. So far the having everything in one place is convenient, but that’s about it. Sending tons of superfluous alerts for no reason. The “customer service“ is ridiculous. None of them have any idea what’s going on with your problem even though you explain it several times. You have to wait for somebody to connect to you. 8 to 10 minutes when you’re having an emergency. So it’s kind of pointless. And a half the time they have a bad attitude while you’re stuck in the airport/car rental/hotel problem that they caused. The app itself doesn’t transfer to check in flights 75% of the time or expand so you can read the tiny little lettering. All in all there has to be a better way than this

App Privacy

The developer, GBT US LLC , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Contact Info
• User Content
• Identifiers

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

English, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian Bokmål, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish

• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

More By This Developer

INTER[action]

You Might Also Like

International SOS Assistance

The Points Guy: Credit Rewards

National Car Rental

Priority Pass™

Four Seasons

TripIt: Travel Planner

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 .

Amex GBT to Go Public at $5.3 Billion Valuation in Apollo SPAC Deal

Matthew Parsons , Skift

December 3rd, 2021 at 7:50 AM EST

New investors include Sabre and Zoom — what does that tell you about the future of travel management?

Matthew Parsons

American Express Global Business Travel plans to merge with an Apollo Management-backed blank check company that will take the corporate travel giant public, the company announced Friday.

The merger will value Amex GBT at $5.3 billion , and the transaction will generate the agency up to $1.2 billion, including a $335 million worth of private investment in public equity (PIPE). New investors include Sabre, Zoom, Ares Management Corporation and adviser HG Vora.

Amex GBT also obtained commitments for an additional $1 billion term loan facility, to be established under its existing credit agreement to repay $600 million of certain existing term loan facilities and to provide an incremental $400 million of financing for general corporate purposes.

The deal is expected to be completed in the first half of 2022, subject to closing conditions. Once complete, the combined company will be renamed Global Business Travel Group, Inc. However, it will continue to carry out business under its existing name and brand, American Express Global Business Travel, due to an 11-year trademark agreement to take effect upon the deal’s closure.

The travel agency group, which is 50 percent owned by an investor group led by Certares and 50 percent owned by American Express, had only just completed its acquisition of Egencia .

Amex GBT used to be entirely owned by American Express, but was spun off as a joint venture in 2014. At the time, the travel agency received a $900 million investment from the Certares-led group. In 2019, Amex GBT appointed Paul Abbott, former chief commercial officer of American Express, as CEO, in part to help promote technology growth.

“We expect that becoming a listed company will give us the additional investment capacity to strengthen our commitment to providing unrivalled value, choice and experiences to our customers and partners,” said Abbott.

The travel management sector is rapidly consolidating. The pandemic spurred a frenzied 18-month period of restructuring, refinancing and acquisitions in its wake. CWT also recently exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to shore up its finances , pledging to invest $100 million in its myCWT travel management platform.

The listing on the New York Stock Exchange comes as technology-focused rival agencies TripActions and TravelPerk gaining ground. TripActions said it is now valued at $7.25 billion, following a $275 million fundraising round in October, and like TravelPerk has its sights set on expanding in Europe. It recently appointed a new vice president of sales for southern Europe, Zahir Abdelouhab, who will launch and develop the company’s sales operations these regions.

Further Reading

This story is breaking. Please check back for updates.

The Daily Newsletter

Our daily coverage of the global travel industry. Written by editors and analysts from across Skift’s brands.

Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch

Tags: amex gbt , corporate travel , egencia , sabre , spac , travelperk , tripactions , Zoom

Photo credit: American Express Global Business Travel is to merge with an Apollo Management-backed blank check company. Rawpixel / Getty Images

• Services and Tools for Travelers
• Business Travel Management (BTM)

Offline Reservations

Travelers can make bookings online or by phone. Our experienced bilingual travel counselors make reservations in compliance with your travel policies.

Online Reservations

We provide profile management tool “CONNECT”. Travelers create and update their profiles directly by accessing this tool. The centrally managed profile will be used for both international and domestic online reservations.

