Monthly Sales Total Tops Pre-Pandemic Levels for Second Straight Month
Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) today released data showing U.S. travel agency air ticket sales totaled $9.6 billion in March 2023, a 22% year-over-year increase and the largest monthly total recorded by ARC.* March 2023 sales and passenger trip totals followed typical month-over-month trends and were boosted by a robust increase in international travel demand from the comparable prior year period.
Month over month, March 2023 results showed:
- Total sales increased 15%.
- Total passenger trips increased 15%.
- U.S. domestic trips increased 16%.
- International trips increased 14%.
“ARC’s air travel ticket data supports what we’re hearing from airlines regarding strong spring and summer demand for both corporate and leisure travel,” said Steve Solomon, chief commercial officer at ARC. “A larger portion of the summer demand is for top European destinations like London, Paris and Rome, which are showing significant year-over-year increases in air travel ticket purchases from U.S. travelers.”
Total passenger trips settled by ARC in March 2023 increased 4% year over year to 25.8 million. International trips increased 17%, while domestic trips decreased 4% over the same period. The average U.S. round-trip air travel ticket price was $559 in March, a 4% increase from the previous year ($540) and 2% month-over-month decrease from February ($571).
Ancillary sales increased 127% year over year to $26,685,399. Ancillary transactions increased 60% to 373,107 over the same period.**
More detailed information is available on ARC’s sales statistics page.
About ARC:
ARC accelerates the growth of global air travel by delivering forward-looking travel data, flexible distribution services and other innovative industry solutions. We are a leading travel intelligence company that possesses the world’s largest, most comprehensive global airline ticket dataset, including more than 15 billion passenger flights representing 490 airlines and 230 countries and territories. Our solutions and expertise strengthen economies and enrich lives by connecting stakeholders across the travel ecosystem. For more information, visit arccorp.com.
Notes:
*Ticket Sales
- Results are based on monthly sales data ending March 31, 2023, from 10,444 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.
**Ancillary sales
- Includes fees for products and services such as upgraded seats, checked bags, an unaccompanied minor, pet-in-cabin, etc.
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