by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 1:05 PM ET, Thu January 16, 2025
US-based travel agencies saw a record number of air ticket sales at $99.2 billion, growing four percent from 2023 and reaching the highest annual total reported by Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC).
Higher fares didn’t cause this new record: more Americans traveling did.
American travelers took a combined 284.9 million passenger trips, a six-point increase from the year before. Domestic travel grew seven percent year-over-year, with a total of 179.4 million trips, while international travel grew four percent, with 105.5 million trips total.
December demand surged as travelers headed out to visit family, take warm-weather vacations or head to other locales for the holidays. Ticket sales in December reached $6.7 billion, a 17 percent year-over-year increase, with passenger trips increasing 13 percent, with 19 million Americans heading on both domestic and international trips.
Ticket prices in December decreased three percent from November 2024, but they were still four percent higher than in December of 2023, with the average price for a ticket being $561.
"2024 was a momentous year for air travel, with eight record-breaking months of agency sales and a strong close in December," said Steve Solomon, chief commercial officer at ARC. "Sales and passenger trip growth were made possible by industry collaboration to meet travelers and travel managers where they want to do business. Airlines, agencies and technology providers made a concerted effort to support modern airline retailing in 2024, evidenced by total NDC transaction volume increasing more than 50% since 2023."
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
