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Travel + Leisure
20-06-2025
- Business
- Travel + Leisure
Major U.S. Airlines Are Selling Your Data to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security—What to Know
Most travelers have never heard of the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), but odds are their information has passed through this company, which is owned by eight major U.S. airlines. According to the ARC website, it is 'the world's largest, most comprehensive repository of global airline tickets.' This database was just sold to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)—a branch under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—amid the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. The information includes passenger names, financial details, and passenger's flight itineraries, according to 404 Media. According to the Federal Procurement Data System, ARC signed a contract that gives U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) access to its Travel Intelligence Program (TIP) database through May 2028. An ARC representative said the TIP was 'created after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to provide certain data … to law enforcement.' GovTribe, a software that tracks federal and state contracts, estimates that this contract is worth $776,750. Procurement documents obtained by The Lever and 404 Media state that ICE would be able to search this database using the names or credit card information of a 'traveler/target.' They will have access to 'full flight itineraries, passenger name records, and financial details, which are otherwise difficult or impossible to obtain.' Travel + Leisure reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, which referred questions to ICE. At the time of publication, ICE has not responded. 'I have never seen government access to ARC—or even ARC itself—mentioned in an airline privacy policy or a travel agency policy,' travel data privacy expert Edward Hasbrouck told The Lever. ARC is owned and operated by eight major airlines: Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Air Canada, Lufthansa, and Air France. According to its website, ARC's database represents 54 percent of all flights taken globally. This data is collected directly from airlines and through accredited travel agencies. T+L reached out to all eight airlines. Alaska Airlines pointed to the ARC for a comment; the other seven carriers did not respond to questions at the time of publication. 'It's shocking to a lot of Americans right now that they don't have the rights in travel that they thought they did,' Joshua McKenty, former chief cloud architect at NASA and founder of Polyguard, told T+L. McKenty advised that travelers, especially foreign nationals visiting the United States, buy their own flights. He also said that immigration lawyers and others involved in the refugee process should not purchase their clients' tickets. Otherwise, their data might become affiliated in the eyes of the DHS. This data purchase is happening in parallel to the Real ID mandate, the increase in facial recognition programs at airports, and other changes in travel data privacy. 'The scariest parts of the biometrics are what travelers don't notice or think about,' McKenty said. For those who are not U.S. citizens, there is no guarantee that photos taken at airports will be deleted. In fact, according to Customs and Border Protection documents, 'All biometrics of in-scope [noncitizen] travelers are transmitted to IDENT/HART as encounters and are retained for 75 years in support of immigration, border management, and law enforcement activities.' (HART stands for Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology, and it is a DHS biometric identity database.) Last month, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) raised concerns about HART and wrote a letter imploring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to take the urgent steps necessary to mitigate privacy risks. A GAO report warns that 'HART could be used beyond its intended scope, leading to surveillance of law-abiding individuals and communities.' Privacy experts also raise concerns around the DHS's collection of immigrant data, including its storage of children's DNA in a criminal database. Privacy is a human right, enshrined by Article 12 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However, McKenty warned that a traveler's right to privacy is changing with government policies and is quickly being aligned with the priorities of the administration. McKenty recommends that everyone traveling stay aware of their rights in travel, or lack thereof. 'The idea that we should violate everyone's privacy, so we can look for anything that we as a government think is suspicious is just wrong,' McKenty said. 'We have protections against that as a behavior in every other aspect of government overreach.'
