U.S. travel agencies experienced an unprecedented surge in air ticket sales in April 2024, reaching a remarkable $9.1 billion. This figure represents a substantial 4% increase compared to the same month in 2023 and surpasses all previous April sales records since data collection began in 2017. Along with the increase in ticket sales, ancillary sales rose by an impressive 21% year-over-year, reaching $30 million, while the number of such transactions increased by 46% to a total of 535,345.
AirAsia Philippines is anticipating robust travel demand for the latter half of 2024, driven by increased travel spending among Filipinos. A survey by Klook indicates that over 70% of Filipinos plan to allocate more funds towards travel this year, with 76% expressing readiness for international trips. AirAsia Philippines has partnered with Klook to promote popular destinations in Japan. The airline’s load factor data for Q2 shows that over 78% of travelers have already booked flights for immediate travel until June 2024, primarily to destinations such as Taipei, Bangkok, and Narita. AirAsia Philippines is optimistic about its Q2 performance, expecting to surpass its Q1 load factor of 92% due to increasing last-minute summer bookings and frequent promotional offers. To encourage travel, AirAsia is offering one-way base fares starting from PHP1,750 to destinations in Australia until March 2025. AirAsia Philippines is expanding its flight schedule with daily flights from Cebu hub to Boracay and Davao, as well as increased frequencies to various domestic and international destinations.
The travel industry continues to experience a surge, with air travel reaching record levels. Despite strong results from United Airlines and expectations of positive reports from other airlines this week, I maintain a hold rating on the U.S. Global Jets ETF (JETS). While the ETF appears undervalued, its momentum remains weak, and a market correction is underway. Key factors to consider include JETS’ concentrated exposure to a few airline stocks, lofty expense ratio, and neutral long-term technical outlook. Although the sector may see cyclical upswings, headwinds such as rising oil prices and JETS’ seasonal underperformance through October should be taken into account.
