travel agency gross sales

• Travel, Tourism & Hospitality ›

Leisure Travel

Industry-specific and extensively researched technical data (partially from exclusive partnerships). A paid subscription is required for full access.

• Leading travel companies worldwide 2022, by sales

Travel agencies worldwide

Travel management, leading travel companies worldwide in 2022, by gross sales (in billion u.s. dollars).

To access all Premium Statistics, you need a paid Statista Account

• Immediate access to all statistics
• Incl. source references
• Download as PDF, XLS, PNG and PPT

Additional Information

Show sources information Show publisher information Use Ask Statista Research Service

CAPI interview, questionnaire

¹ Booking Holdings and Expedia Group did not take part in the survey provided by the source. Data came from the groups' public financial reports. ² Estimate. Figures refer to global gross sales of travel products. The source only included companies generating at least 100 million U.S. dollars in travel sales, with a minimum of 15 percent of the sales volume in the United States. The companies also had to be the agent of record on the transaction from a supplier's perspective.

Other statistics on the topic

• Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023
• Revenue of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023
• Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

• Market size of the tourism sector worldwide 2011-2024

To download this statistic in XLS format you need a Statista Account

To download this statistic in PNG format you need a Statista Account

To download this statistic in PDF format you need a Statista Account

To download this statistic in PPT format you need a Statista Account

As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic.

As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic.

As soon as this statistic is updated, you will immediately be notified via e-mail.

… to incorporate the statistic into your presentation at any time.

You need at least a Starter Account to use this feature.

• Immediate access to statistics, forecasts & reports
• Usage and publication rights
• Download in various formats

You only have access to basic statistics. This statistic is not included in your account.

• Instant access  to 1m statistics
• Download  in XLS, PDF & PNG format
• Detailed  references

Business Solutions including all features.

Statistics on " Travel companies "

• Online travel market size worldwide 2017-2028
• Key information on the global travel agency industry January 2024
• Number of employees at leading travel companies worldwide 2022
• Revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023
• Marketing expenses of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023
• Marketing/revenue ratio of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023
• Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023
• Total revenue of Trip.com Group 2013-2023
• Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023
• Most popular travel and tourism websites worldwide 2024
• Total visits to travel and tourism website booking.com worldwide 2021-2024
• Total visits to travel and tourism website tripadvisor.com worldwide 2020-2024
• ACSI - U.S. customer satisfaction with online travel websites as of 2024
• Number of aggregated downloads of leading online travel agency apps worldwide 2023
• Number of aggregated downloads of leading online travel agency apps in the U.S. 2023
• Leading travel apps in the U.S. 2022, by market share
• Leading travel apps in Europe 2022, by market share
• U.S. travel agency industry market size 2012-2022
• U.S. tour operator industry market size 2012-2022
• Revenue of TUI AG worldwide 2004-2023
• Leading travel agents ranked by number of outlets in the UK 2024
• Leading ATOL-licensed tour operators in the UK 2024, by passengers licensed
• Turnover of Hays Travel Limited in the UK 2008-2023
• Worldwide cruise company market share 2022
• Revenue of Carnival Corporation & plc worldwide 2008-2023
• Revenue of Royal Caribbean Cruises worldwide 1988-2023
• Revenue of Norwegian Cruise Line worldwide 2011-2023
• TUI cruise brand revenue worldwide 2015-2023, by brand
• Percentage change in revenue of leading cruise companies worldwide 2020-2023

Other statistics that may interest you Travel companies

Industry overview

• Premium Statistic Market size of the tourism sector worldwide 2011-2024
• Premium Statistic Online travel market size worldwide 2017-2028
• Premium Statistic Key information on the global travel agency industry January 2024
• Basic Statistic Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Leading travel companies worldwide 2022, by sales
• Premium Statistic Number of employees at leading travel companies worldwide 2022

Online travel agencies (OTAs)

• Premium Statistic Revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Marketing expenses of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Marketing/revenue ratio of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023
• Basic Statistic Revenue of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023
• Premium Statistic Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023
• Premium Statistic Total revenue of Trip.com Group 2013-2023
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023

Travel websites and apps

• Premium Statistic Most popular travel and tourism websites worldwide 2024
• Premium Statistic Total visits to travel and tourism website booking.com worldwide 2021-2024
• Premium Statistic Total visits to travel and tourism website tripadvisor.com worldwide 2020-2024
• Premium Statistic ACSI - U.S. customer satisfaction with online travel websites as of 2024
• Premium Statistic Number of aggregated downloads of leading online travel agency apps worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Number of aggregated downloads of leading online travel agency apps in the U.S. 2023
• Premium Statistic Leading travel apps in the U.S. 2022, by market share
• Premium Statistic Leading travel apps in Europe 2022, by market share

