AirPlus Releases Comprehensive White Paper on the Best Practices of Central Billing Accounts for Managing Travel Spending

The AirPlus sponsored white paper overwhelmingly shows that central billing systems drive traveler policy compliance, provide the most comprehensive data and improve reconciliation processes, saving corporations time and money.

AirPlus International, a leading provider of global business travel payment solutions, today released a white paper, “Using Central Billing Systems to Successfully Manage Travel” that was developed and written by Partnership Travel Marketing (PTM) and Edgar, Dunn & Company (EDC). The AirPlus sponsored white paper overwhelmingly shows that central billing systems drive traveler policy compliance, provide the most comprehensive data and improve reconciliation processes, saving corporations time and money. A majority of the respondents of the survey conducted as part of the development of this white paper say they currently use a central billing system to streamline their payment practices.

“The white paper clearly defines the substantial benefits of central billing systems and lodged card payment products like the AirPlus Company Account,” said Richard Crum, AirPlus International President and CEO. “More than 75 percent of the white paper survey respondents say that central billing is better than other payment system options, with data quality and detail topping the list of central bill benefits.”

North American companies spend in excess of $166 billion annually on travel and entertainment expenditures – regarded as the second or third largest controllable expense; and yet one of the most complicated to manage. Central billing systems offer greater transparency of travel expenses, drive higher compliance levels to travel policies and deliver valuable data that support negotiations with travel suppliers.

“As corporate America moves forward in its efforts to understand, manage and leverage its business travel spending, more corporations of all sizes are using or considering central billing,” said Tim Reid, Partnership Travel Marketing Director. “Through the documented evidence, propriety research, and expert opinions used in the AirPlus sponsored white paper, it is clear that central billing represents the most managed and most disciplined form of payment options available today in the marketplace.”

“Managing travel expense is about managing information,” said Thad Peterson, director of Edgar, Dunn & Company. “EDC has monitored the progressive movement towards central payment solutions, finding that central billing systems take advantage of technology to deliver a level of analysis that can significantly reduce corporate travel expense.”

AirPlus International is a global leader in business travel payment solutions, offering central payment accounts, corporate cards and online management information tools. AirPlus is the preferred payment partner of airlines around the world, including Continental Airlines (NYSE:CAL), British Airways (NYSE:BAB), Lufthansa German Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines and TAP Portugal. AirPlus is the world’s largest issuer of UATP. Visit www.airplus.com for more information.

Partnership Travel Marketing, LLC (PTM), Headquartered in Princeton, NJ, provides a range of business travel marketing services including new business strategies, product enhancements as well as marketing research and sales development.

Edgar, Dunn & Company (EDC) is a leading independent global financial services and payments consultancy. Trusted advisors since 1978, EDC’s full range of management consulting services include strategy, risk management, marketing, profitability improvement, operations and new products and technologies. Offices are in San Francisco, New York, Atlanta, London, Frankfurt and Sydney.

For more information, or for a copy of the white paper, “Using Central Billing Systems to Successfully Manage Travel,” contact: Amy Padgett at (703) 373-0947 or email apadgett@airplus.com