American Military News
17-06-2025
- Business
- American Military News
Gov't agency purchased private passenger data from US airlines: Report
A new report claims that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has purchased passenger information from a data broker owned by multiple U.S. airlines. According to 404 Media, documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request show that the CBP's purchase of private airline passenger data was intended to help the agency identify persons of interest. The outlet noted that the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), which is owned by at least eight of the top U.S. airlines, sold the data to the CBP, which included the names, financial information, and flight itineraries of passengers. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) told 404 Media, 'The big airlines—through a shady data broker that they own called ARC—are selling the government bulk access to Americans' sensitive information, revealing where they fly and the credit card they used.' 404 Media reported that the sale of passengers' private information is part of the Airlines Reporting Corporation's Travel Intelligence Program (TIP). According to a Statement of Work obtained by the outlet, federal officials claimed the CBP needed access to the program to 'support federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to identify persons of interest's U.S. domestic air travel ticketing information.' According to 404 Media, the CBP claimed that the data purchased from the Airlines Reporting Corporation is only used to locate individuals in investigations launched by the Office of Professional Responsibility. READ MORE: Major airline files for bankruptcy According to the documents obtained by 404 Media, the data obtained from the Travel Intelligence Program is expected to give the CBP 'visibility on a subject's or person of interest's domestic air travel ticketing information as well as tickets acquired through travel agencies in the U.S. and its territories.' 404 Media reported that the Airlines Reporting Corporation asked the CBP not to 'publicly identify vendor, or its employees, individually or collectively, as the source of the Reports unless the Customer is compelled to do so by a valid court order or subpoena and gives ARC immediate notice of same.' 'CBP is committed to protecting individuals' privacy during the execution of its mission to protect the American people, safeguard our borders, and enhance the nation's economic prosperity,' a CBP spokesperson told 404 Media. 'CBP follows a robust privacy policy as we protect the homeland through the air, land and maritime environments against illegal entry, illicit activity or other threats to national sovereignty and economic security.' Wyden told 404 Media that the Airlines Reporting Corporation has 'refused to answer oversight questions from Congress,' prompting the Oregon senator to contact various airlines regarding 'why they gave the green light to sell their customers' data to the government.'
Khaleej Times
28-01-2025
- Khaleej Times
UAE travel: Best days to book tickets, save up to 22% on flights revealed
Did you know that Sunday is the most budget-friendly day to book a flight but it is also the most expensive day of the week to fly? The day of the week does matter when booking tickets and travelling. As per the 2025 Air Hacks Report released by travel brand Expedia on Tuesday, "on average, travellers can save 16 per cent by booking on Sunday versus Friday but stand to lose 16 per cent by flying on Sunday versus Thursday". Analysing air ticketing database in the world – through collaboration with Airlines Reporting Corporation and data provider OAG – here are air travel hacks to get more value for your money: Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. When to book Travellers booking on Sundays can save an average of 16 per cent on international flights compared to Fridays. Travellers who wait for the weekend to book their premium class seats can save an average of 22 per cent compared to those who book on a Thursday. Book international airfare six to 12 days before departure to maximise savings. Travellers who booked during this ideal window saved an average of 21 per cent compared to those who booked 128 to 138 days in advance, which was the 'worst' time to book. When to travel Travellers who depart on Thursdays save an average of nine per cent compared to those who depart on Mondays, the most expensive day to start an international trip. Flights departing between 9pm and 3am have an eight per cent less chance of being cancelled compared to other times. Afternoon (3pm – 9pm) flights have a 20 per cent higher chance of being cancelled compared to those that leave at night time. Cancellations are lowest in June and highest in April. January is the cheapest month for economy tickets. Travellers can save up to 13 per cent by travelling in January, compared to June – the most expensive month for economy tickets. July is the cheapest month for premium tickets. Travellers can save up to 14 per cent by travelling in summer, compared to October – the most expensive month for premium tickets. Travellers who fly on Tuesdays enjoy quieter airports. While it may not always be the cheapest day to travel, it's the best choice for those seeking a more relaxed trip. Travel smart Melanie Fish, head of Expedia Group brands public relations, underscored: 'It makes sense to trust the billions of data points from across the world and every airline that goes into the Expedia Air Hacks report.' 'It's always smart to keep the 2025 Air Hacks in mind when booking flights. Airfares are down; the peak of summer is not the most expensive time to fly, and booking too far out can actually cost you money – these realities fly in the face of advice floating around the internet,' she added.