Travel agencies and tour operators

• Premium Statistic U.S. travel agency industry market size 2012-2022
• Premium Statistic U.S. tour operator industry market size 2012-2022
• Premium Statistic Revenue of TUI AG worldwide 2004-2023
• Premium Statistic Leading travel agents ranked by number of outlets in the UK 2024
• Premium Statistic Leading ATOL-licensed tour operators in the UK 2024, by passengers licensed
• Premium Statistic Turnover of Hays Travel Limited in the UK 2008-2023

Cruise companies

• Premium Statistic Worldwide cruise company market share 2022
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Carnival Corporation & plc worldwide 2008-2023
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Royal Caribbean Cruises worldwide 1988-2023
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Norwegian Cruise Line worldwide 2011-2023
• Premium Statistic TUI cruise brand revenue worldwide 2015-2023, by brand
• Premium Statistic Percentage change in revenue of leading cruise companies worldwide 2020-2023

Further related statistics

• Premium Statistic Sales performance of corporate agencies in the U.S. in 2014 vs. 2013, by segment
• Premium Statistic Revenue of traditional travel agents in the U.S. in 2012, by product type
• Premium Statistic Average annual sales per fulltime frontline travel agent 2014, by agency type
• Premium Statistic Sales performance in travel agencies in the U.S. in 2014 compared to 2013, by segment
• Premium Statistic Decrease in sales of traditional travel agents in the U.S. from 2008 to 2012
• Premium Statistic U.S. travel agencies share of sales by travel segment 2014, by agency type
• Premium Statistic Sales performance of U.S. independent travel agents in 2014 vs. 2013, by segment
• Basic Statistic Home-based travel agents reporting a decrease in sales in the U.S. from 2008 to 2017
• Basic Statistic Travel agents change in sales in the U.S. 2008-2017
• Premium Statistic Sales performance of retail leisure agencies in the U.S. in 2014 vs. 2013, by segment
• Premium Statistic Change in total sales of traditional travel agents in the U.S. in H1 2013 vs. 2012
• Premium Statistic Change in total sales of home-based travel agents in the U.S. in H1 2013 vs. 2012
• Basic Statistic Travel agents reporting a decrease in sales in the U.S. from 2008 to 2017
• Basic Statistic Revenue distribution of home-based travel agents in the U.S. in 2013, by product type
• Premium Statistic Tuniu's gross profit 2014-2023
• Premium Statistic Travel agents and tour operators: number of employees in Croatia 2010-2016
• Premium Statistic Brazil: favorite channels to look for travel options 2020, by service type
• Premium Statistic Industry revenue of “other reservation service and related activities“ in Poland 2012-2025

Further Content: You might find this interesting as well

• Sales performance of corporate agencies in the U.S. in 2014 vs. 2013, by segment
• Revenue of traditional travel agents in the U.S. in 2012, by product type
• Average annual sales per fulltime frontline travel agent 2014, by agency type
• Sales performance in travel agencies in the U.S. in 2014 compared to 2013, by segment
• Decrease in sales of traditional travel agents in the U.S. from 2008 to 2012
• U.S. travel agencies share of sales by travel segment 2014, by agency type
• Sales performance of U.S. independent travel agents in 2014 vs. 2013, by segment
• Home-based travel agents reporting a decrease in sales in the U.S. from 2008 to 2017
• Travel agents change in sales in the U.S. 2008-2017
• Sales performance of retail leisure agencies in the U.S. in 2014 vs. 2013, by segment
• Change in total sales of traditional travel agents in the U.S. in H1 2013 vs. 2012
• Change in total sales of home-based travel agents in the U.S. in H1 2013 vs. 2012
• Travel agents reporting a decrease in sales in the U.S. from 2008 to 2017
• Revenue distribution of home-based travel agents in the U.S. in 2013, by product type
• Tuniu's gross profit 2014-2023
• Travel agents and tour operators: number of employees in Croatia 2010-2016
• Brazil: favorite channels to look for travel options 2020, by service type
• Industry revenue of “other reservation service and related activities“ in Poland 2012-2025

U.S. Travel Agency Sales Total $95.3 Billion in 2023

Yearly Total Finishes Slightly Below 2019 Record

ARLINGTON, VA – January 18, 2024 – Today, Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) announced that U.S.-based travel agency air ticket sales totaled $95.3 billion in 2023. The 2023 total is the highest since the record $97.4 billion in 2019 and a 16% increase from 2022.*

December closed out the year with $5.7 billion in U.S. travel agency air ticket sales, a 5% increase year over year. December’s ancillary sales increased 32% year over year to $20.6 million, while ancillary transactions increased 36% to 329,475 over the same period.** 

Results for December 2023 showed:

“2023 was a pivotal year for air travel as U.S. travel agencies and their partners responded to growing traveler demand and significant shifts in airlines’ distribution strategies,” said Steve Solomon, chief commercial officer at ARC. “It was also a year where travelers continued to combine corporate and leisure trips and spend more on ancillary products and services. The industry focus changed from post-pandemic recovery to meeting the needs of travelers in this new operating environment.”