Travelers can use “GetThere” for direct booking of international arrangements such as air, hotels, and rental cars 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Domestic Online Reservation Function "Shuccho Navi" provides access to Express Yoyaku (EX-IC Service), e5489 Corporate Service, Business Ekinet (coming soon), Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Star Flyer, Skymark, AIRDO, Jalan Corporate Service, Best Reserve Yado Plaza's corporate web services. You can download the information you have reserved and arranged through Shuccho Navi in CSV format. The information includes ticket amount, date of use, origin and destination, name of the business traveler, and department to which the business traveler belongs, etc., so it is possible to grasp the results under various conditions, such as by department. (Please contact us for conditions for using each content.)

Our in-house dedicated team of experienced travel counselors will take care of any emergencies outside of business hours. With this emergency support team, we provide travel support service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in Japanese and English.

We provide extra business travel related services such as arranging visas from Japan, application of passports (Japanese only) as well as special support for VIPs.

With TripCase, you can confirm booking data and real-time itinerary updates in your mobile terminals. Check-in will be easy with e-ticket data in the app. You can share your trip with others.

With the combination of travel data and GPS function, our travel disruption and risk management platform enables your risk management teams to proactively monitor travel plans, quickly identify and have two-way communication with travelers globally using the smart phone app.

It is not easy to arrange insurance individually for each trip. We recommend comprehensive corporate insurance to make it easy for you to manage and settle.

For illustrative purposes only

• Or from the Business Line of Credit home screen, click the “Select loan amount” button under your available line of credit.

When prompted to select a deposit location, choose your American Express ® Business Checking account, identifiable by a green tag marked “Instant deposits.” By choosing this account and submitting your loan request, your funds will be available within seconds.

Please note that selecting a business checking account not affiliated with American Express will result in your funds being deposited within 1 to 3 business days.

NOTE:  If you don’t see your American Express® Business Checking account listed as a deposit location option, click “Link account.” Then click “Link bank accounts you’ve already linked to American Express” and select your Business Checking account.

Once you’ve selected your Business Checking account as a deposit location, continue to take out your loan and sign your loan agreement.

The more you know: What does “instant” mean?

What does “instant” mean? 

“Instant” means that funds are typically available within seconds. However, the funds could take longer to post due to unexpected issues. Instant deposit is typically available 24/7 – even on weekends and holidays.

If your loan withdrawal was successful, you’ll see this success screen from which you can go to the Business Checking home page to access your funds. 

The more you know: Using a business line of credit vs. business cards

Using a business line of credit vs. business cards 

While both funding options provide flexible credit solutions for your business, they serve different financial needs: Business Lines of Credit may be useful for significant, infrequent expenditures, whereas some cards allow businesses to earn rewards on their transactions.

Learn more about business funding options

Ready for instant deposit but missing something?

Learn more about our Business Line of Credit and Business Checking solutions today: 

American Express® Business Line of Credit

Meet american express® business line of credit.

American Express® Business Line of Credit offers line sizes from $2,000 to $250,000. Initial line sizes above $150,000 are only available to select borrowers who have a pre-existing American Express relationship and meet other criteria.

• Term length options 6-, 12-, 18-, or 24- month loan term options with a corresponding monthly fee. ‡ Additional term lengths may be available.
• Pay for what you use Pay a fee only on the amount you use, during the months you have an outstanding balance. ‡
• Flexible access Use what you need when you need it – with no prepayment penalties.

‡ Terms and conditions  


Already a small business Card Member with American Express? 
 Sign in to see if you’re pre-approved.  

American Express® Business Checking

Meet american express® business checking.

Better banking, built for your business.

• No monthly maintenance fees¤
• 24/7 support – specialists are a click or call away
• Earn 1.30% APY ‡ on balances up to $500k
• Membership Rewards ® – Earn 1 Membership Rewards ® point for every $2 you spend on an eligible purchase. ‡

‡ Offer & Benefit Terms ¤ Rates & Fees

STILL NEED HELP?

Reach out to us for further guidance.

Back to Top

Terms and conditions.

American Express ® Business Line of Credit, and American Express ® Payment Accept are trademarks of American Express.

With American Express Business Blueprint ™ , customers can view their select business products that automatically appear on their dashboard at login. These products include American Express ® Business Line of Credit, American Express ® Business Checking, American Express ® Payment Accept, and American Express ® Business Credit Cards. Customers may also view the eligible external business bank and card accounts they choose to link to Business Blueprint.

