by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 11:45 AM ET, Thu July 16, 2026
U.S.-based travel agency air ticket sales hit a new six-month record, totaling $58.8 billion during the first six months of the year, a 12% year-over-year increase, according to new data from Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC).
The total number of passenger trips taken from January through June 2026 increased 4%, with U.S. domestic travel rising 4% and international trips growing 3% from the same time last year.
“Growth in both domestic and international trips through the first six months of the year shows air travel is still a priority,” said Steve Solomon, ARC’s Chief Commercial Officer. “The record-breaking midyear 2026 totals reflect continued strong demand, with travelers adjusting to higher ticket prices and planning trips.”
Throughout the first half of the year, travelers took 98.9 million domestic trips and 59.6 million international trips, for a total of 158.5 million trips.
The average ticket price during this time also grew 13% from the first six months of 2025, increasing to $614.
June’s Air Ticket Sales Increase
June’s air ticket sales show similar spikes: monthly air ticket sales hit $9 billion, a 19% percent increase from June 2025. Total passenger trips taken in June increased 4%, or 24.2 million total, but the number also represented a 6% decrease from May, 2026’s trip total.
Travelers took 15.3 million domestic trips and 8.9 million international trips this past June, an increase of 5% and 3% year over year, respectively. From month to month, though, the numbers actually decrease 5% and 7%, since May’s totals were so much higher.
The average ticket price in June was $629, an increase of 19% from May 2026 and 17% from last year. The average economy ticket priced out at $573, a 1% increase from the month before and a 16% increase from last June. The average premium-class ticket price was $1,423, the same as in May but 13% more expensive than last year.
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