Total results for 2023 showed:

More detailed information is available on ARC’s sales statistics page .

*Ticket Sales

Results are based on monthly sales data ending December 3 1 , 202 3 , from 10, 362 U.S. retail and corporate travel agency locations, satellite ticket printing offices and online travel agencies. Results do not include sales of tickets purchased directly from airlines .

The a verage ticket price (USD) is for a round-trip ticket settled through ARC for an itinerary that included only U.S. domestic travel.

Passenger trips include the total number of passengers taking a trip from one airport to another using direct or connecting flights. Newly issued trips are added, and refunded trips are deducted to provide a net view of traveling passengers.

U.S. d omestic passenger trips include the total number settled through ARC where the itinerary is wholly within the U.S. International passenger trips include the total number settled through ARC where some or all the travel occurs to airports outside the U.S. or originates outside the U.S.

Total sales are equal to the total amount paid for a ticket, which includes taxes and fees.

** Ancillary sales

Includes fees for products and services such as upgraded seats, checked bags, an unaccompanied minor, pet-in-cabin, etc.

© Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC). All rights reserved.

ARC accelerates the growth of global air travel by delivering forward-looking travel data, flexible distribution services and other innovative industry solutions. We are a leading travel intelligence company that possesses the world’s largest, most comprehensive global airline ticket dataset, including more than 15 billion passenger flights representing 490 airlines and 230 countries and territories. Our solutions and expertise strengthen economies and enrich lives by connecting stakeholders across the travel ecosystem. For more information, visit arccorp.com .

Connect with ARC

ARC provides journalists with timely statistics, data analysis and in-depth interviews with subject matter experts.

Randy Spoon 1-703-816-5119 [email protected]

Related Travel Research

U.s. travel agency landscape 2023.

Free for Open Access Subscribers

As the online travel market has continued its evolution, changing business models and pandemic-era disruption have challenged traditional agencies and advisors. Throughout, travel agencies have proven resilient, and the market is thriving.  Gross bookings jumped 120% in 2022 and were projected for 26% growth in 2023. Today, the focus is on adopting new technologies and greater specializations for even more personalized, targeted service.

U.S. Travel Agency Landscape 2023 is part of a joint research project with Phocuswright and Travel Weekly, tracking the travel agency distribution landscape and overall market size. Based on a comprehensive market sizing exercise, along with a survey of more than 1,300 U.S. travel advisors, key topics include:

• Size of the U.S. travel agency market, featuring projections through 2026 
• The typical travel advisor profile: key advisor demographics and insights into the clients they serve
• Agency business overview: revenue sources, top products and distribution channels
• Future industry outlooks, including key challenges and the impact of NDC

What is Open Access

An Open Access subscription provides company-wide access to the whole library of Phocuswright’s travel research and data visualization.

Curious? Contact our team to learn more:

What is open access+.

With Open Access+, your company gets access to Phocuswright's full travel research library and data visualization PLUS Special Project deliverables.

Provide your information and we'll contact you:

Curious contact our team to learn more:.

Search Travel Market Report

• Packaged Travel
• Hotels & Resorts
• Destinations
• Retail Strategies
• Niche & Luxury
• Training & Resources
• Brian Israel
• Briana Bonfiglio
• Dan McCarthy
• Dori Saltzman
• Jennifer Arango
• Kelly Fontenelle
• Keri-Anne Slevin
• Louis Intreglia
• Sarah Milner
• Tom McCarthy

Travel Agencies Sold $8 Billion Worth of Air Tickets in September

ARC also found the average U.S. round-trip ticket price in September 2019 decreased to $496 from $498, compared to September 2018. Photo: ShutterStockStudio / Shutterstock.com. 

Travel agency air sales are strong and growing, according to new findings from the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC).

Airline tickets sold in September 2019 by U.S.-based travel agencies increased 3.7% to $7.8 billion, compared to $7.5 billion in September 2018, ARC revealed earlier this month.

The total number of passenger trips using either direct or connecting flights during the same period also increased by 3.7%, to more than 24 million people. Meanwhile, U.S. domestic trips increased 4%, while international passenger trips grew 3%.

ARC found the average U.S. round-trip ticket price in September 2019 decreased to $496 from $498, compared to September 2018. During that time, sales of ancillary services, such as premium seats, preferred seating, checked bag fees, lounge passes, and early check-in privileges, jumped 23% to more than $6,682,000.

These results are based on monthly sales data ending Sept. 30, 2019, from 11,996 U.S. retail and corporate travel agency locations, satellite ticket printing offices, and online travel agencies.

