by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 10:45 AM ET, Thu October 16, 2025
U.S.-based travel agency air ticket sales totaled $8.7 billion for September, recording the highest monthly sales total for the month and marking an 8 percent increase from 2024, according to Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) data.
Third-quarter ticket sales and passenger trips increased 4 percent, reaching $25.1 billion in ticket sales and 74.7 million trips—showing the demand for travel increasing into the off-season, when pre-pandemic, back-to-school season historically decreased travel.
That’s not the case anymore.
“Strength in pricing and passenger demand helped ARC-accredited agencies close out the third quarter at record levels,” said Steve Solomon, chief commercial officer at ARC. “This trend underscores sustained traveler confidence as well as the expanding vacation travel window into the fall as the industry prepares for the busy holiday travel season.”
Air travelers took a combined 16.3 million domestic trips in September, a 4 percent increase from August and a 6 percent increase from last September. International trips totaled 8.9 million, for a seven percent year-over-year increase.
Ticket prices are also increasing: in September, the average cost was $558, a five percent increase from August and a 2 percent increase from 2024. The average economy ticket cost $501, a one percent increase from last year, while the average premium class ticket cost $1,368, a six percent increase from last year.
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