U.S. travel agencies reached a historic milestone in 2025, surpassing $100 billion in airline ticket sales for the first time, according to data from Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC). Agencies sold $100.4 billion in airline tickets during the year, marking a 1 percent increase compared with 2024.
The figures include sales generated by leisure and corporate travel agencies, as well as online travel agencies, but exclude direct airline sales. The modest year-over-year growth came despite notable headwinds, including dips in consumer confidence that weighed on airline demand, particularly during the first half of the year and within economy-class travel.
Passenger volumes continued to trend upward overall. Total passenger trips booked through agencies increased 3 percent in 2025, with U.S. domestic trips rising 2 percent and international travel growing at a faster pace of 4 percent. The data suggests that international demand remained resilient even as some travelers scaled back discretionary spending.
A strong finish to the year helped push agency sales past the $100 billion mark. In December alone, travel agencies sold $7.2 billion in airline tickets, a 7 percent increase compared with the same month a year earlier. Holiday travel demand and year-end business trips played a key role in the surge.
The data also highlighted steady growth in New Distribution Capability adoption. NDC-enabled transactions accounted for 21.2 percent of ARC-settled transactions in December, up from 20.3 percent the previous year. Online travel agencies continue to represent the majority of NDC bookings, reflecting their early adoption of airline retailing technology.
The milestone underscores the enduring role of travel agencies in airline distribution, even as carriers push direct sales and retail modernization initiatives.
