Innovations at AirPlus
Innovation is a tradition at AirPlus: We have always attached great importance to new ideas. With innovative solutions such as A.I.D.A., Card Control or the AirPlus Company Account China, innovations have contributed significantly to the success of our company at home and abroad. That is why we will continue to rely on innovations in the future – and thus make business travel for our customers even more comfortable.
- Airbnb – first shared economy in lodged account (2016)
AirPlus customers are able to book and pay for stays on Airbnb with the virtual credit card A.I.D.A.. A virtual Mastercard credit card number is first generated in the AirPlus portal or via a mobile phone, which is then used when paying on Airbnb.
The companies are working on an integrated payment process so that the traveler will be able to book accommodation on Airbnb and automatically centrally bill the corporate account. Travel managers can ensure optimal transparency and perform data analysis with additional information such as cost center, project or employee number.
- Reporting of Flight Ancillary Fees (2015)
More and more airlines are charging fees that go beyond the actual ticket price. It’s important to keep track of these additional costs – for example for seat reservation, extra baggage or rebooking.
AirPlus is the first provider in the market to offer detailed and user-friendly reporting of ancillary costs that have been booked in the travel agency before the trip and paid for with the AirPlus Company Account. All cost pools flow into a separate report which the user can compile according to his needs and categories and retrieve online at any time in the AirPlus Information Manager.
The clear analysis serves as a solid basis for negotiations with the airlines. In addition, the travel policies can be better adjusted and controlled. The reporting of ancillary fees is therefore an effective means to reduce costs and working hours.
- AirPlus Innovations in 2014
Content Check of DBI
In 2014, AirPlus introduced a completely new service process element in addition to ‘filled out’/‘not filled out’. The content check feature now also warns TMCs in the event of incorrect descriptive billing information (for example, ‘XXXX’ will no longer go unnoticed).
This enables earlier corrective action at the TMC or AirPlus, leading to fewer customer complaints and a reduction of late payments due to the discrepancies.
A.I.D.A. Virtual Payment – Hotel Data Enrichment
In 2014, AirPlus became the first payment provider to offer level 3 data and VAT display for virtual credit cards to optimize an end-to-end process and simplify travel expense reclaims.
This innovation significantly increases traveler convenience: no advance payment, minimum administrative effort, extensive insurance coverage. After the business trip, the hotel invoice is imported into the traveler’s mobile expense system, upon which, the travel expense report is done!
The advantage for your organization is a completely automated end-to-end process. You have everything under control, as your hotel receipts are gathered, reviewed, and if required, corrected automatically, which ultimately provides you with all the data you need to reclaim VAT.
- AirPlus Innovations in 2013
AirPlus Company Account and mytaxi
The AirPlus Company Account and mytaxi innovation was launched in 2013 and is the first taxi payment solution which is linked to a virtual central billing account with level 3 data, DBIs and VAT for VAT reclamation.
The AirPlus payment solution with mytaxi offers travelers cashless and cardless payment through their smartphones. Paying with the mytaxi app is a paperless and time-saving process that allows travelers to get rid of the burden of collecting receipts so they can focus on their business trips.
Multiple Invoices
Launched in 2013, Multiple Invoices allows customers to split invoice items into individual statements automatically according to predefined criteria using all our common reference fields, including DBI.
Multiple Invoices bridges the gap between centralized and decentralized and offers the best of both worlds: the unbeaten data quality of lodged, and the highly efficient approval process of decentralization.
Flight Tax Reports
Flight Tax Reports was launched in 2013 as a new reporting capability for the AirPlus Information Manager users.
The reports provide customers with transparency about the “hidden” cost block of taxes charged by airlines and give travel managers a better general overview of flight tax spent via specific KPIs.
Flight Tax Reports provide additional power for negotiation since prior to its introduction airline taxes were not considered during price negotiations.
AirPlus Corporate Card and MyWallet
The AirPlus Corporate Card was the first corporate credit card in the world to offer a mobile wallet solution when MyWallet was launched in 2013.
During this solution’s pilot phase, card holders can pay through their mobile phones in conjunction with Deutsche Telekom’s mobile app, MyWallet. MyWallet is based on Mastercard’s PayPass contactless standard and therefore enables contactless payments to be made through smartphones.
Mobile A.I.D.A.
In 2013, AirPlus introduced Mobile A.I.D.A., a smartphone app that allows travelers to generate virtual Mastercard numbers at any time.
Because the mobile phone is a constant companion that one hardly can imagine being without, Mobile A.I.D.A. is the perfect solution for fast, simple and flexible payments both before and during business trips.
- AirPlus Innovations in 2012
Track & Trace
When Track & Trace was launched in 2012, AirPlus became the first financial service provider in business travel management to offer a service which enabled customers to track their invoice claims.
