Air Ticket Sales Up, Trips Down for September

The Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) released its September 2023 U.S. travel agency data today, showing a mixed picture for the American travel agency population.

Sales are up 3% compared to September 2022 but are down month-over-month from the $8 billion-plus that ARC recorded in August 2023, historically a stronger month for ticket sales. Sales are also below the levels from the same month in 2019 for the fifth time this year.

September marked the first month since May 2023 that the average ticket price increased for U.S. domestic round-trip air tickets, up 4% compared to August, but down 4% over September 2022.

Total trips are up compared to last year (4%) but down 6% month-over-month. Both domestic trips (a 5% drop) and international trips (an 8% drop) took a hit compared to September, but both are also better than they were for the same time period in 2022.

Still, all-in-all, the numbers show a relatively health travel industry, with a record third quarter for U.S. travel agency air ticket sales—total sales for q3 were up 8% year-over-year, while passenger trips were up 7% over the same period.

According to ARC, the data shows a steadying travel industry, which has largely recovered from the disruptions and turbulence that came with the COVID-19 pandemic and its fallout.

“Air travel demand has remained steady in 2023 while year-over-year sales and passenger trips are reverting to historic seasonality patterns,” said Steve Solomon, chief commercial officer at ARC. “As airlines and other travel-related suppliers prepare for the upcoming holiday travel season, ARC’s data will continue to be a valuable resource to respond to evolving traveler demand patterns.”