Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Well-Being Travel
  • Training & Events
  • Who We Are
    • Anne Marie Moebes
    • Brian Israel
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Denise Caiazzo
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Kelly Fontenelle

Airlines Reporting Corporation Sees Big Boost In Agency Sales Of One-Way Air Tickets

by Barbara Peterson / July 19, 2017
Airlines Reporting Corporation Sees Big Boost In Agency Sales Of One-Way Air Tickets


An in-depth study of airline tickets issued by ARC-accredited travel agencies reveals a significant growth in the number of airline tickets issued for one-way travel, despite the commonly held assumption that roundtrip tickets are a better value. 

The report, released by ARC at the Global Business Travel Association conference, shows that the percentage of one-way trips has expanded to 42%  of air travel so far in 2017, up a whopping 45% from three years ago.  

ARC said it examined data going back more than three years, covering more than 350 million tickets issued.   While more complex itineraries were included, ARC said that one-way and roundtrip tickets make up around 95% of all air travel it tracks.  

In some major markets, like Newark, Dallas/Fort Worth, the average premium of the one-way option has shrunk to $10 from $125 when looking at each leg of the trip, ARC said.  “Historically, the one-way premium could be as much as 50% more versus a roundtrip ticket for a similar journey,” ARC noted.  “While some markets still have a premium, there are many markets where the premium is starting to or has already disappeared.  

“The long-held belief that it is better to purchase round-trip tickets whenever possible to get the best fares is simply no longer true.” 

The surge in one-way ticketing is being driven largely by leisure and unmanaged travelers, customers who have typically booked roundtrip tickets because of the price advantage, especially in booking farther in advance.  One-way tickets were more suited to last-minute business travelers, where the difference in price was less of an issue. ARC said that explains why a parallel analysis of travel agencies doing mostly government and managed corporate travel showed the percentage of one-way tickets has remained fairly steady at about 30% of sales. 

Of the top 200 markets sold by U.S. travel agents, 59 markets – or 30% – have seen a reduction in the one-way premium by at least 25% since 2014. 

But whether it’s for business or leisure, the appeal of one-way tickets is fairly obvious:  it gets around some of the restrictions, like Saturday travel requirements, that traditionally restrict the lowest fares to the most price-sensitive travelers (although a lot of these have fallen away in recent years). And it can give clients more schedule flexibility by combining different carriers for their itineraries.  

“The number of the markets where the one-way premium is disappearing is big,” ARC said. “This is not a one-time or short-term event.  Travelers and travel managers alike should take notice and re-think how they have viewed one-way travel in the past to take advantage of this long-term trend.” 

  0
  0
Related Articles
Travel Agency August Air Ticket Sales Up 127% Over 2021
ARC Data: International Ticket Sales Up 50% Over 2021 for June
ARC Data: Inbound Test Announcement Boosts U.S. Outbound Ticket Numbers
What Data Can, and Should, Mean to Travel Advisors
U.S. Airfares Are Now at a Seven-Year High
Airlines Tickets Are Now 11% Higher Than They Were Pre-Pandemic
U.S. Travel Agencies Have Sold $91.3 Billion in Air Tickets This Year
ARC Encourages Agents to Analyze Sales Data More Through Software
ARC to Close Travel Agent MarketPlace Portal Dec. 29
New Products For Travel Agencies Top ARC Agenda

MOST VIEWED

  1. All U.S. Flights Grounded Due to FAA Computer Outage
  2. FAA Closes Three U.S. Airports Over National Security Risk
  3. Norwegian Cruise Line Brings Back COVID-19 Requirements
  4. Forbes Says ‘You Need a Travel Advisor in 2023’
  5. What’s New in Travel Agent FAM Trips
  6. U.S. Embassy Issues Security Alert for Mexico After Cancun Taxi Protests

MOST EMAILED

  1. Forbes Says ‘You Need a Travel Advisor in 2023’
  2. All U.S. Flights Grounded Due to FAA Computer Outage
  3. Visitors to the U.K. Will Soon Need to Pay an Application Fee Prior to Travel
  4. Beverage Carry-On & Corkage Fee Policies by Cruise Line
  5. Tour Operators & Advisors Forced to Cancel Trips as Peru Shuts Down Machu Picchu
  6. Here Are the Automatic & Suggested Gratuity Policies for Each Major Cruise Line
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
What to Know About Travel to Cyprus in 2023
What to Know About Travel to Cyprus in 2023

An island steeped in history and culture, Cyprus is having a moment.

Read...
Hurtigruten Offers 2-for-1 Deal on Galapagos Sailings
Hurtigruten Offers 2-for-1 Deal on Galapagos Sailings

Bookings must be made and deposited by February 15, 2023. 

Read...
Seven Extraordinary Culinary Experiences for Foodie Travelers
Seven Extraordinary Culinary Experiences for Foodie Travelers

Seven experiences perfect for clients looking for culinary adventures. 

Read...
Viking to Add New Ship on Seine
Viking to Add New Ship on Seine

A fifth Viking Longship is coming to the Seine in 2025. 

Read...
USVI Tourism Poised for a Huge Year
USVI Tourism Poised for a Huge Year

New hotels, restaurants, and excursions highlight the United States Virgin Islands' plans for 2023. 

Read...
VisitBritain Appoints New Executive Vice President for Americas
VisitBritain Appoints New Executive Vice President for Americas

VisitBritain made two major appointments this week. 

Read...
TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
river cruise 2022
group outlook 2022
lux cruise outlook
CP White Paper
Multi-Gen Outlook
River Cruise Outlook 2019
View All
Advertiser's Voice
Celebrate National Don’t Plan for Vacation Day with Delta Vacations
About Travel Market Report Mission Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars 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
News |Tours & Packages |Cruise |Hotels & Resorts |Destinations |Retail Strategies |Niche & Luxury |Well-Being Travel |Training & Events |Who We Are
© 2005 - 2023 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy