American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) and humanitarian relief organization Airlink have announced a new partnership to help first responders travel more quickly to disaster areas.

Airlink provides free transport for a vetted network of more than 200 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and charities around the world, assisting communities in the aftermath of disasters. The new initiative will see Amex GBT deploying bespoke travel booking solutions and services for Airlink and its NGO partners, to streamline and speed up the complex process of getting rapid-response emergency relief workers to where they need to be.

The partnership will also see many of the NGO travel bookings managed by Amex GBT travel counselor volunteers supporting Amex GBT’s social impact travel desk. The partnership is expected to be operational in early 2024.

The new initiative builds upon Amex GBT’s existing partnerships with Miles4Migrants and Welcome.US, which to date have helped move more than 12,400 refugees and migrants from danger to safety.

Evan Konwiser, Amex GBT’s Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer, said, “We believe that travel powers progress, and one of the best examples is moving people when it matters most. We are backing our beliefs with actions and partnerships. In addition to our work with Miles4Migrants and Welcome.US, we are excited to launch this new initiative with Airlink to support communities in time of crisis.”

Steve Smith, Airlink’s President and CEO, said: “Airlink manages thousands of ticket bookings for disaster responders, across multiple global airlines. We are thrilled by this partnership, which will help us speed up the process of getting responders where they are needed. It’s a great example of how the skills, expertise, and resources of the private and humanitarian sectors can be harnessed to bring aid and hope to people impacted by natural and man-made disasters”.