What to Expect at ASTA Legislative Day 2026

Travel advisors and travel partners are gearing up for this year’s American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA)’s Legislative Day, which will take place April 20-21.

More than 100 attendees will arrive in Washington, D.C. on Monday for a day of training, then meet with members of Congress and their staffers on Tuesday. The annual event aims to educate policy makers on Capitol Hill about the travel advisor profession and federal laws that impact advisors’ businesses. 

“Legislative Day is the most important opportunity we have to bring the voice of the travel advisor community directly to lawmakers,” said Jessica Klement, ASTA’s vice president of advocacy. “There’s a real sense of energy leading up to this event because our members know their stories help shape policy and strengthen the future of travel.” 

Preparing for the Big Day 

ASTA has now held four webinars leading up to Legislative Day informing attendees about everything from what to wear on Capitol Hill and how to navigate the complex to a rundown of the policies they’ll discuss. Those videos are available for playback on ASTA TV for ASTA members who need a refresher. 

The preparation will continue Monday after the ASTA Travel Forecast panel in the morning, held at Hilton Washington D.C. The Wharf this year, instead of its usual setting at the National Press Club. Training for Legislative Day will follow at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. There will also be lunch and reception, all at the hotel.  

Training will entail presentations by Klement, a Congressional staff panel, mock meetings, and planning time among each delegation. This year, ASTA will welcome Carson Kressley, ALG Vacations’ travel advisor champion, to lead a presentation about effective communication during meetings. 

ASTA will also hold a separate orientation session for first-time attendees on Monday morning. Repeat attendees who want a refresher are also welcome to join that training.  

Attendees are encouraged to download the Advocacy Day app and relay any questions to govtaffairs@asta.org. 

Talking About the Issues 

Three policy issues will drive more than 150 conversations on Capitol Hill next week: the Flight Refund Fairness Act (H.R. 5556), the ACPAC Modernization Act (H.R. 5663), and the Modern Worker Empowerment Act (H.R. 1319/ S. 2228).    

• The Flight Refund Fairness Act addresses a current law that ASTA says unintentionally harms small travel businesses, requiring ticket agents to issue their customer refunds for canceled or significantly delayed flights in seven days, while airlines only need to refund the ticket agent “promptly.” The proposed bill would require airlines to also reimburse the ticket agent “merchant of record” (the travel advisor) within seven days of a flight cancellation or significant delay.   

• The ACPAC Modernization Act would add a ticket agent member to the Department of Transportation’s Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee (ACPAC). Since travel advisors book 781,000 airline tickets per day on behalf of their clients, ASTA argues they should have a seat on that committee. Currently there are four members on the committee representing consumers, the airlines, airports, and local government.

• The Modern Worker Empowerment Act is the only partisan issue, with not a single Democrat signing on. The bill would standardize the definition of an independent contractor (IC) because it is currently different when dealing with the IRS and Department of Labor, creating potential risk and confusion for small businesses like travel agencies. 

Each of these has been discussed during ASTA Legislative Day in the past. The issue with the most recent movement is the ACPAC Modernization Act, which recently passed the House but still needs sponsorship in the Senate. 

Klement reminded advisors that they do not need to be in-the-weeds policy experts – just experts on their business and how federal laws could impact them.  

During this week’s webinar, she also explained how attendees should speak to Congress about recent government shutdowns, especially the current shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. Advisors are encouraged to discuss how this affects their travel business but not place blame for the shutdowns on any one person or party. Their time in meetings is ultimately best spent building a relationship with their representative that illuminates how travel businesses work in the U.S. 

“Legislative Day is about more than meetings on Capitol Hill. It’s about ensuring travel advisors are seen, heard, and represented,” Klement said. “The momentum behind this event reflects how passionate our members are about protecting and advancing the travel industry.”