Airlines Reporting Corporation released data showing U.S.-based travel agency air ticket sales totaled $9.8 billion in August 2026—a 19 percent increase from August 2025, the previous highest recorded August total. Passenger trips reached 25.8 million in August 2026, a 5 percent year-over-year increase.
Results for August 2026 showed:
| ARC Ticketing Metric | Total | Month-Over-Month Variance | Year-Over-Year Variance |
| Total Sales | $9.8 billion | +2 % | +19 % |
| Total Passenger Trips | 25.8 million | 0 % | +5 % |
| U.S. Domestic Trips | 16.5 million | 0 % | +5 % |
| International Trips | 9.3 million | 0 % | +5 % |
| Average Ticket Price | $624 | +1 % | +17 % |
| Average Economy Class Ticket Price | $569 | +1 % | +17 % |
| Average Premium Class Ticket Price | $1,454 | +3 % | +11 % |
"August's totals set a new record for ARC-reported and settled sales, reflecting the continued strength of the U.S travel market and continued demand," said Steve Solomon, ARC's chief commercial officer. "The strong summer trends from June and July carried into August, with travel to both U.S. domestic and international destinations remaining steady from the prior month and above 2025 levels."
NDC transactions accounted for 21.5 percent of total ARC-settled transactions in August 2026, which is a 3% increase from the previous year. In August 2026, 1,221 travel agencies reported NDC transactions.
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