What Is an ARC Number?

If you're new to the travel industry, the amount of accreditation numbers we have that exist in a cryptic acronym form is a bit disturbing. CLIA, IATAN, ARC, and more ... blech! It's complicated but I'll do my best to give you all the details. What is an ARC number, you ask? I'll tell you.

What Is an ARC Number?

In broad terms, think of an ARC number as a social security number for a travel agency so they can be identified by vendors. While you don't want to plaster it all over (like putting it in your email signature), agents are required to give it out to an uncomfortably large amount of people, considering that the number has so much power.

ARC (Airlines Reporting Corporation) issues ARC numbers to accredited agencies, which in turn allow these travel agencies to issue airline tickets.

ARC (Airlines Reporting Corporation) issues ARC numbers to accredited agencies, which in turn allow these travel agencies to issue airline tickets. But the use of an ARC number extends beyond air tickets—travel agencies can an ARC number to book everything from a hotel to a cruise ship.

When it comes to booking travel, ARC numbers are the Visa cards of travel numbers. They're accepted by every type of vendor/supplier that works with travel agents. But here's a little secret—that's not always the case with some of the travel agency ID numbers out there. For instance, CLIA agencies (without ARC accreditation) cannot issue airline tickets. This makes sense since CLIA numbers were designed specifically for cruise-focused travel agencies.

Who Uses an ARC Number?

Short answer: In the days of yore, an ARC number was a necessity for travel agencies. Nowadays, most air ticketing agencies have an ARC number. But non-airline ticketing agencies may use a variety of other accreditation numbers including CLIA, VTC (through ARC), IATAN non-ticketing entity, or a TRUE accreditation.

Back in the day, an ARC number was an absolute necessity if you had a travel agency. This is not the case today.

Long answer: Back in the day, an ARC number was an absolute necessity if you had a travel agency. This is not the case today. The number of ARC-accredited travel agencies has plummeted. In 1995, ARC had 47,000 accredited travel agency locations with $73 billion in sales. As of January 2020, the number of travel agencies holding an ARC number had fallen below 12,000¹. This undeniable drop in ARC accreditation is due to fewer agencies and an uptick of other accreditation alternatives.

But there is one other small factor to mention: Don't quote me on the exact date of the change, but travel agencies previously had to have an ARC number for every branch and satellite ticketing printer. Nowadays, you can have one ARC number regardless of the number of branches or satellite printers.

Many agencies that previously needed the GDS have dropped their accreditation due to its expense and the disappearance of airline commissions. Some agencies completely stopped issuing airline tickets and shut up shop or opted for other accreditations. Some agencies ticket under their host agency's accreditation number.

The Complexities of ARC Accreditation: Not for Everyone

ARC numbers are not needed for every type of travel agency. If you're a home-based travel agent or a storefront agency that only books leisure travel (no air), having your own ARC number is probably overkill. For those agencies that have fewer air ticket sales, having your own ARC number is expensive, time-intensive, and can be risky. There are fees and an ARC report that needs to be filed and reconciled weekly. You also run the risk of fraudulent ticketing activity under your ARC accreditation that you would be held financially responsible for.

Due to the financial risk involved with booking airline tickets, ARC requires an in-depth screening process.

Due to the financial risk involved with booking airline tickets, ARC requires an in-depth screening process (including an on-site visit and a financial survey). You will also need to pass an exam. At the time of writing, ARC accreditation has a $2,300 price tag to start up and a $228 annual renewal fee².

Did we mention that there is a minimum $20,000 bond, letter of credit, or cash deposit you have to put up? We're not hating on the fees . . . airline fraud is rampant and we'd take preventative measures too. What we are saying is you need to be ready to dole out some cash if you want an ARC number.

Positives of Having an ARC Number

Despite everything above, there are many positives to having your own ARC number. I won't go in-depth since my target audience is travel agencies aligned with host agencies and I believe there are very few of my readers that this would be a good idea for.

But, lest someone call me biased, I'll give a positive. For agencies with high segment counts in the GDS (global distribution system), there are financial incentives from both the GDS and the airlines for your sales. There's a reason the remaining ARC accredited agencies' sales are growing larger and larger!

ARC's Application Process and Eligibility Requirements, in Detail

Want a little more? Here's an in depth resource on ARC's eligibility requirements and applications costs. It's also includes a sample application and comparison chart of ARC's catalog of accreditation options.

Closing

IATA, CLIA, ARC, and TRUE are all accreditation numbers with subtle, and sometimes not-so-subtle, differences. Hopefully, my series of posts on what an ARC number is, travel agency accreditation options, and "What Is a CLIA Number" is will help you navigate the murky waters of travel ID numbers!

If you still don't feel up to speed, ask your question in the comment box below and we'll get you on the right path. :)

*Editor’s Note: This post was originally published March 21, 2012, and was completely updated and revamped on publish date listed above.

Footnotes

1. Source: ARC Statistics (accessed 04/14/2021) ↩
2. Source: ARC's Fee Schedule and ARC's 2020 Fee Update press release ↩