The number of corporate trips sold by travel agencies with at least 70 percent self-reported corporate and government business counted by Airlines Reporting Corp. has increased year over year for each of the past three months, according to data from ARC.
That figure in May increased 3.4 percent compared with May 2025, was up 10.7 percent in June, and in July increased 6.8 percent year over year. That makes six months in a row of year-over-year increases for corporate trips.
ARC had been providing the figure in its monthly sales data report, but the data had been unavailable for May and June until the July report.
Average Ticket Prices Soar
In addition to increased corporate trips, the average price for air tickets continued to significantly rise.
The average price in May for a U.S. domestic roundtrip ticket in May increased 18 percent year over year to $628, which also was up from the $623 reported by ARC in April 2026. The average price for a domestic economy-class ticket in May increased 20 percent to $569, while the average price of a premium-class ticket was up 14 percent year over year to $1,429.
In June, the average price for a U.S. domestic roundtrip ticket was up 17 percent year over year to $629 but was steady with May 2026's price of $628. The average price in June for a domestic economy-class ticket jumped 16 percent to $573, while an average premium-class ticket rose 13 percent to $1,423.
July ticket prices continued the year-over-year trend, but price increases seemed to be leveling off. An average U.S. domestic roundtrip ticket in July increased 17 percent year over year to $619, but the month-over-month variance was down 2 percent. The average domestic economy-class ticket was up 17 percent to $565, but the price was down 1 percent month over month. The average price for a premium-class ticket increased 12 percent from July 2025, but it, too, was down 1 percent from June 2026's figure.
Air Ticket Sales Increase
Total air ticket sales also have been increasing each of the past three months.
May total U.S.-based agency air ticket sales totaled $9.8 billion, up 15 percent compared with May 2025. In June they increased 19 percent year over year to $9 billion, and July sales exceeded $9.6 billion, an increase of more than 18 percent.
Passenger Trip Growth
Total passenger trips in May remained flat year over year at 25.7 million, with domestic trips increasing 1 percent to 16.2 million and international trips declining 1 percent to 9.5 million.
June passenger trips totaled 24.2 million, a 4 percent increase year over year. U.S. domestic trips were up 5 percent to 15.3 million, while international trips increased 3 percent to 8.9 million for the period.
July passenger trips also were up 4 percent to 25.8 million compared with July 2025. Domestic trips reached 16.5 million, a 3 percent increase, and international trips were up 5 percent for the period to 9.3 million.
NDC Transactions Level Off
The number of May New Distribution Capability transactions "remained steady," accounting for 21.6 percent of the total ARC-settled transactions for the month, a slight increase from 21.4 percent in May 2025, with 1,197 travel agencies reporting NDC transactions.
June NDC transactions also matched its year-prior percentage at 21.6 percent of all ARC-settled transactions for the month, with 1,190 travel agencies reporting NDC activity.
July, however, had a decrease in NDC transactions, accounting for 21.2 percent of total ARC-settled transactions for the month, down from the 21.6 percent reported in July 2025. About 1,186 agencies reported NDC transactions for the month.
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