Strong Demand for Air Travel Drives Record July Sales
by Daniel McCarthy
Photo: George Wirt / Shutterstock.com
U.S. travel agencies sold $8.1 billion in air tickets in July, the highest monthly total for July ever recorded by the Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC).
The results, reported on Wednesday, show continued strength for the travel industry. All of ARC’s major data points went up year-over-year, including total sales, total trips (up 3%), average ticket price (up 1%), and average premium-class ticket price (up 4%).
The total number of passenger trips, which came in at 24.9 million, is also up year-over-year for the fourth straight year, providing more evidence of travel’s increased place in consumer spending.
“July’s results show continued demand for air travel, with ARC-accredited agency sales and passenger trips higher year-over-year for the second straight month,” said Steve Solomon, chief commercial officer at ARC. “Travel agencies are starting the second half of the year with positive momentum as ticketing trends have normalized after some volatility earlier in the year.”
The numbers also shone a light on the continued adoption of NDC. In July 2025, NDC transactions accounted for 21.5% of the total ARC-settled transactions, an increase from 19.7% in July 2024. A total of 1,039 travel agencies reported NDC transactions that month.
