Average airfares sold through mega travel agencies in January dropped 3.1 percent year over year to $690, excluding taxes,

the seventh consecutive month of such declines, according to ARC data. ARC categorizes as megas American Express, BCD Travel, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Expedia's Egencia, Hogg Robinson Group and Omega World Travel. The average January fare sold by "online agencies," including the corporate-travel-focused units of Orbitz and Travelocity, essentially was flat at $350. In the "other" category, which includes all other travel agencies whose data is processed by ARC, the average fare slipped less than 1 percent to $579.