ARC's success has been directly linked to that of the travel agency community, according to a recent white paper that explores the state of air travel distribution via the travel agency channel, in collaboration with Phocuswright.

The “Air Sales and the Travel Agency Distribution Channel” report is based on research and insights from Phocuswright's “2018 U.S. Travel Agency Distribution Landscape: 2016-2021,” which ARC both contributed to and supported.

“Air sales by agents are up and rising, and air remains the largest product category for travel agents. The number of agents charging fees continues to increase, providing another source of revenue on air sales along with commissions,” the report said.

Travel agencies are the dominant sales channel for airlines, generating 44% of air segment sales. Corporate travel agencies continue to sell significantly more air than leisure agencies, accounting for 26% of air sales versus 18% of air segment sales generated by leisure agencies.

On average, air sales comprise 65% of gross bookings for corporate travel agencies and 51% of gross bookings for leisure agencies, according to combined research data from Phocuswright and the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC). While just over half of leisure agency sales are airline tickets, the next largest segment is cruise (21%) followed by tour (16%).

According to the report, continued growth is likely over the next few years, with agent air sales volume expected to reach $71.2 billion in 2021.

“All of this spells out opportunity for airlines to increase sales through the travel agency distribution channel, particularly on the leisure side.”

MOST VIEWED

• River Cruise Ship Evacuated, Danube Shut Down Amid Historic Flooding
• High Waters Force Danube River Cancellations, Ship Swaps
• Virgin Voyages Cracks Down on Predatory Travel Advisor Behavior
• U.S. State Department Issues ‘Worldwide Caution’ Travel Warning
• Travel Industry Acronyms Advisors Need to Know
• American Queen Moved to Recycling Facility
• 9 Instagram Accounts for Travel Advisors to Follow
• 9 Apps or Tools that Can Help Travel Advisors Work Better and Faster
• How One Advisor Uses Automated Systems to Grow Her Business (and Sleep at Night)
• American Airlines Pulls Back on AAdvantage Move
• Cruise Line Rebating Policies: A User's Guide and Chart
• American Cruise Lines Chooses To Scrap Former AQV Vessels

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

The first Ask-an-Advisor of 2024 takes on fees with a brand new panel. 

Every time a travel advisor reminds their audience of relaxing on the beach, romantic moments in Paris, and what it would be like to cruise the Caribbean with friends, they get another step closer to turning a follower into a client. But who has time to spend a day scrolling and posting?

Travel advisors are sending clients around the world for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour – and other concerts, too.

The biggest barriers for bringing new talent into the travel industry. 

Flight Centre’s independent networks have been merged into the new Envoyage brand.

ACV’s enhanced tools give travel advisors and customers flexibility post-booking.

• Host Agencies
• Accelerator Course
• Travel Jobs
• Travel Agent Chatter
• Etiquette & Rules
• Privacy Policy

Travel Agent Commissions, Explained. [Infographic]

There’s no two ways about it, travel agent commissions are complicated—the numbers are not black and white numbers and there is no set way of doing things. Simply put, there is no "average" travel agent commission. Heck, if that were the case we'd be wrapping up this article by now!

We’re going to try to simplify things but since the system is complex, explaining it can be tough.

As you read this, just remember that commission levels vary by a travel agency's sales, an agency's consortium , franchise or host agency affiliation, vendor, destination, how the booking is made, and more (and that's just to name a few).

This article is a rough guide to travel agent commissions. It will give you a thorough, yet general, idea of travel agent commissions and what to expect.

If you're a sucker for details, don't worry. Once you join a host, franchise, or consortium, their commission guides will have all sorts of juicy details on specific commission levels!

Now, let's start breaking this stuff down, shall we?

⭐️ har's Travel agent commissions article highlights ⭐️

• Travel Agent Commissions, Big Picture : Curious about the average commission rate for different travel products? You can check out our infographic in this section!
• How Do Travel Agent Commissions Work? Commissions are typically tiered according to annual sales and/or passenger sales.
• Host Agencies and Travel Agent Commissions : A host agency can help travel agents receive higher commission levels due to economies of scale.
• Types of Travel Agent Commissions: There are 2 primary kinds of commissions for travel agents, flat commissions and tiered commissions.
• Airline Commissions: Airline commissions are a different beast altogether because their commission range depends on a variety of different factors! (Read this section to find out why.)
• Negotiated Contracts: Going with a host or consortia can help you leverage their commission contracts with suppliers.
• Commission Confidentiality: You might not know the exact commission rate you'll receive until you sign on with a host. This section is where we tell you why.

Travel Agent Commissions: The Big Picture

Let's start with a visual to give you the 40,000-foot view of travel agent commissions. You can see some hard numbers and how things are broken down in an easy-to-digest infographic.

After you've checked that out, we'll deep dive into how travel agent commissions work to make sure you know all the ins and outs!

How Do Travel Agent Commissions Work?

