Participation Products Communications Training Support About ARC Contact Us My ARC Accreditation Login NEWSROOM October U.S. Travel Agency Air Ticket Sales Increase Nearly 200% Year Over Year Total Sales Boosted by 21% Month-Over-Month Increase in International Passenger Trips ARLINGTON, Va. – November 18, 2021 – Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) today released data showing ARC-accredited travel agency air ticket sales increased 199% year over year in October 2021. The consolidated dollar value of tickets sold by agencies during October totaled $4.3 billion, the third month in 2021 for which sales have topped $4 billion.* Month over month, October 2021 results showed: Total sales up 33%. Total passenger trips increased 14%. U.S. domestic trips increased 11%. International trips increased 21%. “The announcement that the U.S. would open its borders to vaccinated international travelers on November 8 led to a significant increase in airline ticket purchases throughout October,” said Steve Solomon, vice president of global sales, marketing, operations and customer experience at ARC. “We saw double-digit percentage increases in new tickets from European countries to the U.S., a positive sign for the travel industry as we enter the holiday months.” Total passenger trips settled by ARC in October 2021 increased 115% year over year from 8.1 million to 17.6 million. U.S. domestic passenger trips increased 112% to 12.1 million YOY. International passenger trips increased 123% to 5.4 million over the same period. The average U.S. round-trip ticket price in October 2021 was $425, a 13% increase from $377 in October 2020. Year over year, October 2021 EMD sales increased 157% to $7,861,025. EMD transactions increased 146% to 163,212.** More detailed information is available on ARC’s sales statistics page. Additional breakdown of corporate, leisure and online ticket sales can be found on the ARC COVID-19 data page. Notes for Editors: *Ticket Sales Results are based on monthly sales data ending October 31, 2021, from 10,897 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. **Electronic Miscellaneous Documents (EMD) Includes fees for products and services such as upgraded seats, checked bags, an unaccompanied minor, pet-in-cabin, etc. ABOUT ARC As a leader in air travel intelligence and omnichannel retailing, ARC provides platforms, tools and insights that help the global travel community connect, grow and thrive. ARC enables the diverse retailing strategies of its customers by providing innovative technology, flexible settlement solutions and access to the world’s most comprehensive air transaction dataset. In 2019, ARC managed more than $97.4 billion in transactions between airlines and travel agencies, representing more than 302 million passenger trips. For more information, please visit arccorp.com. Connect with ARC ARC provides journalists with timely statistics, data analysis and in-depth interviews with subject matter experts. MEDIA INQUIRIES MEDIA KIT Contact Randy Spoon 1-703-816-5119 rspoon@arccorp.com © 2021 Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC). All rights reserved. Terms Privacy PCI Standards ARC System Status Do Not Sell My Personal Information