Year’s Total Reaches $97.4 Billion as Passenger Trips Increase 2.3%

ARLINGTON, Va. – Jan. 15, 2020 – Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) announced today that U.S.-based travel agencies achieved record sales of airline tickets in 2019. The consolidated dollar value of tickets sold last year totaled $97.4 billion, a 2.8% increase when compared to 2018.^*

The increase was aided by a 10% surge in December ticket sales when compared to the same period in 2018, totaling $6.1 billion. The average U.S. round-trip ticket price in 2019 was $494, a $4 increase over 2018.

Total passenger trips settled by ARC for U.S. travel agencies in 2019 increased by 2.3% compared to 2018, to 302,323,757. In 2019, U.S. domestic trips increased by 2% while international passenger trips increased by nearly 3%.

Electronic Miscellaneous Document (EMD)^** sales in December swelled 44% to help total 2019 sales increase by 8% to $84.6 million. EMD transaction volume last year increased by 8.5% over 2018, totaling 1.4 million.

More detailed information is available on ARC’s website.

Notes for Editors:

*Ticket Sales

• Results are based on monthly sales data ending December 31, 2019, from 11,858 U.S. retail and corporate travel agency locations, satellite ticket printing offices and online travel agencies. Results do not include sales of tickets purchased directly from airlines.
• Average ticket price (in USD) 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 taking a trip from one airport to another using either 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 of 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.

**Electronic Miscellaneous Documents (EMD)

• Includes fees for products and services such as upgraded seats, checked luggage, an unaccompanied minor, pet-in-cabin, etc.