First things first: where do travel agent commissions come from? How do they get from supplier to host to travel agent? How does a supplier know who gets what?

At its simplest, a supplier/vendor recognizes a travel agent from any Joe Blow on the street because travel agencies have an accreditation number .

These magic accreditation numbers are how travel agents get commissions! When you call/login to make a booking, the supplier asks for your travel agency's accreditation number. This is how they know who to send the commissions to.

It's like when you call any doctor's office and they always ask for your name and date of birth to identify you. Travel suppliers ask for an agency's accreditation number to pull the agency up in their system.

Host Agencies and Travel Agent Commissions

In the case of a host agency, all of the travel agencies in the host's network use the same accreditation number (the host's). The supplier/vendor will recognize all of the host's independent contractors (ICs) as "one" large agency since all of their ICs are using the host's accreditation number.

Consortia and some franchises are a little different from hosted agencies in that each individual agency needs its own accreditation number.

If that's a little confusing, let's try to give a similar example in the real world . . .

I like to think of the host agency model being like the relationship between a general contractor and a homeowner. A homeowner paying a general contractor is like a supplier paying a host agency.

Instead of paying the electrician, plumber, and architect separately, homeowners pay the general contractor who in turn pays the individual companies (that's the hosted agents!).

So the supplier pays the host agency (general contractor) commission because they are what's called "the agency of record". In turn, the host agency pays the individual independent contractor (IC) travel agencies their share of the commission.

Using a host's accreditation is one of the major benefits of using a host agency . . . not only does it spare you the hassle of getting your own accreditation, but a host agency is able to negotiate better commission levels than an individual agent because of their higher sales.

The general rule in travel is, that the more your agency sells of a vendor, the higher the commissions (to a point).

This is a great segue into our next section! (PS: Did you know it's segue and not segway? I just found out and want to make sure you appreciate my newfound knowledge by pointing it out.)

Two Kinds of Travel Agent Commissions

1. flat commission rates.

A flat-rate travel agent commission is the simplest type of commission. The flat rate is just what it sounds like: every travel agent gets the same no matter how much they book, what consortium they belong to, or how cute their dog is. Flat-rate commissions are actually standard and predictable! Hooray!

Here are a few types of vendors with a flat rate commission:

→ Hotel-only bookings and car rental companies: These types of bookings typically pay travel agents 10% commission and that’s that. There are small variances but car and hotel-only bookings are probably the most predictable commission level in this whole mess.

→ Boutique tour operators: Smaller or boutique vendors will typically pay a 10% commission or give agents net rates. They won’t have sales tiers (more on that soon). If you’re sending a boutique hotel or small tour operator tons of business, there may be room to negotiate a higher commission.

→ Disney: Okay, so they're not exactly a boutique vendor! But Disneyland and Disney World have a flat rate commission of 10% for all agents. No matter how special you, your consortia, or host agency are, you're not going to be able to negotiate a better commission.

When it comes to Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney products, their commissions are tiered (we'll talk about tiered commissions in-depth in just a sec) but the sale thresholds for those are the same for every. single. agency. out there.

2. Tiered COMMISSION RATES

It only seems fair that if you sell more of something, then you get a higher commission, right? Well, a lot of vendors think so too! Tiered commissions essentially mean that the more you sell, the higher the commission you get. Sounds simple?

I hate to burst your bubble, but tiered commissions are so complex so I'm going to put them in the spotlight after our intermission...

Rigel Break!

Ugh. My mind is wandering too. Let's take a break and look at a cute picture of my dog, Rigel.  This is his "business dog" look.

Sigh. Handsome lil' devil, isn't he? Sorry, that's all the cuteness for now; back to work!

Tiered Commission Rates. How Are They Determined?

So why would Travel Agent #1 receive a 12% commission for selling vendor X, while Travel Agent #2 receives a 16% commission for selling the same product?

There are two major factors that will determine travel agent commission tiers:

1. Aggregate/ Annual Sales Volume

For some vendors, the commission level (or tier) they pay an agency is determined by the sales volume under that agency's accreditation number. A vendor may increase commission based on annual sales of an agency (or their host agency).

Here's an example (numbers are hypothetical)

Annual Sales Commission Level:

• 10% . . . $0-$49,999
• 13% . . . $50,000-$249,999
• 14% . . . $250,000-$499,999
• 15% . . . $500,000+

From the numbers above, you can see that as a solo travel agent, it's a heckuva lot easier to reach 15% when you belong to a host agency!

So even though you may have a commission split with your host agency, in the end, many agents stand to rake in more dough with a host because they are earning more commission.

When you look at the big picture, it's also worth noting that nearly all host agencies also belong to a travel consortium (such as Travel Leaders Network, Signature, Virtuoso, or Ensemble). With a host agency's aggregate sales among ICs and their consortia relationships, host agencies are able to bring in higher commission tiers with vendors than most individual travel agencies.

