Reversing the summer trend of declining U.S. air travel ticket prices, the average roundtrip fare in September 2022 was $560, up from the $526 reported in August, and a 44 percent year-over-year increase, according to Airlines Reporting Corp. It marks the first monthly price jump since May 2022, when fares averaged $628.
September ARC-accredited travel agency air ticket sales totaled $7.3 billion, a 129 percent increase from a year prior, and a 1 percent month-over-month increase. All other monthly metrics declined from August by 2 percent each, including total passenger trips, U.S. domestic trips and international trips.
“Travel demand remained relatively flat throughout September as vacation season wound down and airlines, airports and other stakeholders in the travel industry addressed the issues that impacted summer travel,” ARC chief commercial officer Steve Solomon said in a statement. “As we look ahead to the final quarter of the year, we expect additional recovery in the corporate and online travel agency sectors while leisure travel holds at its current pre-pandemic levels.”
Total passenger trips settled by ARC in September were 21.2 million, up 38 percent from the 15.4 million reported in September 2021. U.S. domestic trips were up 26 percent from a year prior to 13.9 million, while international trips reached 7.3 million, up 65 percent year over year.
Electronic miscellaneous document sales, which include fees for such ancillary products as upgraded seats and checked bags, increased 119 percent year over year to more than $14.4 million. EMD transactions increased 93 percent to nearly 257,000 versus September 2021.
[email protected] (Donna M. Airoldi)
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