US-based travel agency air ticket sales totaled $53 billion from January to June 2024 — the highest total recorded by the Airlines Reporting Corp. in history. The report for the six-month period showed $53 billion in sales (up 1%), 86.6 million US domestic trips (up 8%), 56.2 million international trips (up 2%) and an average ticket price of $552 (down 1%).
Steve Solomon, chief commercial officer, said travel demand remains strong for both domestic and international trips, with average ticket prices down year over year for the first six months. Both corporate and leisure travel spending are experiencing similar growth rates, he said, and airlines look to continue this momentum through the end of summer and into the fall.
New Distribution Capability (NDC) transactions continue to comprise a growing percentage of ARC’s monthly transaction volume. In June 2024, 21.5% of ARC’s monthly transaction volume came from NDC — a 14.4% increase year over year. More than 1,000 travel agencies processed NDC transactions in June 2024.
