Median pay
$41,460
Median annual pay for Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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Office and Administration
Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks
Make and confirm reservations for transportation or lodging, or sell transportation tickets. May check baggage and direct passengers to designated concourse, pier, or track; deliver tickets and contact individuals and groups to inform them of package tours; or provide tourists with travel or transportation information.
10-year growth
2.8%
Projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Annual openings
14,400
Projected annual openings, including growth and replacement demand.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Employment
131,900
Estimated U.S. employment for Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
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Jobs added or lost
+3,700
Projected numeric employment change from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
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Entry preparation
High school diploma or equivalent
Typical additional preparation: Short-term on-the-job training.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024 profile
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O*NET occupation profile
What the work involves
Strongest O*NET signals first.
Essential skills
- 1Active Listening
- 2Speaking
- 3Reading Comprehension
- 4Critical Thinking
- 5Writing
- 6Active Learning
Knowledge areas
- 1Customer and Personal Service
- 2English Language
- 3Computers and Electronics
- 4Public Safety and Security
- 5Transportation
- 6Geography
Abilities
- 1Oral Expression
- 2Oral Comprehension
- 3Speech Clarity
- 4Speech Recognition
- 5Information Ordering
- 6Written Comprehension
Career interests
- 1Conventional
- 2Social
- 3Enterprising
- 4Realistic
- 5Artistic
- 6Investigative
Work styles
- 1Dependability
- 2Cooperation
- 3Social Orientation
- 4Attention to Detail
- 5Self-Control
- 6Integrity
Work activities
- 1Working with Computers
- 2Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
- 3Getting Information
- 4Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- 5Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- 6Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Work context
- 1Contact With Others
- 2Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
- 3Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- 4Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- 5Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
- 6Frequency of Decision Making
Representative tasks
- Examine passenger documentation to determine destinations and to assign boarding passes.
- Trace lost, delayed, or misdirected baggage for customers.
- Check baggage and cargo and direct passengers to designated locations for loading.
- Provide boarding or disembarking assistance to passengers needing special assistance.
- Confer with customers to determine their service requirements and travel preferences.
- Announce arrival and departure information, using public address systems.
- Determine whether space is available on travel dates requested by customers, assigning requested spaces when available.
- Assemble and issue required documentation, such as tickets, travel insurance policies, or itineraries.
Software and tools
Microsoft Outlook · in demandMicrosoft Office software · in demandMicrosoft Excel · in demandMicrosoft Access · hot technologyMicrosoft Word · hot technologyMicrosoft PowerPoint · hot technologySabre Airline Solutions SabreSonic TicketProperty scheduling softwareProperty management system PMS softwareAmadeus Altea ReservationMICROS Systems OPERA Property Management System PMSMICROS Systems MICROS 9700 HMS
The short answer
Make and confirm reservations for transportation or lodging, or sell transportation tickets. May check baggage and direct passengers to designated concourse, pier, or track; deliver tickets and contact individuals and groups to inform them of package tours; or provide tourists with travel or transportation information.
The measurable national baseline is $41,460 median annual pay, 2.8% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034, and 14,400 projected openings per year. Use these figures as a national benchmark rather than a personal forecast; location, experience, employer, specialty, credentials, and hours can change individual outcomes.
Pay and the size of the opportunity
The national median-pay figure for Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks is $41,460. Current employment is 131,900, with projected 2034 employment of 135,600. Pay describes the middle worker nationally, not a guaranteed starting salary, and the employment totals describe the occupation's scale rather than the number of jobs available to one applicant.
Demand, growth, and annual openings
BLS projects 2.8% employment growth for Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks from 2024 to 2034 and about 14,400 openings per year. Growth measures whether the occupation is expanding, while annual openings also include replacement needs created when workers retire, change occupations, or leave the labor force.
Education and preparation
The typical BLS entry-education category is High school diploma or equivalent. Related work experience is None, and the listed on-the-job training category is Short-term on-the-job training. These categories summarize a national pathway; licensing, certification, portfolios, apprenticeships, or local employer requirements may add to it.
What the work involves
Make and confirm reservations for transportation or lodging, or sell transportation tickets. May check baggage and direct passengers to designated concourse, pier, or track; deliver tickets and contact individuals and groups to inform them of package tours; or provide tourists with travel or transportation information.
A representative O*NET task is: Examine passenger documentation to determine destinations and to assign boarding passes. The broader activity profile emphasizes Working with Computers, Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Getting Information.
Skills, knowledge, and tools
The strongest available O*NET skill signals are Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension. Leading knowledge areas are Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Computers and Electronics. These are national occupational signals, so a specific employer may emphasize a different mix. Examples of software or tools associated with the occupation include Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access.
Common questions
What is the median pay for Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks?
The national median annual pay in the current dataset is $41,460. Actual pay varies by location, experience, employer, specialty, credentials, and hours.
Is demand growing for Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks?
BLS projects 2.8% employment growth from 2024 to 2034 and about 14,400 openings per year. Openings include both newly created positions and replacement demand.
What education is needed for Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks?
The typical BLS entry-education category is High school diploma or equivalent. Related experience, on-the-job training, licensing, or certification requirements may also apply.
What does Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks involve?
Make and confirm reservations for transportation or lodging, or sell transportation tickets. May check baggage and direct passengers to designated concourse, pier, or track; deliver tickets and contact individuals and groups to inform them of package tours; or provide tourists with travel or transportation information.
Sources
BLS provides national pay, employment, and projections. O*NET provides skills, interests, preparation, tasks, work context, and tools.