2. Passenger Count

While many vendors use sales numbers to determine an agency's commission level, there are a handful of vendors that use a different marker. Instead of looking at the total sales coming from an agency, a vendor will look at how many passengers you're sending their way.

You’d see something like this (these are hypothetical numbers):

Annual PASSENGER Count Commission Level:

• 10%: 0-20 passengers
• 11%: 21-49 passengers
• 13%: 50-199 passengers
• 15%: 200+ passengers

A Note on Airline Commissions

I always say airlines are another animal and honestly, they're not my forte. So I’ll say this. Don't expect to become a millionaire by selling domestic tickets from JFK to LAX.

In August 2017, American Airlines announced they would pay travel agents a $2/segment for airline ticket commission — which is the first time airlines have offered all agents commission on all air tickets since the 1990s.

Kinda huge. But really, is it just me, or is the $2/segment airline commission incentive not really doing it for anyone else? Well, don't worry, because going through a host agency and/or travel consortium can give you access to private air contracts that are quite a bit more attractive.

Airlines offer travel agent commissions through two routes:

1. AIRline Consolidators:

These are airline wholesalers. They specialize in air and have private contracts with the airlines. Travel agents can make money with these airline consolidators in one of two ways: commission and marking up net rates.

2. Airline Contracts:  

Your host agency or consortium/franchise/co-op will most likely have private air contracts that allow for travel agent commissions on certain airlines. Not every domestic or international ticket is going to be commissionable, it depends on things like city pairs, class of service, the carrier, time of year, etc.

The commission percentage agencies earn on air depends on numerous factors, the most important one being which private contracts you have access to.

Here's a general rule of thumb on the airline ticket commission range you can expect as a travel advisor:

• Domestic: 0-5%
• International: 10-22%

For most leisure agents, airline ticketing alone is not a large source of commission. That's why the most common fee travel agencies charge is a service fee for airline tickets. It helps stabilize an agent's income and ensures they're being compensated for their work.( Looking for more data on travel agent fees? HAR's 75+ page travel agent research reports are just what you need. )

Travel agents can book air-only reservations in a variety of ways, most notably through consolidators (often used by leisure agents) and for corporate agents, through a Global Distribution System (GDS) .

Now, let's chat about how companies like host agencies, consortia, and franchises help secure better commission deals for their agency members...

Negotiated Contracts: Host Agencies, Consortia, and Travel Agent Commission Agreements

Alright, you've probably figured out that the travel industry is all about economies of scale. The more you bring to the table, the more leverage you have.

So it's no surprise that host agencies (a group of independent agencies using the same accreditation number) and consortia (independent agencies with their own accreditations that band together for more buying power and access to marketing/tech tools) are able to negotiate better commission tiers.

For you, as an agency, these negotiated commission tiers are a big benefit of aligning with a host agency or consortium. When you (or your host agency) are affiliated with a travel consortium, the consortium will negotiate lower sales tiers/passenger thresholds with their preferred suppliers .  

Let me break it down in real terms.

Most vendors will have commissions broken down into tiers. Maybe they say an agency has to sell $75,000 of their product to get a 12% commission. But, if a host/franchise/consortia has a negotiated commission agreement, their agents may only need to sell $50,000 to reach the same 12% commission tier. A deal!

Since many of the readers of this site align with host agencies at some point in their careers, we’ll mention again that for hosted agents, your tier is not dependent on your individual agency’s sales, but the cumulative sales of all of the agencies under the host’s umbrella .

The value in this becomes a little more clear if we compare two agencies: one is a hosted agency that belongs to a $100M host agency, the other is a smaller agency that has $2M in sales.

Both of our agencies belong to the same travel consortium. Both agencies have access to the same negotiated commission tiers because they're members of the same consortium. But, who is going to have a harder time meeting the $50,000 commission tier the consortium worked out?

You got it. The $2M agency because they have to rely on only their sales, whereas the agency who belongs to a host agency — regardless of how much of the vendor they actually sell — reaps the benefits of the sales of all of the other agencies in their host agency's network.

Host agencies and consortia will have the strongest travel agent commission agreements with their preferred suppliers. When a vendor is on a "preferred supplier list," it means that the host or consortium will have better contracts with them and likely sell a higher volume with that vendor.

Understanding Commission Confidentiality

As you can imagine, commission contracts between travel agencies and vendors, as well as those between consortia and vendors, are confidential. They’re like trade secrets that can give one travel agency/consortium an advantage over the other.

Knowing that, don’t be surprised if a consortium or host is tight-lipped when you ask for their commission guides. Sadly, they're not going to hand over a detailed pamphlet listing all their trade secrets. If you made it to this point, you can understand why :)

Or maybe they're tight-lipped because they're spies? I dunno. I say follow your gut on that one.

