Travel agency air ticket sales in the US in August increased 10% from August 2022 to $8 billion, according to the Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) . August passenger trips reached their highest level compared with pre-pandemic years, with the August 2023 passenger trip total at 94% of August 2019 levels.
Chuck Thackston, managing director of data science and research, said the positive travel trends for August matched what the company is hearing from the largest airlines regarding the strength of air travel demand. Travelers, he said, continue to take advantage of lower airfares, particularly in the US domestic market.
August marked the third straight month the average ticket price declined for a US domestic roundtrip air ticket. The average U.S. domestic roundtrip ticket price for August was $514, a 3% decrease month over month and a2% decrease year over year.
Ancillary sales (upgraded seats, checked bags, etc.) increased 75% year over year to $24 million. Ancillary transactions increased 52% to 378,565 over the same period.