Data insights provided through American Express Business Blueprint ™ are based on customers' select business products, which include American Express ® Business Line of Credit, American Express ® Business Checking, American Express ® Payment Accept, American Express ® Business Credit Cards, and the eligible external business bank and card accounts that customers choose to link to Business Blueprint.

The data insights provided through American Express Business Blueprint ™ do not constitute legal, tax, financial or accounting advice, and should not be considered a substitute for obtaining competent personalized advice from a licensed professional. You should seek professional advice before making any decision that could affect the financial health of your business.

The American Express Business Blueprint ™ dashboard uses API connections to access, and then aggregate and analyze, data from the eligible external business bank and card accounts that customers choose to link. Customers can disable linked external accounts from Business Blueprint at any time. Some data may be delayed due to extenuating circumstances, such as the business account's connection to American Express Business Blueprint™ or issues with other API connections.

Terms, conditions, features, availability, pricing, fees, service and support options subject to change. American Express ® Business Line of Credit loans are issued by American Express National Bank.

We are currently accepting applications from eligible U.S. businesses. Not all applicants will be approved for a Business Checking account. Current and prior American Express Rewards Checking customers are not eligible to apply at this time. To learn more about Business Checking, including eligibility, visit  https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/business/checking/ .

American Express ® Business Checking is offered by American Express National Bank. Member FDIC.

Membership Rewards ® Program

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

Kabbage Payments, LLC is a registered Payment Source Provider/Payment Facilitator sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, N.A., Cincinnati, OH.

American Express Business Checking Review 2024

Find a Qualified Financial Advisor

Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn't have to be hard. Datalign's free tool matches you with financial advisors in your area in as little as 3 minutes. All firms have been vetted by Datalign and all advisors are registered with the SEC. Get started with achieving your financial goals!

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate banking products to write unbiased product reviews.

American Express Business Checking is a good option if you have an eligible U.S. small business. This account has no monthly service fee, offers 1.30% APY on the first $500,000 in your account (Annual Percentage Yield), and lets you earn 30,000 Membership Rewards® points if you meet certain criteria.

You won't be eligible if you have an American Express® Rewards Checking Account , though. If you don't qualify to open this account, you'll find options on Business Insider's list of the best free business checking accounts .

American Express Business Checking Pros and Cons

About american express national bank.

is an online-only bank with bank accounts, credit cards, and personal loans. American Express National Bank has access to 37,000 free ATMs in the MoneyPass ATM network.

In 2023, the online financial institution launched American Express Business Blueprint , a free cash-flow management app small business owners may use. The American Express Business Blueprint mobile app has received 3.1 out of 5 stars in the Google Play store, and 4.8 out of 5 stars in the Apple store.

Your American Express National Bank accounts are FDIC -insured for up to $250,000 per depositor.

American Express National Bank User Experience and Customer Support

American Express National Bank doesn't have physical branches, so you'll have to consider other options if you prioritize a traditional banking experience.

The online institution offers 24/7 customer support for business checking accounts by phone, so it's a great choice if traditional customer service hours for banks don't work for you.

Is American Express National Bank Trustworthy?

The Better Business Bureau grades business based on whether they respond effectively to customer complaints, advertise honestly, and have transparent business practices. The BBB gives American Express an NR (No Rating) because it is responding to previously closed complaints.

American Express has been involved in one recent public controversy.

In 2022, American Express paid $430,500 in a settlement with the United States Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). In the settlement , OFAC accused the bank of processing transactions on an account where the supplemental card holder was linked to illegal drug distribution and money laundering.

American Express Business Checking FAQs

How does the interest rate for american express business checking compare to other banks.

American Express Business Checking pays a good interest rate, especially since many free business checking accounts do not offer interest. However, keep in mind that there are online banks that offer even more competitive interest rates on business savings accounts.

Are there any monthly fees associated with American Express Business Checking?

American Express Business Checking has no monthly service fee.

Can I earn rewards with American Express Business Checking?

If you're a new American Express Business Checking Account customer, you are eligible to earn rewards through business banking. To get 30,000 Membership Rewards® points, you must open an account, receive $5,000 or more in qualifying deposits within the first 30 days of opening your account, maintain an average account balance of $5,000 for the next 60 days, and make 5 or more qualifying transactions within the first 60 days of opening your account.

