International Passenger Trips Drive Year-over-Year Sales Increases
Today, Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) announced that October 2024 U.S. travel agency air ticket sales totaled $8.1 billion — a 12% increase from October 2023. October’s total passenger trips reached 23.7 million, indicating a 9% year-over-year increase. The average ticket price remained steady at $557.
Metrics from October 2024 show:
ARC Ticketing Metric |
Total |
Month-Over- |
Year-Over-Year |
Total Sales |
$8.1 billion |
+1 % |
+12 % |
Total Passenger Trips |
23.7 million |
0 % |
+9 % |
U.S. Domestic Trips |
15.5 million |
+1 % |
+9 % |
International Trips |
8.2 million |
-2 % |
+10 % |
Average Ticket Price |
$557 |
+2 % |
0 % |
“October’s air travel data showed a strong start to the fourth quarter,” said Steve Solomon, chief commercial officer at ARC. “Increased sales were driven largely by a strong dollar and the yearly increase in international passenger trips is a positive trend of what we expect to continue through the end of the calendar year.”
In October 2024, ARC’s monthly New Distribution Capability (NDC) transactions reached 19.1% — a 14.4% increase year-over-year. A total of 822 travel agencies reported NDC transactions during the month.
More detailed information is available on ARC’s sales statistics page.
*Ticket Sales
- Results are based on monthly sales data ending October 31, 2024, from 10,380 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.