US Air Ticket Sales Hit Record $8.3B, NDC on the Rise

Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) has published its August 2025 data, revealing that US-based travel agency air ticket sales reached $8.3 billion, marking a 2 percent year-over-year increase and the highest August sales total ever recorded by ARC.

The total number of passenger trips settled by ARC in August was 24.6 million, reflecting strong air travel demand during the summer season.

Though overall ticket sales rose, passenger trips processed by online travel agencies (OTAs) declined by 2 percent. Leisure travel agencies saw a 3 percent drop in passenger trips, and corporate travel agencies experienced a sharper 6 percent fall.

Notably, NDC transactions comprised 20.8 percent of all ARC-settled transactions in August 2025, up from 18.8 percent in August 2024. This growth indicates increased adoption of modern airline retailing among travel agencies.

In total, 1,093 travel agencies reported NDC transactions, demonstrating a growing shift among travel agencies toward richer content and more flexible booking options.

Read our dedicated articles about NDC challenges for resellers and airlines for a deep dive into the obstacles to adopting modern retailing.

Photo by Lukas Souza on Unsplash