What kind of digital banking tools does American Express offer for business checking account holders?

American Express lets you connect your account to QuickBooks. You can also make check deposits through the mobile app.

Is American Express Business Checking available to all types of businesses?

You are eligible to open American Express Business Checking if you have an eligible U.S. small business . Non-profits, money service businesses, and internet gambling business are a few examples of businesses that are not eligible. If you have American Express® Rewards Checking Account , you won't be able to open American Express Business Checking, though.

Is American Express National Bank a good bank for small businesses?

might be a good option if you are looking for a free high-yield business checking account. It also might be worth considering if you're interested in one of the best American Express business cards .

American Express Business Checking Review

American Express Business Checking may be a good choice if you want a no-fee checking account for a business. It has no minimum balance requirements, no monthly service fee, and unlimited fee-free transactions.

Features of American Express Business Checking

American Express Business Checking Interest Rates

Typically, business checking accounts don't offer any interest, but with American Express Business Checking , you'll be able to earn 1.30% APY on the first $500,000 in your account.

If you're strictly searching for a competitive interest rate on a bank account, though, the best business savings accounts have higher rates than high-yield business checking accounts.

Choosing between these high-yield business bank accounts will depend on the main purpose of your account. Business checking accounts are optimal for managing business expenses, while business savings accounts are a good place for storing money for savings goals or excess funds.

American Express Business Checking Membership Rewards

American Express Business Checking also allows you to get a welcome bonus of 30,000 Membership Rewards® points if you fulfill the following requirements:

• Open American Express Business Checking and deposit $5,000 or more within the first 30 days
• Maintain an average daily balance of $5,000 or more 60 days after your account balance has initially reached this balance amount
• Make five or more qualifying transactions (mobile deposits, check deposits by mail, ACH transfers, wire transfers, or Bill Payment transactions) within the first 60 days of opening your account.

You'll also earn one Membership Rewards point for every $2 spent using an American Express Business Debit Card. Membership Rewards points can be redeemed for things like travel or gift cards.

American Express Business Checking Fees and Charges

American Express Business Checking has no account opening fee, no monthly service fee, no incoming domestic wire transfer fee, no non-sufficient funds fee, and no stop pay fee.

There are still a few fees to be mindful of, though. American Express Business Checking does have a $10 same-day domestic ACH transfer fee, a $25 outgoing domestic wire transfer fee , and 2.7% foreign transaction fee. If you want to get physical checks, the cost for a checkbook varies, depending on the charge from a third-party vendor.

If you use an ATM that isn't in the Allpoint or MoneyPass ATM network, American Express won't reimburse fees if you're charged by the bank or out-of-network provider.

Opening an American Express Business Checking Account

First, you must be eligible to apply for the American Express Business Checking Account before opening an account.

American Express allows business owners from most U.S. businesses and industries to apply. However, if you own a non-profit, a money service business, a cryptocurrency business, internet gambling business, or a marijuana-related business, you won't be able to open an American Business Checking Account. You also can't apply if you already have American Express® Rewards Checking Account .

When you're opening the business checking account online, you'll need to provide an employer identification number (EIN) or taxpayer identification number (ITIN), your driver's license, and your Social Security Number.

Regarding business documentation, you'll need to answer questions about your business industry, location, and revenue. You may also need to share documentation, like a "Doing Business As" certificate, Articles of Organization, or a Certificate of Formation. If there are multiple business owners, you may also need to provide a partnership agreement or written document that specifies the role of each owner.

Once you're approved for the American Express Business Checking Account, you'll be able to link an external bank account and deposit money. American Express may close a bank account for inactivity if a deposit hasn't been made within 120 days of application approval.

How the American Express Business Checking Account Compares

American Express Business Checking vs. Axos Bank Business Checking

If you're searching for a bank that offers multiple business account options, Axos Bank will likely be a more compelling option. Axos Bank has business checking accounts, business savings accounts, business money market accounts, and business CDs.

You might prefer American Express if you're an Amex credit card customer or you only want to open a business checking account. American Express Business Checking also pays a higher interest rate than the Axos Bank Business Savings Account and Axos Bank Business Money Market Account .

