Airport delays, weather disruptions and global uncertainty are creating heightened anxiety for travelers. Nevertheless, recent data from Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) shows airline ticket sales through U.S.-based travel agencies are also on the upswing, reinforcing the value clients place on a seamless vacation experience.
“After a record-setting January, air travel demand remained strong in February, reflecting travelers’ resilience as they braved winter weather disruptions and volatility for some international destinations,” said Steve Solomon, chief commercial officer at ARC. “In an encouraging sign for U.S. travel agencies, each ARC agency segment was either at or above year-over-year passenger trip levels for the first time since September 2025.”
Despite current challenges, ARC is reporting that agency air ticket sales totaled $9.6 billion in February 2026 — an increase of 11% from February 2025. That represents 25.9 million passenger trips, up 8% over last year.
Why Advisors Book Air — And Why They Don’t
Clients are still keen to travel, and they’re looking to advisors for help.
“ARC’s increase in airline sales through travel advisors is driven by stronger international demand, higher-value bookings and a clear shift toward advisor-led planning,” said Sandy Anderson, owner of The Sulit Experience. “Travelers are prioritizing meaningful, often complex trips, which naturally require expert guidance. At the same time, more clients are placing greater value on time savings, access and personalized service, moving away from DIY booking in favor of trusted advisors.”
But some agency owners still aren’t jumping on the bandwagon.
While many advisors view air as a way to provide door-to-door vacation planning, airline bookings can also come at a literal cost, such as fees charged by an agency's booking platform and a lack of commissionable ticket options. Booking airline tickets can also put advisors in the hot seat when cancellations or missed connections cause travel disruptions, often leading to panicky calls or texts at inconvenient hours.
Booking airline tickets can put advisors in the hot seat when cancellations or missed connections cause travel disruptions.
Credit: 2026 Jan Vasek from Pixabay“I don’t view air as a commission-driven part of the business,” Anderson said. “It’s a service and strategy component of the overall experience.”
Anderson further explains that for domestic trips or price-sensitive travelers, she will guide clients in booking flights on their own; however, for international and complex itineraries, air is often the foundation, allowing her to align flight schedules, connections and class of service with land experiences.
Clients truly value having their air managed, and while there may be fees involved, they ultimately save time, avoid headaches and gain peace of mind.
“Clients truly value having their air managed, and while there may be fees involved, they ultimately save time, avoid headaches and gain peace of mind,” she said. “For me, it comes down to delivering a seamless, end-to-end travel experience where air is an integral part of the journey.”
For international and complex itineraries, air is often the foundation of the entire experience.
Credit: 2026 Los Angeles International AirportOn the other hand, many advisors choose not to book air because not every ticket is commissionable and many agency air desks charge fees, from a flat dollar amount for tickets with low or non-commissionable fares to a percentage of higher-value tickets or those that do pay commission. Advisors may also have to pay service fees to cover the cost of issuing the ticket or for changes or cancellations.
For those reasons, Steve Griswold, owner of Pixie Vacations, feels booking air for clients is not cost-effective.
“We don't charge any fees for working with us and are happy to point guests to online airline deals they can purchase, but we don't book flights for them,” he said. “We started this policy because there was no commission in airfare and loads of risk.”
Among the potential risks, he noted, were clients who expected his agency to cover the fees when tickets needed to be changed after booking — even when those fees were triggered by the clients’ own mistakes or change in plans.
Beci Mahnken, owner of MEI Travel, has a similar view.
“We don’t book standalone air, and that’s very intentional,” she said. “The time and risk involved just don’t match the value it brings to our clients or our advisors, and it pulls focus from where we can really deliver value.”
However, she says MEI advisors do include air through cruise lines and tour operators, because it’s part of a bigger travel experience with built-in support and protection.
"That's where it works better for everyone," she said. "Especially when things don’t go as planned.”
Acknowledging that air sales through ARC may be growing, Mahnken notes that the “base structure” hasn’t shifted, with “limited support, limited control and little to no commission.”
“Until that changes, it’s not an area we’re looking to expand into,” she said. “For now, we’ll continue to work with our tour operator and cruise partners to include air as part of a more supported experience.”
For Susanne Hayes, owner of Fairytale Journeys Travel, booking air often comes down to protecting the client experience, whether that’s including it in a larger vacation package or helping travelers book their own flights directly, so they have more flexibility.
We often guide clients to book directly with airlines that can step in quickly to assist if something changes.
“With everything happening in air travel today — delays, cancellations and missed connections — there are many variables,” Hayes said. "When flights are part of a package or booked through a third party, it can make issues more complex to resolve since multiple parties are involved. Because of that, we often guide clients to book directly with airlines that can step in quickly to assist if something changes."
When flights are booked through a third party, it can make issues more complex to resolve.
Credit: 2026 Delta AirlinesThe Value of Booking Tools
To help members capitalize on increased revenue from air bookings, Travel Leaders has expanded its web-based search and booking tool (SNAP) to allow advisors to easily search, compare and book flights, providing an incentive to incorporate air into bookings by eliminating some of the frustration that may have been deterrents in the past. Even Griswold of Pixie Vacations said the exception to his agency’s “no air” policy is booking international First Class and Business Class air through SNAP to give clients “that extra level of service.”
“Air sales represent a significant and growing opportunity for our members,” said Lindsay Pearlman, president of Travel Leaders Network. “With SNAP, we’ve made booking air simple and accessible so advisors can confidently serve their clients while increasing their overall sales."
Travel Leaders is already seeing an uptick in both ticket sales and total air revenue in 2026, reaching about 50% of 2025 volume. And although not every airline ticket pays commission, SNAP allows advisors to compare ticket options, making it easier to search for commissionable flights that align with clients’ travel plans.
Anderson also notes that taking advantage of booking tools benefits both her and her clients.
“Our specialized air desk understands client needs and can identify commission opportunities, along with technology that allows for efficient booking and centralized management of reservations,” she said. “And strong support systems, including after-hours advisor assistance and VIP airline sales lines, are invaluable when issues arise.”
Ultimately, Anderson said, the growth in air bookings isn’t just about more trips; it’s about more sophisticated, higher-value travel, which underscores the value of advisors who can capitalize on the opportunity.
“Air is still one of the most complex parts of a trip, especially when things don’t go as planned,” Hayes said. “I think ARC’s data reflects how strong travel demand is right now. More people are traveling, and agencies that are set up to handle air are naturally seeing that growth.”
