American Express said Q1 travel sales rose 20 percent to $4.9 billion and corporate card billings rose 19 percent to $36.6 billion

, both compared to a year ago. Amex's commercial card and travel unit reported first-quarter net income of $184 million, 116 percent more than a year ago, on revenues of $1.1 billion as revenues rose 16 percent, provisions for losses plummeted 71 percent and expenses rose 9 percent. The company as a whole posted first-quarter net income of $1.2 billion, 33 percent more than $885 million a year ago, and revenue of $7 billion.