American Express Debuts First-of-Its-Kind Gift Card and Gift Cheque Special Offer Program

Announces New Line of Gift Cards Especially for Teens, Kids and Birthdays

www.americanexpress.com/specialoffers

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Giving the gift of choice this holiday season just became more personal and valuable as American Express today announced a first-of-its-kind program to offer a host of special offers to recipients of the American Express Gift Card and Gift Cheque. Consumers now have one more reason to give the gift of choice extras at 20 participating retailers, restaurants and other partners that provide something special to the recipient when using the American Express Gift Card and Gift Cheque.

American Express also announced today lines of American Express Gift Cards Especially for Kids, Especially for Teens, and Especially for Birthdays. The themed Gift Cards offer a choice of cardholder-only special offers that are personalized for children, teens and birthdays, further enhancing the gift card giving and receiving experience.

When choosing a gift this holiday season, consumers can look to the American Express Gift Card and Gift Cheque as a way to give more because recipients can receive more than the face amount of the gift card by choosing from a range of special offers at participating retailers and restaurants, such as a free dessert, two games of bowling for the price of one, or 5-20 percent off the purchase of merchandise. Thirty percent of consumers say that an important feature of gift cards is that they come with extras and special offers at stores and restaurants, according to the 2006 American Express Gift Card Survey.*

Recipients can access the special offers via the American Express Special Offer Program Website, www.americanexpress.com/specialoffers. Entering the Gift Card or Gift Cheque's serial number will bring up a list of coupons reflecting special offers such as discounts on sporting goods, computers, toys, CDs, DVDs and various experiences at participating merchants. The recipient prints the coupon and presents it to the participating merchant when making a purchase with the American Express Gift Card or Gift Cheque.

"Gift cards are more popular than ever, and American Express is constantly looking to make giving and receiving our Gift Card a more enjoyable experience," said Valerie Soranno Keating, President, American Express Travelers Cheques and Prepaid Services. "Our new lines of personalized Gift Cards and our special offers for recipients give people more reasons to give and more reasons to look forward receiving the American Express Gift Card and Gift Cheque this holiday season."

American Express Gift Cards and Gift Cheques come with special offers available at best-of-brand retailers, restaurants and destinations, including 1-800-Flowers.com, AMF Bowling, Bed Bath & Beyond, Blockbuster Video, Build-a-Bear Workshop, California Pizza Kitchen, Champs Sports, Foot Locker, f.y.e., Gateway Computers, KB Toys, Kid's Foot Locker, Kosta Boda, McCormick & Schmick, Omaha Steaks, Papa John's Pizza, Pier 1 Imports, Regis Salons, The Palm and Ticketmaster.

Specialty Gift Cards, such as the Especially for Birthdays, Especially for Teens, Especially for Kids Gift Cards, come with extras related to the theme of the Gift Card. For example, recipients of the Especially for Birthdays Gift Card can receive a free game at AMF Bowling lanes, $10 off a purchase of $50 or more at Foot Locker or Champs Sports, and access to the American Express Ticket Savings Center at Ticketmaster, among other choices.

The American Express Gift Card can be redeemed at U.S. retailers and restaurants that accept the American Express Card. It lets the recipient choose from millions of things and experiences, making it a popular gift choice for the upcoming holiday season -- unlike store gift cards, instead of one place, the American Express Gift Card is good all over the place.** The Gift Card is available in denominations ranging from $25 to $500 and is replaceable if lost or stolen for a fee. American Express Gift Cards are available online at http://www.americanexpress.com/gift, and nationwide at tens of thousand of locations, including supermarkets, drug stores, shopping centers, banks and American Express Travel Service offices. For a complete list of participating locations visit http://www.americanexpress.com/gift.

About American Express

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

American Express is a leader in consumer prepaid products. In addition to the 115-year old American Express Travelers Cheque - the preeminent brand welcomed worldwide - the Company issues other prepaid products including the Travelers Cheque Card, Cheques for Two, Gift Cards, Gift Cheques, and a range of corporate incentive prepaid products through American Express Incentive Services.

* The American Express Gift Card Survey is based on a nationally representative sample of 1,013 Americans age, 18+, and 655 of them who plan to purchase a gift card/certificate this coming holiday season. The poll has a margin of error of 3.1% and 3.8%, respectively. The survey was conducted via telephone by International Communications Research from October 11 October 15, 2006.

** Terms and conditions apply to gift cards. American Express Gift Cards are not for use at car rental, cruise lines, casinos or ATMs. Offers are subject to change without notice.

Contacts

American Express

Robert A. Sherman, 212-640-6221

Or

M Booth Associates

Kurt Rossler, 212-481-7000