Travel agencies in the United States achieved a remarkable milestone in January, setting a new record for air ticket sales, according to data from the Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC). The agencies collectively earned $8.9 billion from air ticket sales, marking a seven percent increase from January 2023 and the highest January total ever recorded by ARC.
Total passenger trips also surged, reaching 25.6 million, a staggering 52 percent increase from the previous month and a seven percent rise from January 2023. Of these, domestic trips accounted for 15.9 million, while international trips totaled 9.7 million.
ARC’s chief commercial officer, Steve Solomon, commented on the positive start to 2024 for air travel, noting an uptick in ticket transactions for popular spring break destinations such as Cancun, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale. He also highlighted a seven percent year-over-year increase in settled trips by corporate travel agencies, indicating a solid month for business travel.
Average ticket prices in January 2024 stood at $546, representing a one percent increase from December and a three percent rise from January 2023.
The month also saw a significant increase in ancillary sales, with a 37 percent year-over-year rise to $27.9 million, accompanied by a 39 percent increase in ancillary transactions to 462,856 over the same period.
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