• by Tanya Gazdik , March 1, 2010

American Express is expanding its Open Savings program via a new partnership with AirTran Airways. To kick off the relationship, the airline will offer two weeks of free Wi-Fi from March 13-27 sponsored by Open Savings.

"We will be marketing the offering (and promotion) in a variety of ways including through traditional marketing channels such as web, direct mail and email," says an American Express spokesperson.

Open Savings gives small business owners automatic savings when they use an American Express business card to make purchases at any Open Savings partner. Through the partnership, small business cardmembers receive a 5% discount on direct ticket purchases on all AirTran Airways flights. AirTran Airways operates over 700 flights a day to more than 65 destinations.

Open Savings has delivered more than $400 million in savings to American Express business cardmembers since 2004. The program eliminates the need for offer codes, coupons or program enrollment and provides automatic savings from well-known brands. Savings can also be combined with other marketplace offers or volume discount pricing that businesses may already be receiving from program partners. The benefit is embedded within all American Express business cards.

AirTran joins other partners who offer discounts, including Hyatt Hotels, Marriott, Hertz, FedEx, Barnes & Noble, Symantec and Epson.