All that said, if you do sell a lot of a certain vendor(s), it’s perfectly acceptable to ask about commission info for your top vendors.

Even if a host/franchise/consortium doesn't spell out the commissions you'd get in detail, you can ask for:

• a list of the preferred suppliers and
• an idea of the sales volume with your favorite vendors

More Ways to Earn . . .

Believe it or not, there are multiple ways an agent can earn money beside travel agent commissions!

A few other common income streams agents included service fees, consultation or planning fees, markups from net rates, and selling insurance (which is technically still a commission, but worth a note!).

Here's a few more resources to check out:

Curious to Start Earning Commissions Like a Bona Fide Travel Advisor?

Looking for some resources on how to start your own travel agency?

We happen to have oodles of resources on our site. But I have to say, that at this stage in the game our 7 Day Setup Accelerator course takes the cake.

Because it cuts the noise for you and delivers the exact info you need to launch your agency, with the support of industry experts and the accountability to make things happen!

Editor's Note: This article was originally published in Oct. 2021. We occasionally update it with the latest data, indicated by the publish date listed on the article.

About the Author

Steph grew up in the travel industry, helping on and off with her mom's homebased travel agency. She has worked with thousands of agents in her role as a former host agency director before leaving in 2012 to start HAR. She's insatiably curious, loves her pups Fennec and Orion, and -- in case you haven't noticed -- is pretty quirky and free-spirited.

If you’re looking for Steph, she leaves a trace where ever she goes! You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn (her fav) and Pinterest as 'iamstephly'. 🙂 You can also catch her on her Substack, Bumblin' Around, where she writes on things outside the world of HAR.

• Infographics
• Still Exploring
• Travel Agent Basics
• Travel Industry Basics

• Samara Tourism
• Samara Hotels
• Samara Bed and Breakfast
• Flights to Samara
• Samara Restaurants
• Things to Do in Samara
• Samara Travel Forum
• Samara Photos
• All Samara Hotels
• Samara Hotel Deals
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Vacation Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travelers' Choice
• Help Center

Coral Travel Agency - Samara Forum

• Europe    
• Russia    
• Volga District    
• Samara Oblast    
• Samara    

Coral Travel Agency

• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Canada Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Vacation Rentals
• Samara Oblast forums
• Samara forum

Is Coral Travel Agency legit? Is it a real travel agency?

18 replies to this topic

This company is in the top 10.

A famous and respected tour operator, mostly selling packaged tours for Russians travelling abroad.

Thanks for the info.

They sold probably every second tour to Turkey from Russia.....in the history of humankind.

Hi is it possible for you to give me your phone number as I need to confirm a booking Regards steve

Hi how can I contact you Regards Steve

My phone number? No, you can not....

I do not spread personal contact details via TA Forums. And i do not recommend to anyone doing this.

What do you really help with what.

I have a girlfriend from Russia want to come here and visit me.

What will she need and the total cost of the trip here.

She wants a visa and a work visa for

While she go's to school here

Please let me know at my Gmail [email protected]

I thank you for your help

Can you send me all the information

Another gorgeous Russian blonde fell for someone's inner beauty over the internet and now only needs a little (well, not so little) money to make him happy?

• Coral Travel Agency Apr 29, 2022
• Taxi or shuttle from Liberia airport to samsara Costa Rica Oct 03, 2019
• Cinemas Dec 12, 2018
• NIZHNy Novgorod to Samara Jul 04, 2018
• samara to moscow Jul 04, 2018
• Taxi / car hire to go from Samara to Ulyanovsk Airport Jul 03, 2018
• Samara stadium to airport after the Quarter Final match Jul 02, 2018
• Left Luggage Samara Airport Jun 28, 2018
• Bars close to Samara stadium for World cup Jun 25, 2018
• Utair Check in - Samara Airport Jun 20, 2018
• Samara Aiirport to Samara City during the night Jun 11, 2018
• Nochleg 63 hostel Jun 06, 2018
• Quarter finals Nizhny Novgorod THEN Samara Jun 03, 2018
• Hostel Mobi House - Leninskoy May 15, 2018
• Travel from Samara airport to Togliatti 2 replies
• samara travel agents or companies 3 replies
• What can Samara overpriced hotels provide me with? 2 replies
• airport transfer in Samara 2 replies

Visa Centers

• Has custom banner
• Has map markers
• Airport listing
• Has mapframe
• See listing with no coordinates
• Do listing with no coordinates
• Sleep listing with no coordinates
• Usable cities
• Usable articles
• City articles
• Has Geo parameter
• Samara Oblast
• All destination articles
• Pages with maps

Navigation menu

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Balance transfer cards
• Cash back cards
• Rewards cards
• Travel cards
• Online checking
• High-yield savings
• Money market
• Home equity loan
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Options pit
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

Military intelligence: Railway bridge blown up in Russia's Samara Oblast

A railway bridge across the Chapayevka River in Russia's Samara Oblast has been blown up, paralyzing the traffic, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) said on March 4 without specifying who was responsible for the incident.

