U.S. Travel Agencies Air Ticket Sales Reach $9 Billion in May 2024
Total Monthly Sales Eclipse $9 Billion for the Third Consecutive Month
Today, Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) released data showing May air ticket sales totaled $9 billion for U.S. travel agencies — a 1% decrease month over month from April 2024. Passenger trips totaled 25.7 million, which included a 10% increase in U.S. domestic trips and a 2% increase in international trips.
Results for May 2024 showed:
|
ARC Ticketing Metric |
Total |
Month-Over- |
Year-Over-Year |
|
Total Sales |
$9 billion |
-1 % |
0 % |
|
Total Passenger Trips |
25.7 million |
+1 % |
+7 % |
|
U.S. Domestic Trips |
16.2 million |
0 % |
+10 % |
|
International Trips |
9.5 million |
+1 % |
+2 % |
|
Average Ticket Price |
$543 |
-1 % |
-3 % |
“Total sales haven’t been above $9 billion for three consecutive months since 2019. This is a sign of the continued strength for air travel in 2024,” said Steve Solomon, chief commercial officer at ARC. “Travelers are also enjoying airfare that’s relatively unchanged from last year despite price pressures in other parts of the economy.”
May ancillary sales increased 17% year over year to $31 million, while ancillary transactions increased 59% to 564,619 over the same period.**
More detailed information is available on ARC’s sales statistics page.
*Ticket Sales
- Results are based on monthly sales data ending March 31, 2024, from 10,325 U.S. retail and corporate travel agency locations, satellite ticket printing offices and online travel agencies. Results do not include sales of tickets purchased directly from airlines.
- The average ticket price (USD) is for a round-trip ticket settled through ARC for an itinerary that included only U.S. domestic travel.
- Passenger trips include the total number of passengers taking a trip from one airport to another using direct or connecting flights. Newly issued trips are added, and refunded trips are deducted to provide a net view of traveling passengers.
- U.S. domestic passenger trips include the total number settled through ARC where the itinerary is wholly within the U.S. International passenger trips include the total number settled through ARC where some or all the travel occurs to airports outside the U.S. or originates outside the U.S.
- Total sales are equal to the total amount paid for a ticket, which includes taxes and fees.
**Ancillary sales
- Includes fees for products and services such as upgraded seats, checked bags, an unaccompanied minor, pet-in-cabin, etc.
Categories: Trends