Track & Trace creates a high degree of transparency for our customers offering direct access 24/7 to the current status of their specific AirPlus Company Account invoice claims and detailed information.
Reports on Demand
In 2012, AirPlus launched an online reporting solution specifically designed for small and medium sized enterprises: AirPlus Reports on Demand.
Control and reporting needs are getting stronger and with Reports on Demand AirPlus offers a user-friendly affordable option since you pay only for the reports you actually use.
TX Fraud Detect & Care
Data Security is a top priority at AirPlus. Therefore, AirPlus launched a new fraud prevention system in 2012: TX Fraud Detect & Care.
TX Fraud Detect & Care allows AirPlus to be one step ahead. Suspicious transactions are identified on the basis of predetermined criteria as well as unusual characteristics.
AirPlus Green Company Account
In 2012, the AirPlus Green Company Account became the first entirely CO2 neutral product offered by the financial services industry and it set a new standard for environmental protection.
Sustainability and social responsibility are becoming meaningful parts of many corporate strategies - not only at AirPlus. Therefore, all CO2 emissions related to the Green Company Account are compensated for through a climate protection project or are abandoned completely.
The GBTA Foundation awarded AirPlus the Sustainability Gold Medal.
- AirPlus Innovations in 2011
Data Configuration Online
Data Configuration Online was launched in 2011 and continued the trend towards paperless and sustainable processes.
This convenient online service enables the users to configure their data in the AirPlus Business Travel Portal by themselves. Consequently, they benefit from having a paperless and fully automated process as well as the advantages of saving time and having a high level of flexibility.
SAP Data Enrichment
The exchange of data between AirPlus and the SAP system gives businesses an entirely new information base for Corporate Card. This results from additional key information including the duration of hotel accommodations or of car rentals when travel expense data are compiled in the AirPlus Information Manager.
With this enrichment, the Travel Manager can view the overall costs of any trip in the AirPlus Information Manager in detail at any time.
AirPlus Debit Account
In 2011, the AirPlus Debit Account was the first B2B payment solution worldwide which was exempt from the credit card fees introduced by several airlines.
Payments made using the AirPlus Debit Account always are debited immediately from the respective bank accounts; however, customers benefit from many well-appreciated AirPlus Company Account features.
- AirPlus Innovations in 2010
AirPlus TX Correct
Since 2010, our corporate customers and travel agencies have benefited from AirPlus TX Correct, a service which allows them to amend bookings.
AirPlus ensures fast corrections of bookings with errors by reprocessing the incorrect transaction before invoicing, including all additional information such as descriptive billing data and travel agency invoice number.
Excess Rental Car Insurance
When AirPlus launched Excess Rental Car Insurance in 2010, it was a brand new insurance feature in the BTM market.
Extensive insurance coverage for business trips leads to tangible cost savings for AirPlus customers by significantly reducing or even avoiding loss.
AirPlus Green Reports
In 2010, AirPlus was the only payment provider able to deliver CO2 emission reports in accordance with four international calculation methods (VDR, DEFRA, VFU and ICAO).
AirPlus Green Reports deliver detailed and transparent analyses for every business trip paid for through the AirPlus Company Account and all relevant figures can be integrated directly into the companies’ sustainability reports.
- AirPlus Innovations in 2009
Carbon Offset
In 2009, AirPlus was the first provider to offer companies a fully automated system for the settlement of carbon offset worldwide. Carbon offsetting means financially compensating for CO2 emissions caused by business travel.
As for many companies, sustainability has become an important factor, the monitoring and reduction of their CO2 emissions is a crucial part of the social responsibility strategies of corporations.
The AirPlus solution received the “Best Practice Award 2009” from the Travel Industry Club.
- AirPlus Innovations in 2008
Air China AirPlus Company Account
In 2008, AirPlus launched the first UATP product and the first lodged product ever introduced into the Chinese market – the Air China AirPlus Company Account.
This innovation followed the trend in China toward seeing the increasing importance of managing business travel in a more professional way. The Air China AirPlus Company Account is easy to use and is integrated seamlessly into existing booking and reconciliation processes.
- AirPlus Innovations in 2007
AirPlus Card Control
In 2007, AirPlus Card Control was launched, a notification service for better control of AirPlus Corporate Card transactions.
Card holders of an AirPlus Corporate Card have the opportunity to stay updated on all transactions being made with their credit card. Furthermore, the usage of the card can be controlled by simply defining individual security settings and rules.
AirPlus Meeting Card
Due to growing demand in the MICE sector, in 2007 AirPlus launched the AirPlus Meeting Card, a central payment solution for meetings and events.
With the AirPlus Meeting Card, customers gain visibility about their MICE spending, which is the first step in the strategic management of meetings and the basis for potential savings of up to 20% in the meeting sector.
