Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) is a company that provides ticket transaction settlement services between airlines and travel agencies (both traditional and online) and the travel management companies that sell their products in the United States. In 2024, ARC processed more than $99 billion worth of transactions for its customers.[1]
ARC, which is owned by nine major airlines, also acts as a data broker, offering its transactional data for sale to various customers, including governmental agencies. ARC compiles data on more than 270 carriers, sourced from more than 12,800 travel agencies.[2]
History
ARC was established on September 17, 1984, as a privately held company following airline deregulation in the United States. The corporation began operations on January 1, 1985, in Washington, D.C., settling financial ticket transactions between airlines and travel agencies. ARC is the successor to the Air Traffic Conference of America, an operating division of Airlines for America, formerly known as the Air Transport Association of America, Inc. (ATA).
ARC's primary function is to support the travel industry by providing transaction settlement between travel suppliers and resellers. More than 240 airlines rely on ARC's ticket settlement services.[3] The corporation also accredits travel agencies in the United States to sell airline tickets, and provides data information services and analysis based on archived aggregated data.
Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) HQ Arlington, VA
Among ARC's customers who purchase transaction information are airlines, travel agencies, and other companies in the travel industry. These organizations use ARC data to settle and report transactions, grow their businesses, and support their customers.[6] ARC data can also be used to identify trends in travel data and to prevent fraud.[2]
Additional contracts with US government have also been reported on. In May 2025, The Lever reported that ARC had collected and sold domestic flight records of US travelers, including passenger names, flight itineraries, and financial data, to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.[4] In June 2025, 404 Media reported that ARC had collected and sold domestic flight records of US travelers to the US Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP).[3] As part of CBP's contract with ARC, which began in June 2024 and can be extended through 2029, ARC requested that CBP not publicly reveal that ARC had provided the data.[3]
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