In 2013, American Express became the first credit card company to open an airport lounge

American Express debuted its first charge card in 1958 to give travelers access to cash abroad

The original American Express charge card was made of purple paperboard and allowed customers to book travel. Unlike credit cards, the card's balance had to be entirely paid off each month. When the card first launched, 250,000 customers used it, and 17,500 companies had agreed to accept it.

American Express was the first company to offer 'gold' cards to borrowers

American Express began offering gold cards to affluent consumers in 1966. However, other credit card companies began offering similar, premium cards in the 1980s, which quickly became a status symbol for wealthy Americans.

American Express has acquired restaurant software companies to elevate its cardholder experience

One of the many perks of American Express cards is dining credits and special reservation access to fine dining restaurants. Since American Express cardholders are often more affluent than other credit card users, restaurants have benefited from increased partnerships with American Express to offer cardholders preferential reservations and premium experiences. In 2019, American Express acquired Resy, a reservation software, and went on to acquire Tock in 2024.

The 'Centurion' card is American Express' highest tier, invite-only credit card

The Centurion card or "black card" debuted in 1999 and created the trend of credit card companies' most exclusive cards being black. Centurion cards are technically invite-only, but you can fill out a form to request being considered for the card. It has a $5K initiation fee and a $5K annual fee.

See a timeline of American Express' history

Since its founding in 1850, American Express has evolved from a mail delivery service to a multinational financial services company. Small additions to the company over time, such as taking money orders and inventing traveler's cheques, were key drivers of the company's transformation.

American Express is both a card issuer and a processing network

Unlike most credit card companies, American Express issues credit cards and processes payments—something called a closed-loop model. By offering both services, American Express profits from both interest and interchange fees, and also has access to more data on how customers spend their money so it can offer better perks.

American Express is one of the top-ranked places to work in the US

In 2026, American Express came in eighth place in Forbes' annual ranking of the best large workplaces (meaning workplaces with more than 5,000 employees). It's the top-ranked finance company on the list. The rankings were determined by survey data that asked employees to anonymously rate the salary, opportunity for advancement, benefits, and workplace at their company.

The Platinum American Express card is among the most expensive mainstream travel credit cards

American Express charges a $895 annual fee on its Platinum Card in exchange for nearly $3.5K worth of credits and benefits. Some of the credits include a $600 for hotels, a $400 credit at restaurants with Resy, a $300 Lululemon credit, and even a $200 credit at Oura ring. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

American Express is targeting Gen Z, who are generally less risk-averse than older generations

Unlike Millennials, who grew up during the Great Recession in 2008, Gen Z has a higher risk appetite and has grown up with more gamified spending platforms, like online gambling and prediction markets. Analysts say Gen Z's risk appetite makes them prime targets for credit card companies like American Express that can sell younger customers on large benefits in exchange for annual fees.

Visa, the first credit card network, still dominates competitors with a roughly 52% market share by purchase volume.

Among the major credit card companies in the US, Mastercard had about 25% of the market share in 2025. American Express had roughly 20%, and Discover had the smallest market share of about 4%.

American Express created 'Small Business Saturday' in 2010

As small businesses across the US were still reeling from the Great Recession, American Express came up with the idea of "Small Business Saturday" to help drive consumer spending to small businesses. Small Business Saturday is the day after Black Friday. In 2011, the Senate passed a resolution supporting Small Business Saturday, and, since then, it's become nationally recognized.

Airlines made an average of $13 per passenger as of 2025

Some airlines, like American Airlines (which started the first airline loyalty program), have loyalty programs with higher valuations than the airline itself. The confusing business model of the modern commercial airline industry, including said loyalty programs, began after the 1978 Airline Deregulation Act in the US, which removed federal control over airline fares, routes, and market entry.

Read about the history of gift cards

The first retailer to sell gift cards was Neiman Marcus, but Blockbuster popularized them by selling them via in-store displays in 1994. Starbucks then started selling gift cards that could be reloaded in 2001.

Delmonico's was the first American fine-dining restaurant

The steakhouse opened in 1837 in Manhattan, creating what is now considered the first fine-dining restaurant in the United States, introducing gloved waiters, white tablecloths, and an à la carte menu. The establishment also claims it invented a few American staples, including eggs Benedict, which was supposedly named after two loyal customers.

In 2001, a $20M ticket officially kicked off space tourism

On that day, American businessman Dennis Tito became the first paying passenger to visit space, spending a week aboard the International Space Station. Since then, space participants have been members of suborbital flights, which do not require intensive training to prepare for.

Many airports have dedicated stores for luggage, despite most passengers having luggage with them already

This podcast episode argues that airport luggage stores exist due, in part, to the security measures implemented after 9/11, creating capitve audiences of travelers. Some argue that airport luggage store shoppers coming from places where luggage is more expensive could be purchasing luggage in international airports. Specifically, the episode traces airport history from the very beginning to today's luggage store in your local Terminal B.

Concierge medicine officially began in 1996, with the first concierge practice

MD2 International, a concierge medical office that opened in Seattle, Washington, was founded based on the idea of unrushed, no-wait-time visits and personalized care offerings with strong relationships between patients and their providers.