Axos Business Banking Review

American Express Business Checking vs. Bluevine Business Checking

Bluevine is an online banking platform that has an interest-earning business checking account. Similarly to American Express Business Checking, the Bluevine Business Checking Account has a $0 minimum opening deposit, no monthly service fees, and unlimited fee-free transactions.

The most notable difference between these two accounts is how the interest rate works. The Bluevine Business Checking Account pays 2.00% APY on up to $250,000 when you meet one of the monthly eligibility requirements. Meanwhile, American Express Business Checking pays 1.30% APY on the first $500,000 in your account and does not have transaction requirements.

Bluvine also offers a 4.25% APY when you join the Bluevine Business Checking Premier Account plan with a $95 monthly fee.

BlueVine Business Checking Account Review

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed American Express Business Checking

For our American Express Business Checking banking review, we used our bank account methodology . We rate each account on a scale from 0 to 5.

For business checking accounts, we consider many of the same factors we would for personal checking accounts, such as minimum opening deposits and monthly fees. But we also look at things that are specific to business accounts, such as monthly transaction limits.

If you enjoyed this story, be sure to follow Business Insider on Microsoft Start.

Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology .

Why the Amex Platinum Is the Only Card I’ll Use To Book Flights

Carissa Rawson

Senior Content Contributor

250 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 51 U.S. States Visited: 36

Stella Shon

News Managing Editor

85 Published Articles 613 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 25 U.S. States Visited: 22

The Amex Platinum Card Earns Me the Most Points

The amex platinum card has excellent travel insurance, amex’s global lounge collection is industry-leading, amex points are my favorite flexible currency, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Although I’m not technically a digital nomad, I fly enough to qualify as one.

With trips taking me on roughly 100 flights per year, I’ve done a lot of research when it comes to booking airfare.

Though I have plenty of credit cards to spare, The Platinum Card ® from American Express always finds its way to the front when it comes time to pay — here’s why.

There are plenty of credit cards that earn bonus points on travel , and especially airfare. However, the Amex Platinum card personally beats out others, despite its $695 annual fee ( rates & fees ).

This is because it earns 5x American Express Membership Rewards points per $1 spent (up to $500,000 per year) on flights booked directly with the airline or via AmexTravel.com .

The Platinum Card ® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment ( airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit )
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
• Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
• Access to Amex International Airline Program
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates and fees )
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card ® , Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts ® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card ® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card ® . Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card ® .
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
• $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card ® . Learn more.
• $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck ® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card ® . Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card ® . That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card ® . An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card ® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

• Credit Card Reviews
• Credit Cards
• Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Sign Up Bonuses

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

• Amex Platinum 150k Welcome Bonus Offer
• Benefits of The Amex Platinum
• How to Use 100,000 Amex Platinum Points
• Amex Platinum Card Requirements
• American Express Platinum Military Benefits
• Amex Platinum and Business Platinum Lounge Access
• Amex Platinum Benefits for Authorized Users
• Amex Platinum vs Delta Platinum
• Amex Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Capital One Venture X vs Amex Platinum
• Amex Platinum vs Delta Reserve

If you travel often, you know that booking with a third party , such as Expedia, Priceline, Orbitz, or even an issuer’s travel portal, can save you some money. But it can also lead to huge amounts of headache s if your flight needs to be changed or canceled or if there are crazy delays and you need to be rerouted.

This is because booking through a third-party agency makes them responsible for your ticket rather than the airline, so they need to be the middleman.

Compare the Amex Platinum card’s earning rates to other premium travel rewards cards :

• Chase Sapphire Reserve ® : 5x points per $1 spent on Chase Travel; 3x points on all other travel purchases
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card : 5x miles per $1 spent on airfare booked with Capital One Travel,

In order to earn these elevated rewards, you’ll need to book your flights with either issuer’s travel portal, which means you’ll be using a third party. That opens you up to issues in the event your travel plans change, which mine often do.

While the Amex Platinum card does have a limit on your 5x earnings up to $500,000 annually, I’ve never even come close to hitting the cap. This means that I’m always able to book directly with the airline while still earning the most rewards.

I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest proponent of travel insurance . I know that it’ll protect you if you get injured, lose your bags, or have travel delays, but purchasing a policy goes against my “spend as little as possible” ethos when it comes to travel.