USA Today
28-01-2025
- USA Today
Exclusive: Expedia's 8 data-driven tips for booking cheaper flights (including best day)
Exclusive: Expedia's 8 data-driven tips for booking cheaper flights (including best day) Show Caption Hide Caption The myth of travel hacks, debunked There's no secret formula for cheap flights. Here's the truth about travel "hacks." Cruising Altitude A new report debunks common myths about airline tickets using historical booking and pricing trends. The cheapest month to travel is August while the most expensive months are February and March. Contrary to popular belief, domestic and international economy ticket prices were slightly lower in 2024 compared to 2023. There may be no such thing as a travel hack, but that doesn't mean there's no strategy for saving and optimizing your flights. A new report from Expedia and the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) analyzes historical booking and pricing trends to debunk some common myths about airline tickets. It offers insights into the best strategies for booking your trips. 'ARC's data provided valuable insights into debunking travel myths for Expedia's 2025 Air Hacks Report that will go a long way to helping travelers prepare for their 2025 vacations,' Chuck Thackston, managing director of data science and research at ARC, said in a statement. 'In 2025, affordable premium and economy fares can help U.S. passengers as they continue to prioritize international travel with their discretionary spending to explore new destinations around the world.' Here's what Expedia and ARC found about eight common flight myths. 1. Summer is the most expensive time to travel It turns out August is the cheapest month to travel, with many kids already returning to school. February and March are actually the most expensive times to fly. Travelers can save up to 12% on domestic flights and up to 7% on international flights by taking a trip in August instead of February. 2. There's no best day of the week to book flights It's the myth that everyone has an opinion about, and while there are many skeptics, the data shows that Sunday is actually the best day to book. According to Expedia and ARC, airfares are typically 6% lower for domestic flights and 17% lower for international flights when booked on Sundays compared to Mondays or Fridays. 3. Departure day has no bearing on the cost of a flight "It's not just when you book, it's when you fly," the report said. Flight prices for Thursday international departures and Saturday domestic departures are typically lower than other days of the week, regardless of destination or class of travel. 4. The further ahead you book, the cheaper it will be The best booking window just keeps getting closer to the departure date. Booking one to three months ahead for a domestic flight could yield up to 25% savings compared to last-minute bookings. For international flights, the potential savings are even higher. Just 18 to 29 days before departure is when the lowest fares are often posted. But, Expedia's experts warn, it's a high-risk, high-reward strategy. On popular routes or during peak travel times, your preferred flights could be sold out, and fares could surge if you wait too long. 5. Airfare goes up every year Tickets were slightly cheaper in 2024 than they were in 2023. On average, domestic economy ticket prices were 1% lower, and international economy tickets were 4% less expensive year-over-year. Story continues below. 6. Premium tickets are too expensive Airlines are getting smarter about pricing their premium cabins, and more people are buying them than ever. According to Expedia and ARC's report, the price difference between an economy and a premium cabin ticket is 10% smaller now than it was in 2019. 7. Flights are always full Sure, if you only travel during peak times. If you can get away in less busy seasons, you may snag that empty adjacent seat. Cruising Altitude: How major airlines recovered after a southern winter storm 8. Cancellations and delays can't be avoided While it's true that flight delays and cancellations are largely out of a passenger's control, booking smart can decrease the risk of running into those snags. Morning flights are much less likely to be canceled because cancellations typically snowball as the day goes on. These tips are all based on general trends, but Expedia and other platforms also have tools to help guarantee the best flight deals. 'It's smart to keep the 2025 Air Hacks in mind when booking flights, but the best hack is to let technology find the best value. Set up Price Alerts, rely on Price Drop Protection to swoop in and reimburse you if prices drop, and use Expedia's new Flight Deals tool to see where you can fly for at least 20% lower than typical,' Melanie Fish, head of Expedia Group Brands public relations, said in a statement. Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@
