The Airlines Reporting Corp., the financial settlement link between airlines and travel agents, said consolidated dollar value of airline tickets sold by U.S.- based travel agencies increased 6.92 percent year-over-year in the first five months of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011, and 15 percent over the same period in 2010. January through May 2012 ticket sales totaled $39.3 billion, compared to $36.7 billion in 2011 and $34 billion in 2010.

Year-to-date passenger segments for the first five months of 2012 increased slightly by 0.45 percent -- at 150.1 million segments, compared to 149.5 million in 2011 -- while reflecting a 1.76 percent decrease from the same period in 2010. Ticket transactions for January through May 2012 were up, at 1.04 percent over the same period in 2011, while slightly down by 0.64 percent compared to the same period in 2010.

For May alone, total sales recorded by ARC were $8,178,578,078 up 9.06 percent. Total Transactions in May were 12,992,944 up 2.58 percent. Domestic fares were $3,416,771,424 up 8.53 percent, while international fares were $3,240,700,66, up 3.41 percent. Travel agency ARC accredited retail locations totaled 13,857 and average daily sales per location for the month were $16,613.