The first modern payday lending store opened in Tennessee

Check Into Cash Inc. is widely recognized as the first national payday lending company. Originally started by a preacher in Johnson City, it was later popularized by Allan Jones, who founded Check Into Cash in 1993. Jones has since donated a significant amount of money to the city. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

Atlantic City was a major vacation destination in the early 20th century

The city’s boardwalk, filled with amusement parks and vendors, became a significant attraction for vacationing families. The town also became a hub for entertainment, with actors often starting there before heading to Broadway.

Explore the brands owned by Estée Lauder Companies

While Estée Lauder remains the flagship brand and namesake of the cosmetic conglomerate, the company owns more than 20 premier brands. Some of the brands—like Clinique and Origin—were created in-house, but others—like Tom Ford and Jo Malone—are a result of the company's acquisition strategy, which often targets companies with high-end retail products.

Denver International Airport is associated with numerous dark conspiracy theories

Since opening in 1995, the country's largest airport has spurred a variety of conspiracy theories. Some believe the runways form a hate symbol; others believe its giant horse statue is cursed.

US consumers collectively owe more than $1T to credit card companies—almost as much as they owe in auto loans.

Are credit unions living up to DEI promises?

Credit union insiders often say their institutions better serve minority bankers through a combination of a not-for-profit ethos and community focus. However, a recent probe found that the largest US credit union rejected more than half of all Black applicants for conventional mortgages. To dive deep into Navy Federal Credit Union’s mortgage practices, read this journalistic investigation.

Since 1800, every president has lived and worked in the White House

John Adams became the first president to live in the White House when it was completed in 1800. Since then, every American president has used it as both a residence and the official seat of executive power.

The Wing was a coworking space and private members club before it closed down

The Wing was supposed to be more than a woman’s answer to the popular WeWork coworking spaces. Founder Audrey Gelman envisioned The Wing as a private members club where women could feel empowered and dignified—if they had a few thousand dollars a year for a membership, of course. However, after racism scandals and widespread employee criticism, The Wing ceased operations in 2022.

While the first exchange-traded fund (a 'basket' of different assets that can be bought and sold on a stock exchange) in the US only launched in 1993, the global ETF market has grown to more than $10T in the short time since.

It took nearly a century to build the National Museum of African American History and Culture

Although Congress first authorized a national memorial to Black achievement in 1929, the National Museum of African American History and Culture did not open until 2016—after decades of stalled efforts, renewed legislation in 2003, and a prolonged fight over funding and location.

Dozens of S&P 500 stocks, including Coca-Cola and Walmart—known as the dividend aristocrats—have increased dividends every year for 25 years

Venture capital is a form of funding provided to early-stage companies with high growth potential, typically in exchange for an equity (or ownership) stake

Fast-casual restaurant Chili's is experiencing a resurgence, with its parent company recently reporting a nearly 32% increase in sales, thanks to passionate Gen Z fans on TikTok.

Before the current East Wing ballroom project, only two White House renovations in the past 100 years cost more than $10M.

Before humans, the Soviet Union and the United States sent animals—including apes, dogs, and cats—to space during the Space Race.

Domino's Pizza's 30-minute delivery guarantee was responsible for the chain's 1980s surge, but it was discontinued after the company was found liable for delivery driver accidents.

The American Society of Civil Engineers' infrastructure report card gave the US a C in 2025, its highest grade since the project launched in 1998.

After 25 people used virtual reality headsets to practice flying with virtual wings—flapping their arms—their visual cortex responded to the wings almost as if they were real arms, treating them as body parts.

When a Paris department store hesitated to sell Estée Lauder's perfume, she 'accidentally' broke a bottle, causing the smell to spread throughout the store and shoppers to start asking to buy the scent.

How Amazon operates a 'flywheel' business model, a self-reinforcing cycle that drives continuous growth

Long before Major League Baseball began allowing instant replay for balls and strikes, an umpire reluctantly used the technology to determine whether a hit was a home run, a move that inadvertently ushered in a new era for the sport.

In 2025, four executives from large tech companies were given positions in the US Army Reserves—including Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar, which reinforced Palantir's ties with the US military and its role as a leading defense partner.

After the Boston Tea Party, colonists switched to coffee, which became the main morning drink for revolutionaries.

See a ranking of the best (and worst) Federal Reserve Chairs since 1914 out of the 16 men and women who have held the office since.

See the most iconic photos from four decades of LIFE magazine

Memecoins are a type of cryptocurrency—a form of digital currency with a wide variety of uses—created around popular 'memes,' or viral internet jokes.

'Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone,' a work by American painter Thomas Moran, inspired Congress to establish Yellowstone National Park.

See how Budweiser's famous Clydesdales spend their days at Warm Springs Ranch, where roughly 70 to 80 of the beer brand's giant horses can be found at any given time.

The first horror movie is believed to be George Méliès' 1986 short 'The Haunted Castle,' which pioneered the use of special effects

The US Constitution is widely regarded as the longest-standing written national constitution still in force—see how it has influenced rights worldwide.

At the beginning of the 20th century, a group of young men ate standard American food—replete with food additives like borax and formaldehyde—as part of government research to better understand food safety.

English mathematician Ada Lovelace wrote the first computer algorithm a century before computers existed and hypothesized that computing devices would one day be able to compose music—foreseeing the generative AI systems of today.

Hotels in Cannes, the glamorous city on the French Riviera, hire hawks to ward off seagulls during the city's famous film festival.