Move over Expedia, Booking.com, Tripadvisor and Kayak, American Express has entered the travel app game.
The global credit card company announced today that it has launched an all-new mobile travel app designed to make travel “easier, smarter, and more personalized” for American Express card holders.
Dubbed simply the ‘Amex Travel App’, the new offering will allow users to do everything from peruse themed guides and curated travel content to save and organize trip details and even book flights, hotels and car rentals.
“Travelers want a simpler way to plan and book trips — all in one place — and the new Amex Travel App delivers just that,” Audrey Hendley, president of American Express Travel, said in a statement.
The app’s launch also appears to address a gap in the market: A recent Amex survey found that 81 percent of respondents wish there was “an all-in-one app that paired booking capabilities with travel inspiration.”
The same survey found that 52 percent of respondents feel overwhelmed by choices when booking a trip. (The app’s themed guides and curated travel content aim to make this part of the travel planning process easier, allowing users to discover the perfect getaway.)
Tired of visiting multiple websites to plan your next trip? About 55 percent of the Amex survey respondents experience the same frustrations, saying they visit at least three websites to book travel options for their trip (flight, hotel, transportation). The new app aims to solve this issue as well, allowing card holders to book flights, hotels, and car rentals all in one place.
And not to be overlooked, the app includes another noteworthy feature (which was part of the existing Amex app): Estimated wait times for Centurion Lounges.
This particular feature allows busy globetrotters to get an estimate of how long the wait is to be admitted to an at-capacity Amex lounge. Users can also sign-up for a lounge’s wait list via the app.
The company says their new app “designed as the ultimate travel companion.”
The Amex Travel App will be available to iOS users starting September 18 and to Android users a few weeks later.
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