Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) announced that travel agency air ticket sales in the US totaled $7.2 billion, a 7% year-over-year increase and an 11.1% month-over-month decrease.
November’s total passenger trips reached 20.6 million, reflecting a 1.1% year-over-year increase and a 12.7% month-over-month decrease. However, the number of trips sold by corporate agencies dropped by almost 2.7% year over year. The average ticket price increased slightly from November 2023 to $576, driven by an increase in international trips.
Among other results:
- There were 12.8 million US domestic trips, flat year over year and a 16.8% month-over-month decrease.
- There were 7.8 million international trips, a 3% year-over-year increase and a 4.8% month-over-month decrease.
- The average ticket price reflected a year-over-year increase of 5% and a month-over-month increase of 3.4%.
Steve Solomon, chief commercial officer, said the data continues to show US passengers prioritizing international destinations with year-over-year growth. Leisure travel, he said, “continues to show strength, with consumers continuing to prioritize travel with their discretionary spending.”
In November, ARC’s monthly New Distribution Capability (NDC) transactions reached 20.1% — a 10.9% year-over-year increase. A total of 798 travel agencies reported NDC transactions during the month. The number of airlines participating in ARC’s Direct Connect program increased to 35.
