1990 The first AirPlus UATP cards issued for invoicing airline tickets.
1992 The AirPlus Eurocard launched as a payment solution for all business trip expenses. We also issued the world’s first credit card with a chip.
1993 Issued the first double card for frequent travelers, the AirPlus VISA card.
1995 Introduced an analysis tool that is still the industry standard for flight cost evaluation.
1996 AirPlus entered (and disrupted) European markets with our solutions.
1997 AirPlus first to offer ability to consolidate and evaluate data from multiple credit card providers.
1999 Together with the Bavarian State Bank, AirPlus issues a new corporate card duo to enhance business-to-business transactions.
2000 AirPlus International founded to further distribute products and solutions.
2001 Launched the Business Travel Portal to provide travel managers and business travelers with a single website for all information and services.
2002 AirPlus International Inc., New York and AirPlus International Ltd., London formed. We also entered a strategic cooperation agreement with British Airways.
2003 Launched the AirPlus Information Manager to give companies the ability to quickly evaluate all global travel costs. Formed subsidiary in Switzerland, the AirPlus International AG, and opened a new regional headquarters in Hong Kong. We also entered a strategic cooperation agreement with Continental Airlines.
2004 Launched the AirPlus Corporate Card in Germany to become the only provider of a company credit card with a collecting function. We also expanded the international partner network to include Postbank, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, TAP Portugal, and JCB.
2005 AirPlus expands to offer products in 28 countries. We also entered strategic cooperation agreements with two leading car rental agencies, Europcar and AVIS.
2006 Launched the AirPlus Business Travel Index to provide market indicators for Travel Managers. We also partnered with the China Merchants Bank to better serve companies in China.
2007 AirPlus is named one of the top 10 customer-oriented providers in Germany. And we were awarded the 2007 Business Travel Show Innovation Award for enabling companies to automatically invoice and evaluate climate protection premiums. An innovation empowering companies to become trendsetters in Corporate Social Responsibility by fully embracing their ecological responsibility.
2008 Launched strategic partnership with Air China, the leading national flag carrier. The deal coincided with the creation of the Air China AirPlus Company Account. AirPlus also founded a subsidiary in China - the AirPlus Payment Management Co. Ltd. based in Shanghai.
2009 AirPlus entered into a strategic partnership with Banco Santander to enhance services in Latin America. We also launched the AirPlus Green Reports solution to delivers transparent CO2 reporting related to corporate business travel. AirPlus won the EPCA Award for its Meeting Solution and the Travel Industry Club’s Best Practice Award for its climate protection solution.
2010 AirPlus received a special prize in the category of “Kontrolle” (Control) from “Deutschlands kundenorientierteste Dienstleister” (Germany's most customer-oriented service provider). We also launch a mobile portal, tailored specifically to the needs of business travelers, with even more service and security.
2011 Launched the AirPlus Debit Account to enable travel managers to avoid credit card charges with most major airlines, trains, rental car companies, and hotels. We also launched strategic partnerships with Santander, BNP Paribas, UBS, and Nordea. AirPlus also created a new data consolidation solution, OneFile, to enable multinational clients to centrally process electronic data transactions related to diverse financial services and credit card companies worldwide. Lastly, AirPlus opened a service hub in Singapore.
2012 AirPlus won the Busche-Verlag Diamond Award in the Innovation category. We also established our Research and Development (F&E) team continue to develop new products and strengthen innovation.
2013 AirPlus launched, Mobile Wallet, a mobile payment service, the ability to pay for taxis with the AirPlus Company Account, and new A.I.D.A. virtual payment solutions. Mobile A.I.D.A. was a key innovation in business travel management since it facilitates virtual payment anywhere. Oh, and we also won the Sustainability Gold Medal for our green solutions, environmental awareness, and corporate social responsibility.
2014 Launched the first entirely CO2-neutral lodged card, the Green Company Account, in Germany. It has since been introduced in 15 countries. The AirPlus Green Company Account joined AirPlus Green Reports and AirPlus Carbon Offset to become the third green solution in the company’s portfolio. AirPlus also won recognition from Kreditkarte.net for the Business Travel Award in the Best Corporate Card Provider category.
2015 AirPlus continued to grow and receive diverse awards for its products and innovations. In addition, AirPlus implemented a series of organizational changes, including discontinuing a number of business divisions, responding to new laws, and establishing new partnerships. We sold our Acquiring portfolio, Acceptance, to focus on business travel management, its core business. AirPlus won recognition as a Pioneer for Sustainable Financial Products for the Travel Industry for its Green Company Account.
Today
More than 48,000 corporate clients rely on AirPlus products and services to manage their business travel more easily, efficiently, and cost-effectively. Out of an effective payment solution for airline tickets grew to a diverse range of products for professionalizing business travel management. But we won’t stop now. We are continuously working to develop new and innovative business travel solutions.
