Garanti BBVA and American Express are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their partnership in Türkiye with a series of exclusive campaigns, lifestyle experiences and customer benefits designed for eligible cardholders.
Garanti BBVA, the licensed issuer of American Express cards in Türkiye, has introduced a year-long anniversary program featuring retail discounts and access to curated experiences across travel, gastronomy, shopping and entertainment.
Monthly retail discounts for eligible cardholders
Under the anniversary campaign, eligible cardholders who meet the promotional requirements will receive a 20% discount on their first qualifying clothing or electronics purchase made between the 20th and final day of each month through the end of the year.
Participants will also gain access to a network of more than 1,000 local merchants and partner businesses offering exclusive experiences and privileges across multiple lifestyle categories.
Cultural experiences form part of anniversary celebrations
As part of the celebrations, American Express served as performance sponsor of the “Fado Night at the Museum” concert, which was included in the program of the 54th Istanbul Music Festival organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) under the sponsorship of Borusan Holding.
Portuguese fado artist Sara Correia performed at the Istanbul Archaeology Museums on June 25 as part of her Tempestade album tour. Eligible cardholders benefited from a 20% discount on concert tickets.
Meanwhile, “Movie Night at the Museum: An American Express Summer Cinema Evening,” which debuted last year with the support of American Express, returned this summer with weekly screenings throughout July at the Fıstıklı Terrace of the Sakıp Sabancı Museum overlooking the Bosphorus.
The open-air cinema series offers audiences complimentary popcorn and beverages alongside screenings of classic films, while eligible American Express cardholders receive a 20% discount on ticket purchases.
Focus on premium customer experiences
Commenting on the milestone, Kerem Orbay, General Manager of Payment Systems at Garanti BBVA, said the partnership has consistently focused on delivering value-added benefits and memorable experiences for cardholders.
“At the heart of our 20-year partnership with American Express lies our commitment to providing cardholders with privileges and experiences that create value. Throughout this journey, we have continuously evolved our products, services and campaigns in line with changing customer expectations and needs.
As we celebrate this milestone, we have prepared a special anniversary program alongside our monthly 20% discount campaign to thank our customers and offer them unique experiences throughout the year. We will continue developing innovative solutions and delivering more value-added experiences in the future.”
Briana Wilsey, Vice President and General Manager of Global Network Services for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at American Express, said the anniversary reflects the success of a long-standing collaboration and a shared commitment to premium customer experiences.
“We are delighted to celebrate 20 years of partnership with Garanti BBVA in Türkiye. Over the past two decades, we have worked together to provide cardholders with exclusive benefits, advantages and memorable experiences.
This anniversary reflects both the success of our long-standing relationship and our shared determination to deliver differentiated products, premium services and exclusive experiences for customers. We look forward to building on this strong partnership and continuing to create value for cardholders in the years ahead.”
Why it matters
As competition intensifies in the premium payments segment, banks and global card networks are increasingly differentiating themselves through lifestyle benefits and exclusive experiences rather than traditional rewards programs alone. The 20-year partnership between Garanti BBVA and American Express highlights the growing importance of experience-led loyalty strategies in retaining high-value customers and strengthening engagement in the premium card market.
