Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
U.S.A.
English
Canada
English
Canada Quebec
Français
Menu
  • News
  • Packaged Travel
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Air
  • River Cruise
  • Training & Resources

U.S. Air Ticket Sales Down 4% for February, First Decline in Seven Months

by Daniel McCarthy  March 21, 2025
Travelers at Chicago O'hare Airport

Phoot: Sanya Kushak / Shutterstock.com

For the first time since July 2024, U.S. air ticket sales are down year-over-year for a month.

According to data released by the Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) on Thursday, total air ticket sales by U.S. travel agencies for February were down 4% year-over-year at $8.4 billion. Part of that is a drop in the average air ticket price, which is down both for economy (1%) and premium (2%) tickets year-over-year.

Total passenger trips for February were also down 1% at 24 million compared to the same month last year. The change in trips was seen more in domestic itineraries than international. Travel within the U.S. was down 2%, according to ARC, while international travel was flat.

Steve Solomon, ARC’s chief commercial officer, called the numbers a reflection of “the overall demand volatility” seen by airlines over the past few weeks.

“Macroeconomic trends are creating a more dynamic environment for consumers, businesses and airlines in the short term,” he said.

The decline breaks a streak of growth for the industry. Last month, ARC reported that January 2025 air ticket sales totaled $9.3 billion, up 5% from January 2024 and significantly higher than December 2024. It marked the seventh straight month of year-over-year gains for the travel industry.

The decline in ticket sales comes as airlines grapple with a shifting market. Delta CEO Ed Bastian, speaking at the JP Morgan Investor Conference earlier this month, said Delta has cut its growth forecast in half — from 8% to 4% — due to several factors. Those include January’s severe weather, the American Airlines crash in Washington, D.C., that he called a “triggering event” for a stall in corporate bookings, and Delta’s crash at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Bastian also pointed to a drop in economic confidence, adding that Delta has seen “weakness in the economic indicators and consumer sentiment around travel.”

  1
  0
Related Articles
Air Ticket Sales Down 4%, Biggest Drop Since June ’24
U.S. Air Ticket Sales Remain Steady Despite Economic Uncertainty
ARC Data: January 2025 Air Ticket Sales Surge by 5%
U.S. Travel Agencies Set New Record with $99.2 Billion in Air Ticket Sales for 2024
Four of the Biggest Rule Changes Coming for Travelers and Advisors in 2025
What Travel Agency Owners Can Do to Protect from Fraud
U.S. Travel Agency Air Ticket Sales Remain Strong: Positive News for Travel Industry
U.S. Air Travel Hit Record in First Half of 2024
ARC to Move Up Weekly Sales Report Authorization Deadline for Agencies

MOST VIEWED

  1. Potential Tropical Storm Gabrielle Threatens Caribbean Travel Next Week
  2. Carnival Cruise Line Will Offer Three South American Journeys in 2027
  3. Norwegian Cruise Line’s David Herrera Steps Down as President
  4. Here Are All the New Cruise Ships Coming in 2026, 2027, and Beyond
  5. Delta Launches Reimagined Digital Platform for Corporate and Agency Travel
  6. Silversea Cruises Switches to New Three Fare System


TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage from all corners of the travel industry, from industry happenings to new cruise ships, hotel openings, tour updates, and much more.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
Alaska Airlines Names New Hawaiian Airlines CEO
Alaska Airlines Names New Hawaiian Airlines CEO

Birkett Krakow will take over for the retiring Joe Sprague on Oct. 29.

United Airlines Will Expand Tel Aviv Service with Two New U.S. Routes
United Airlines Will Expand Tel Aviv Service with Two New U.S. Routes

United was the first U.S. airline to resume flights into Tel Aviv when it did so in July.

American Airlines to Launch First Miami-to-Bimini Route
American Airlines to Launch First Miami-to-Bimini Route

The 64-mile trip will be American’s shortest international flight but also its shortest overall flight.

UPDATED: No More Labour Disruption Despite Air Canada Flight Attendants Massively Rejecting Deal
UPDATED: No More Labour Disruption Despite Air Canada Flight Attendants Massively Rejecting  Deal

After a week of voting, CUPE said in a statement that 99.1 % of members rejected the tentative agreement reached August 19 after a three-day strike.

JetBlue Strikes Deal with Amazon for Faster Inflight Wi-Fi
JetBlue Strikes Deal with Amazon for Faster Inflight Wi-Fi

JetBlue is the first airline to choose Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellite network for its inflight Wi-Fi.

Southwest Joins Major U.S. Carriers, Launches Free Wi-Fi for Members
Southwest Joins Major U.S. Carriers, Launches Free Wi-Fi for Members

Previously, Southwest charged guests $8 per flight leg for Wi-Fi access.

TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
View All
industry insider
industry-insider.jpg
https://img.youtube.com/vi/Ye7n1FGpXKg/0.jpg
Why Villas Are Reshaping Travel
Advertiser's Voice
Collette: For Travelers By Travelers
About Travel Market Report Mission Meet the Team Advisory Board Advertise Syndication Guidelines
TMR Resources Calendar of Events Outlook/Whitepapers Previous Sponsored Articles Previous This Week Articles
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
© 2005 - 2025 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Manage cookie preferences