The AirPlus Meeting Card was awarded the 2007 Business Diamond Award and the 2008 Innovation Prize in the category of Finance & Accounting of the “Initiative for Mid-Sized Businesses”.
- Airbnb – first shared economy in lodged account (2016)
AirPlus customers are able to book and pay for stays on Airbnb with the virtual credit card A.I.D.A.. A virtual Mastercard credit card number is first generated in the AirPlus portal or via a mobile phone, which is then used when paying on Airbnb.
The companies are working on an integrated payment process so that the traveler will be able to book accommodation on Airbnb and automatically centrally bill the corporate account. Travel managers can ensure optimal transparency and perform data analysis with additional information such as cost center, project or employee number.
- Reporting of Flight Ancillary Fees (2015)
More and more airlines are charging fees that go beyond the actual ticket price. It’s important to keep track of these additional costs – for example for seat reservation, extra baggage or rebooking.
AirPlus is the first provider in the market to offer detailed and user-friendly reporting of ancillary costs that have been booked in the travel agency before the trip and paid for with the AirPlus Company Account. All cost pools flow into a separate report which the user can compile according to his needs and categories and retrieve online at any time in the AirPlus Information Manager.
The clear analysis serves as a solid basis for negotiations with the airlines. In addition, the travel policies can be better adjusted and controlled. The reporting of ancillary fees is therefore an effective means to reduce costs and working hours.
- AirPlus Innovations in 2014
Content Check of DBI
In 2014, AirPlus introduced a completely new service process element in addition to ‘filled out’/‘not filled out’. The content check feature now also warns TMCs in the event of incorrect descriptive billing information (for example, ‘XXXX’ will no longer go unnoticed).
This enables earlier corrective action at the TMC or AirPlus, leading to fewer customer complaints and a reduction of late payments due to the discrepancies.
A.I.D.A. Virtual Payment – Hotel Data Enrichment
In 2014, AirPlus became the first payment provider to offer level 3 data and VAT display for virtual credit cards to optimize an end-to-end process and simplify travel expense reclaims.
This innovation significantly increases traveler convenience: no advance payment, minimum administrative effort, extensive insurance coverage. After the business trip, the hotel invoice is imported into the traveler’s mobile expense system, upon which, the travel expense report is done!
The advantage for your organization is a completely automated end-to-end process. You have everything under control, as your hotel receipts are gathered, reviewed, and if required, corrected automatically, which ultimately provides you with all the data you need to reclaim VAT.
- AirPlus Innovations in 2013
AirPlus Company Account and mytaxi
The AirPlus Company Account and mytaxi innovation was launched in 2013 and is the first taxi payment solution which is linked to a virtual central billing account with level 3 data, DBIs and VAT for VAT reclamation.
The AirPlus payment solution with mytaxi offers travelers cashless and cardless payment through their smartphones. Paying with the mytaxi app is a paperless and time-saving process that allows travelers to get rid of the burden of collecting receipts so they can focus on their business trips.
Multiple Invoices
Launched in 2013, Multiple Invoices allows customers to split invoice items into individual statements automatically according to predefined criteria using all our common reference fields, including DBI.
Multiple Invoices bridges the gap between centralized and decentralized and offers the best of both worlds: the unbeaten data quality of lodged, and the highly efficient approval process of decentralization.
Flight Tax Reports
Flight Tax Reports was launched in 2013 as a new reporting capability for the AirPlus Information Manager users.
The reports provide customers with transparency about the “hidden” cost block of taxes charged by airlines and give travel managers a better general overview of flight tax spent via specific KPIs.
Flight Tax Reports provide additional power for negotiation since prior to its introduction airline taxes were not considered during price negotiations.
AirPlus Corporate Card and MyWallet
The AirPlus Corporate Card was the first corporate credit card in the world to offer a mobile wallet solution when MyWallet was launched in 2013.
During this solution’s pilot phase, card holders can pay through their mobile phones in conjunction with Deutsche Telekom’s mobile app, MyWallet. MyWallet is based on Mastercard’s PayPass contactless standard and therefore enables contactless payments to be made through smartphones.
Mobile A.I.D.A.
In 2013, AirPlus introduced Mobile A.I.D.A., a smartphone app that allows travelers to generate virtual Mastercard numbers at any time.
Because the mobile phone is a constant companion that one hardly can imagine being without, Mobile A.I.D.A. is the perfect solution for fast, simple and flexible payments both before and during business trips.
- AirPlus Innovations in 2012
Track & Trace
When Track & Trace was launched in 2012, AirPlus became the first financial service provider in business travel management to offer a service which enabled customers to track their invoice claims.
Track & Trace creates a high degree of transparency for our customers offering direct access 24/7 to the current status of their specific AirPlus Company Account invoice claims and detailed information.
