First-Quarter 2026 Sales Surpass $30 Billion Total
ARLINGTON, Va., April 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) released data showing U.S.-based travel agency air ticket sales totaled $10.4 billion in March 2026 — a 12% increase from March 2025.* Total passenger trips settled by ARC increased 4% year over year, reaching 28.1 million in March 2026.
Through the first quarter of 2026, U.S. travel agency air ticket sales totaled $30.1 billion, an 11% increase compared to 2025’s first-quarter sales. Total passenger trips of 82.3 million for the quarter rose by 6% compared to the same period in 2025.
Results for March 2026 showed:
|
ARC Ticketing Metric |
Total |
Month-Over-Month Variance |
Year-Over-Year Variance |
|
Total Sales |
$10.4 billion |
+9 % |
+12 % |
|
Total Passenger Trips |
28.1 million |
+8 % |
+4 % |
|
U.S. Domestic Trips |
17.7 million |
+10 % |
+5 % |
|
International Trips |
10.4 million |
+5 % |
+1 % |
|
Average Ticket Price |
$623 |
+4 % |
+16 % |
|
Average Economy Class Ticket Price** |
$570 |
+6 % |
+21 % |
|
Average Premium Class Ticket Price*** |
$1,444 |
+1 % |
+17 % |
“For the second time this year, total monthly ticket sales surpassed the $10 billion mark, with gains in both domestic and international trips,” said Steve Solomon, ARC’s Chief Commercial Officer. “The passenger growth we’ve seen this month and quarter suggests travelers are actively planning around geopolitical uncertainty rather than pulling back on air travel.”
NDC transactions accounted for 20.8% of the total ARC-settled transactions in March 2026 — up from 20.3% in March 2025. In March 2026, 1,197 travel agencies reported NDC transactions.
More detailed information is available on ARC’s sales statistics page.
About ARC:
ARC’s platform is the intelligence behind air travel, connecting the industry and powering commercial decisions for airlines and their partners. Our trusted services fuel airline retailing, with ARC processing over $100 billion in U.S.-based agency air sales annually. ARC leads industry collaboration between airlines, agencies, corporate buyers and other partners to enable a thriving industry ecosystem. For more information, visit arccorp.com.
Contact:
ARC Media Team
media@arccorp.com
Notes:
*Ticket Sales
- Results are based on monthly sales data ending March 31, 2026, from 9,892 U.S. retail and corporate travel agency locations 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 traveling 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.
**Average Economy Class Ticket Price - Economy Class is defined as tickets for U.S. domestic travel purchased in March 2026 under fare codes excluding First Class, Business Class and Business Class Premium.
***Average Premium Class Ticket Price - Premium Class is defined as tickets for U.S. domestic travel purchased in March 2026 under fare codes assigned to First Class, Business Class and Business Class Premium.
© Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC). All rights reserved.
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SOURCE Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC)
