Key Factors Behind April's Drop in US Air Ticket Sales

Air travel in and from the United States is growing, but air ticket sales have decreased since last April, according to new data released by Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC). 

U.S.-based travel agency air ticket sales reached $8.8 billion in April this year, a 6 percent decrease compared to April 2024, although passenger trips increased 1 percent, with a total of 25.7 million trips. 

Leisure and corporate travel decreased by 4 and 6 percent compared to last April. 

Domestic and international travel grew 1 percent from April 2024, but the average ticket price decreased 3 percent from last year, now at $536. Economy ticket prices are up 2 percent, but premium tickets are the same. 

So what might be the cause of the decrease in overall sales? 

“Business travel contended with increased economic uncertainty and the Easter holiday falling in late April, which affected year-over-year corporate passenger trip comparisons,” said Steve Solomon, chief commercial officer at ARC. “Despite some macroeconomic headwinds, overall passenger trips for domestic and international travel remained above 2024 levels, showing the resilience of travel demand.”

It’s likely a bunch of small factors—from Easter’s date to the economic uncertainty caused by Trump’s trade war on the rest of the world. 

2024 was the year that saw air ticket sales reach record numbers, with 2025 expected to exceed those with new sales records. Yet with the trade wars, fears of recession and other political developments impacting travel, international travel to the U.S. has waned, dropping 14 percent this March. 

A new World Travel & Tourism Council report warned that the U.S. travel industry could stand to lose $12.5 billion in international spending this year. 

Still, the trade war and fears of recession haven’t cooled the numbers of Americans traveling; it’s just encouraged them to visit other countries. March data from the International Trade Administration found that while international visitation to the U.S. was at 4.5 million, a nearly 10 percent drop, over 6.5 million Americans headed to other countries, an increase of 1.6 percent. 

And Americans are spending more overseas than international travelers are spending here in the United States: NTTO data from February found that the United States has a $571 million trade deficit due to Americans spending more in other countries.

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