Reports on Demand
In 2012, AirPlus launched an online reporting solution specifically designed for small and medium sized enterprises: AirPlus Reports on Demand.
Control and reporting needs are getting stronger and with Reports on Demand AirPlus offers a user-friendly affordable option since you pay only for the reports you actually use.
TX Fraud Detect & Care
Data Security is a top priority at AirPlus. Therefore, AirPlus launched a new fraud prevention system in 2012: TX Fraud Detect & Care.
TX Fraud Detect & Care allows AirPlus to be one step ahead. Suspicious transactions are identified on the basis of predetermined criteria as well as unusual characteristics.
AirPlus Green Company Account
In 2012, the AirPlus Green Company Account became the first entirely CO2 neutral product offered by the financial services industry and it set a new standard for environmental protection.
Sustainability and social responsibility are becoming meaningful parts of many corporate strategies - not only at AirPlus. Therefore, all CO2 emissions related to the Green Company Account are compensated for through a climate protection project or are abandoned completely.
The GBTA Foundation awarded AirPlus the Sustainability Gold Medal.
- AirPlus Innovations in 2011
Data Configuration Online
Data Configuration Online was launched in 2011 and continued the trend towards paperless and sustainable processes.
This convenient online service enables the users to configure their data in the AirPlus Business Travel Portal by themselves. Consequently, they benefit from having a paperless and fully automated process as well as the advantages of saving time and having a high level of flexibility.
SAP Data Enrichment
The exchange of data between AirPlus and the SAP system gives businesses an entirely new information base for Corporate Card. This results from additional key information including the duration of hotel accommodations or of car rentals when travel expense data are compiled in the AirPlus Information Manager.
With this enrichment, the Travel Manager can view the overall costs of any trip in the AirPlus Information Manager in detail at any time.
AirPlus Debit Account
In 2011, the AirPlus Debit Account was the first B2B payment solution worldwide which was exempt from the credit card fees introduced by several airlines.
Payments made using the AirPlus Debit Account always are debited immediately from the respective bank accounts; however, customers benefit from many well-appreciated AirPlus Company Account features.
- AirPlus Innovations in 2010
AirPlus TX Correct
Since 2010, our corporate customers and travel agencies have benefited from AirPlus TX Correct, a service which allows them to amend bookings.
AirPlus ensures fast corrections of bookings with errors by reprocessing the incorrect transaction before invoicing, including all additional information such as descriptive billing data and travel agency invoice number.
Excess Rental Car Insurance
When AirPlus launched Excess Rental Car Insurance in 2010, it was a brand new insurance feature in the BTM market.
Extensive insurance coverage for business trips leads to tangible cost savings for AirPlus customers by significantly reducing or even avoiding loss.
AirPlus Green Reports
In 2010, AirPlus was the only payment provider able to deliver CO2 emission reports in accordance with four international calculation methods (VDR, DEFRA, VFU and ICAO).
AirPlus Green Reports deliver detailed and transparent analyses for every business trip paid for through the AirPlus Company Account and all relevant figures can be integrated directly into the companies’ sustainability reports.
- AirPlus Innovations in 2009
Carbon Offset
In 2009, AirPlus was the first provider to offer companies a fully automated system for the settlement of carbon offset worldwide. Carbon offsetting means financially compensating for CO2 emissions caused by business travel.
As for many companies, sustainability has become an important factor, the monitoring and reduction of their CO2 emissions is a crucial part of the social responsibility strategies of corporations.
The AirPlus solution received the “Best Practice Award 2009” from the Travel Industry Club.
- AirPlus Innovations in 2008
Air China AirPlus Company Account
In 2008, AirPlus launched the first UATP product and the first lodged product ever introduced into the Chinese market – the Air China AirPlus Company Account.
This innovation followed the trend in China toward seeing the increasing importance of managing business travel in a more professional way. The Air China AirPlus Company Account is easy to use and is integrated seamlessly into existing booking and reconciliation processes.
- AirPlus Innovations in 2007
AirPlus Card Control
In 2007, AirPlus Card Control was launched, a notification service for better control of AirPlus Corporate Card transactions.
Card holders of an AirPlus Corporate Card have the opportunity to stay updated on all transactions being made with their credit card. Furthermore, the usage of the card can be controlled by simply defining individual security settings and rules.
AirPlus Meeting Card
Due to growing demand in the MICE sector, in 2007 AirPlus launched the AirPlus Meeting Card, a central payment solution for meetings and events.
With the AirPlus Meeting Card, customers gain visibility about their MICE spending, which is the first step in the strategic management of meetings and the basis for potential savings of up to 20% in the meeting sector.
The AirPlus Meeting Card was awarded the 2007 Business Diamond Award and the 2008 Innovation Prize in the category of Finance & Accounting of the “Initiative for Mid-Sized Businesses”.