"American Express Travel continues to attract and recruit the best and most successful travel agencies in the industry," said Ellen Bettridge, vice president, Retail Travel Network, American Express Travel. "The continuous expansion of our U.S. Representative Network enables us to reach an ever-increasing array of consumers and American Express Cardmembers. The Network is a central focus of our travel business and we are pleased to welcome these accomplished agencies as new members."

As members of the U.S. Representative Network, the four agencies can leverage American Express' global relationships and receive special access and innumerable benefits and services that help enhance their leisure and corporate travel sales. American Express Travel offers a wide variety of exclusive products and programs, including American Express Vacations, Mariners' Club, Gold Card Destinations, and its Fine Hotels & Resorts Program as well as exclusive partnerships with Abercrombie & Kent and Smithsonian Journeys. In addition, American Express Travel offers one of the most comprehensive and innovative professional development programs in the industry, providing representative agencies with support to achieve their business goals and objectives.

About Corporate Travel Planners:
Owner & CEO Christy Prescott started Corporate Travel Planners (CTP) in 1991 as a one-location San Antonio venture. With the purchase of Rennert World Travel in 2000, South Texas' premier retail travel agency founded in 1898, CTP became the largest privately-held travel management company in Texas and ranks among the top 50 travel companies in the nation. The company's position in the marketplace is exclusively based on a commitment to excellence and a unified team of more than 75 professionals that serves as its best competitive advantage. The diversity of services offered and unparalleled customer service allows CTP to be a comprehensive travel planning solution, which includes corporate travel management, group meeting and incentive arrangements, as well as vacation planning.

"Corporate Travel Planners is a diversified travel management company that specializes in business, group, vacation and niche businesses," said Christy Prescott, Owner and CEO, Corporate Travel Planners. "American Express can help us in all areas of our business. We really took our time researching our options and we know that we made the very best decision by choosing American Express."

About Cruises-N-More:
Established in 1998, Cruises-N-More is headquartered in Lake Mary, FL and has long been recognized by the cruise line industry as being in the top one percent of travel agencies in the nation providing clients with access to competitive pricing and special amenities. Cruises-N-More is staffed by 50 travel professionals who handle every phase of travel planning, including matching clients with the perfect vacation, providing expert advice about every aspect of a trip, ensuring clients are protected with appropriate travel insurances and helping them through the ticketing process. Since its creation, Cruises-N-More has been a Host Agency in a very select, independent contractor program, the Elite Independent Professionals, which offers up to 100 percent commissions to its members.

"Our alliance with American Express will be especially valuable to our clients as it provides us with the opportunity to offer many new and enhanced benefits and worldwide travel experiences," stated Pat Neidhardt, CEO, Cruises-N-More. "These enhanced benefits are now not only on cruises but also on land and air inclusive vacation packages."

About El Sol Travel:
El Sol Travel was established in 1986 by Charles D. (Chuck) MacGillivray, a former marketing executive with Motorola and ex-Air Force fighter pilot. El Sol Travel is Arizona's largest, independently-owned travel management company, serving corporate, government and leisure clients nationwide and globally. El Sol offers the best balance of state-of-the-art business travel technology and experienced, personalized service, with integrated online booking and expense management through a partnership with Concur. El Sol Travel has 40 employees with an average of 18 years' of travel industry experience. Flexible service configurations include full-service off-site, agency managed on-site, and client-managed on-site. Account management consulting services are available to assist with travel policy development and custom negotiated air, car, and hotel rates. El Sol Travel is Service Disabled Veteran Owned; SDB, and a Certified Minority Business Enterprise.

"We are excited to begin our partnership with American Express," stated Chuck MacGillivray, El Sol Travel's President and Owner. "Our corporate clients' global travel management will be facilitated through their vast network of overseas locations. Our clients will also appreciate the savings from American Express' premier negotiated hotel program and vacation packages. It's a real win-win-win. El Sol Travel continues to provide the expert, personalized service and technology that we are known for - American Express helps us to achieve the global aspects and brand name recognition."

About Travel On, Ltd.:
Founded in 1974, Travel On, Ltd. is headquartered in Beltsville, MD and is the largest travel management company in the state. Travel On was recently recognized by the Washington Business Journal as number 85 of the top 100 privately-owned companies in the Washington Metropolitan area. Travel-On, a full-service travel management company provides a wide range of travel services to its diverse clientele, including business travel, international travel, group and meetings travel, incentive/reward travel, VIP services, and extensive vacation travel planning through their leisure division, Travel Place. The company's 85 employees, located in nine states, include highly-experienced travel professionals who provide clients with unequaled service and value.

"We are very pleased to join the American Express Travel U.S. Representative Network," said Bill Goldstein, Chairman and Founder, Travel On. "Adding the American Express value-added tools and services and products to our portfolio has greatly increased the benefits to our current and potential clients. And further, we have raised our international profile by being part of a global network of representative agencies."

About American Express Travel:
American Express entered the travel agency business in 1915 and today is the world's largest travel service network. The company has a network of Travel and Foreign Exchange Services* locations worldwide.

American Express Company (www.americanexpress.com) is a leading global payments, network and travel company founded in 1850.

*not available in all locations.

Contacts:
Monica Beaupre
212.640.2653
Monica.Beaupre@aexp.com