Agency Sales Stay High to Start 2025 After Record Year
Today, Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) released data showing that U.S.-based travel agency air ticket sales totaled $9.3 billion in January 2025 – a 5% increase from January 2024.* Monthly sales and passenger trip totals were significantly higher than December 2024, which reflects the typical seasonal pattern.
Total passenger trips settled by ARC topped 26.7 million, with 16.4 million trips coming from U.S. domestic travel and 10.3 million trips from international travel.
Results for January 2025 showed:
|
ARC Ticketing Metric
|
Total
|
Month-Over-Month Variance
|
Year-Over-Year Variance
|
|
Total Sales
|
$9.3 billion
|
+39 %
|
+5 %
|
|
Total Passenger Trips
|
26.7 million
|
+40 %
|
+4 %
|
|
U.S. Domestic Trips
|
16.4 million
|
+44 %
|
+3 %
|
|
International Trips
|
10.3 million
|
+34 %
|
+6 %
|
|
Average Ticket Price
|
$557
|
-1 %
|
+2 %
|
|
Average Economy Class Ticket Price**
|
$471
|
+0 %
|
+1 %
|
|
Average Premium Class Ticket Price***
|
$1,224
|
+1 %
|
-2 %
|
“Our sales data showed that the average price for airline premium seats in 2024 was the lowest it’s been over the past three years. This is great news for travelers looking to upgrade their air travel experience without breaking the bank,” said Steve Solomon, chief commercial officer at ARC. “With business and leisure travel demand remaining high in January, travel agencies have plenty to be optimistic about to start 2025.”
NDC transactions accounted for 18.4% of the total ARC reported and settled transactions in January 2025 – a 9% increase from 16.9% in January 2024. A total of 896 travel agencies reported NDC transactions during January 2025.
More detailed information is available on ARC’s sales statistics page.
*Ticket Sales
- Results are based on monthly sales data ending January 31, 2025, from 10,298 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 traveling 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.
**Average Economy Class Ticket Price
- Economy Class is defined as tickets for U.S. domestic travel purchased in January 2025 under fare codes excluding First Class, Business Class, Business Class Premium and Supersonic.
***Average Premium Class Ticket Price
- Premium Class is defined as tickets for U.S. domestic travel purchased in January 2025 under fare codes assigned to First Class, Business Class, Business Class Premium and Supersonic.
