American Express Global Business Travel
| Company type | Public company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Travel management |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Travel management services |
Number of employees | 18,000 |
| Parent | None (functions autonomously from American Express) |
Global Business Travel Group, Inc. (commonly known as American Express Global Business Travel or Amex GBT) is an international travel management company headquartered in New York City. The organization employs approximately 18,000 professionals operating in over 140 countries. Although American Express maintains a minority interest, Amex GBT functions autonomously from the financial services corporation.
History
In 2003, a significant consolidation occurred when Amex GBT acquired Rosenbluth International, enhancing its position among top global travel agencies.
In 2014, American Express sold its Global Business Travel division for $900 million to a consortium led by Certares LP, which included investors such as Qatar Holdings, Macquarie Capital, BlackRock, and the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. Despite the sale, American Express retained a 50% stake in the newly established American Express Global Business Travel entity.
December 2021 marked Amex GBT's announcement to pursue a public listing through a business combination with Apollo Strategic Growth Capital, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) supported by Apollo Global Management.
Following the completion of this merger on May 27, 2022, the company commenced trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GBTG starting May 31, 2022.
Acquisitions
- October 2003: Rosenbluth International
- May 2016: SMT Travel Agency
- August 2016: KDS
- June 2017: Banks Sadler
- February 2018: Hogg Robinson Group
- June 2019: DER Business Travel
- August 2019: Kanoo Travel
- October 2020: 30SecondstoFly
- January 2021: Ovation
- May 2021: Egencia
- March 2024: Declared intention to acquire CWT for $570 million; however, in January 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice initiated legal action to prevent the acquisition.