The bridge and the adjacent railway connection were used by Russia to transport military cargo, namely engineering explosives produced by the JSC Polimer in the city of Chapayevsk, the military intelligence agency said.

The agency's statement came after Russian Telegram channels reported the incident, publishing alleged photos of the bridge. According to military intelligence, the bridge was damaged at about 6 a.m. local time.

"Given the nature of the damage to the railway bridge, its use will be impossible for a long time," the agency said on its Telegram channel.

This is not the first such incident to take place in Russia in the past months.

In late January, military intelligence claimed that partisans burned down several relay cabinets on the railroad and other facilities in three regions of Russia that were reportedly used for the Russian troops' logistics.

Read also: Ukraine’s military intelligence claims cyberattack on Russian Defense Ministry

We’ve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent .

Recommended Stories

'sopranos' star drea de matteo says doing onlyfans made her realize she's 'a 52-year-old woman with a smokin' hot body'.

The Emmy-winning actress used to be her "worst critic." Now she has "such a sense of pride walking onto set in stilettos and a bikini."

Dan Hurley turns down six-year, $70 million Lakers deal to stay at UConn

Hurley, coming off of back-to-back NCAA championships, turned down a major payday to stay with the Huskies.

Tigers take jab at Lions' former rival Aaron Rodgers in scoreboard trivia game

The Detroit Tigers' scoreboard operator had some fun at Aaron Rodgers' expense during Sunday's game with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Giants TE Darren Waller retires after 1 season with team, describes scary medical situation that preceded decision

The Giants traded a third-round pick to acquire Waller from the Raiders in 2023.

Angel Reese's 'weak' ejection from Sky-Liberty game draws attention, offer from Bulls' Lonzo Ball

Reese was ejected after two very quick whistles from referee Charles Watson.

Investors brace for the Fed to dial back its 2024 rate cut predictions

Most market watchers believe Fed policymakers will dial their rate expectations back this week. The question is by how much.

The Spin: Making a call on 5 slumping fantasy baseball stars

All five of these hitters were drafted highly in fantasy baseball leagues. So far, they have not lived up to their ADPs — and that's an understatement. Scott Pianowski analyzes.

Chael Sonnen flattered to be Anderson Silva's farewell fight: 'I didn't know that I mattered to him'

Sonnen, the UFC fighter turned YouTube sensation, is stepping back in the ring at age 47 to fight his old rival Saturday in Brazil.

Iowa basketball player Ava Jones retires due to injuries from car accident that killed her father

Ava Jones and her family were hit by an allegedly impaired driver two days after she committed to the Hawkeyes.

Belmont Stakes 2024 winner, results: Dornoch scores upset victory at Saratoga giving former MLBer Jayson Werth a win on the track

The 156th running of the Belmont Stakes is headed to Saratoga

Vikings reveal 'Winter Warrior' alternate all-white uniforms to be worn on Week 15

The Minnesota Vikings revealed their all-white "Winter Warrior" uniforms that the team will wear for Week 15's matchup with the Chicago Bears.

Formula 1: Max Verstappen wins chaotic Canadian Grand Prix

This was not your typical Verstappen snoozer.

Sky's Chennedy Carter has 'no regrets' about foul on Caitlin Clark; Angel Reese will 'take the bad guy role'

The Sky have broken their silence about the flagrant foul on Caitlin Clark, and they had a lot to say.

2024 Fantasy football wide receiver rankings

The Yahoo Fantasy football analysts reveal their first wide receiver rankings for the 2024 NFL season.

Belmont Stakes: Jayson Werth says his horse's win feels as good as World Series title

Werth bought a 10% stake in Dornoch in 2022.

Rivian's path to survival is now remarkably clear

Rivian has had a lot on its plate as it transitioned from pitch mode to selling EVs. It created an electric pickup and an electric SUV while prepping a monster IPO. It now plans to sell an even cheaper SUV that could make Rivian a dominant EV player for years to come.

Apple debuts iOS 18 with customizable home screen, updates to macOS, watchOS

Apple unveiled a host of software updates for its most important software offerings, including iOS, the operating system that powers the iPhone, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS, and more.

Opposing players aren't fond of Caitlin Clark ... which should be good for the WNBA

Watching Clark fight through adversity and rack up rivals will only bring more eyeballs to the league.

NFL denies Packers RB Josh Jacobs' claim that wearing green isn't allowed in Brazil game due to potential violence

No, the Packers and Eagles aren't being told to not wear green for a game in Brazil.

WNBA ends May with biggest attendance in 26 years, new viewership records on multiple networks

Business is booming for the WNBA.