That’s another reason why I love the Amex Platinum card and use it for my flights. As a premium travel card, it offers complimentary travel insurance . For it to kick in, I need to pay for my travel with my card and it will apply in eligible scenarios.

What kind of travel insurance is offered? A lot:

• Rental car insurance (secondary)
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Trip delay insurance
• Baggage insurance plan
• Premium Global Assist Hotline (emergency medical evacuation and emergency medical transport)

There are two things that really stand out when it comes to the Amex Platinum card’s travel insurance: emergency medical evacuation and emergency medical transport as part of the Premium Global Assist Hotline. Neither of these has a cap, which isn’t something you’ll find often, even when purchasing a policy.

There is only one exception where I’ll use a card other than the Amex Platinum card to pay for my flights, and that’s when I’ve booked an award flight.

This is because Amex has limitations on its baggage insurance plan for award flights, whereas competitors, such as the travel insurance on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card , do not. In this case, the Amex Platinum card won’t cover lost luggage unless you’ve paid the ticket in cash or you’ve used Amex Membership points for your flight. Other award flights outside of this don’t count :

“Other loyalty programs (i.e. non-American Express) do not qualify on purchases redeemed in part or full or pre-arranged travel cost,” according to the terms of baggage insurance plan on the Amex Platinum card. “An example would be common carrier frequent flyer miles point redemption.”

I’m not a snob about a lot of things, but airport lounge access is certainly one of them. I know that as more credit cards offer lounge access, they can be crowded.

That’s one reason I value the Global Lounge Collection offered by Amex’s high-end cards.

This collection includes a Priority Pass Select membership (upon enrollment), Centurion Lounges, Escape — The Centurion Studio lounges, Plaza Premium lounges, Lufthansa lounges (when flying Lufthansa), Delta SkyClubs (when flying Delta), and more.

That’s far more than you’ll get with other credit cards and lessens the chance that you’ll find yourself in a standing-room-only situation.

This is probably not the most popular opinion, but I think Amex Membership Rewards beat out Chase Ultimate Rewards , Capital One Miles , Citi ThankYou points , and Bilt Rewards .

While each currency has their own strengths and weaknesses, Amex points fit my travel style better than the others. Sure, I love that Chase has World of Hyatt (and it’s where I use my points most often) and that Citi transfer to Choice at double Amex’s rate, but Amex has more usable transfer partners .

I’ll be even more unpopular and say that I’ll often transfer Amex points over to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio, especially when they’re offering a transfer bonus . This isn’t usually a good idea, but I spend my Hilton points at high-end resorts such as the Conrad Maldives and the Conrad Bora Bora , where I can easily net 5-10 cents in value per point. That makes it worth it for me.

Other transfer partners that I frequently use include:

• ANA MileageClub : For low-cost business class flights to Europe
• Avianca LifeMiles : For Lufthansa first class
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club : For first and business class redemptions on ANA
• Qantas Frequent Flyer : For cheap Air Tahiti Nui flights to French Polynesia

Beyond transfer partners and the Amex Platinum card, I also find Amex points easier to earn . This is due to a variety of reasons, including their robust lineup of Amex point-earning cards , Amex Offers (upon enrollment), and their Rakuten partnership.

I’m not going to throw out all my other credit cards in favor of the Amex Platinum card — I love points and miles too much ever to let that happen. But there’s certainly a strong case for it sticking around in my wallet.

Sure, it offers lots of statement credits (enrollment required for some benefits) and other perks. But I’ll keep the Amex Platinum card to book my airfare. And it’ll stay that way until someone else can match the high earnings and travel insurance offerings, which I don’t anticipate happening anytime soon.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the trip delay insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the baggage insurance plan benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the premium global assist hotline benefit of the Amex Platinum card, you can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Plus, we may provide emergency medical transportation assistance and related services. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by premium global assist hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

Was this page helpful?

About Carissa Rawson

Carissa served in the U.S. Air Force where she developed her love for travel and new cultures. She started her own blog and eventually joined The Points Guy. Since then, she’s contributed to Business Insider, Forbes, and more.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE ™

Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...

Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.

We respect your privacy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy and terms of service apply.

UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.