Are you planning on starting your own travel agency? If so, you’ll likely want to sell airline tickets to your customers. The Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) requires businesses participating in the sales of airline tickets, including travel agents and agencies, to have an ARC bond.
An ARC bond is a form of financial guarantee bond. ARC requires this surety bond to ensure airline carriers get paid. If an airline makes a claim against your ARC bond for non-payment, the surety company holding your bond will investigate the claim. If the surety finds the claim to be valid, they will pay the airline up to the full amount of the bond. The responsibility of repaying the surety in full rests on you as the principal. ARC allows a letter of credit or cash deposit in lieu of an ARC bond.
The main difference between an ARC bond and a seller of travel bond is the obligee. The ARC bond protects airline carriers when they don’t receive payment for your airline ticket sales.
A seller of travel bond protects the state and your customers if you perform unethical business practices. If your business operates in a state that requires a seller of travel bond, you will need both the ARC bond and seller of travel bond to sell airline tickets.
Seller of travel bonds are required in the following states:
New applicants must get an ARC bond in the amount of $20,000. Don’t worry, you aren’t required to pay the full bond amount. These bonds typically cost between 1% to 3% ($200 to $600) of the bond amount. The amount you have to pay is based on your personal credit and anyone else that has 10% or greater ownership in your business.
Our team will contact you up to 90 days before your annual renewal to keep you compliant with ARC and not disrupt your airline ticket sales. After the first 2 years, the bond amount will depend on your average monthly net cash within the last 12 months. The required bond amount will range between $10,000 – $70,000.
Getting your ARC bond is easier than ever with our online application. Our team of surety experts aims to find you the best deal for your bond.
Have a question about the ARC bond? Call us at 866.722.9239 or email [email protected] to get answers to your bond questions.
About Surety Solutions, A Gallagher Company
Surety Solutions makes the process of getting your surety bond quick and easy. We’re committed to uphold our culture of trust, honesty and great customer service.
Related Articles
A Surety Bond is a written three-party contract in which the surety and the principal become obligated to the obligee for the payment of a sum of money if the obligation set forth in the bond is not fulfilled by the principal. Read more…
While it’s a common occurrence for people to confuse surety bonds with traditional insurance policies, they both function differently. Read more…
While often being compared to insurance policies, one big difference with surety bonds is how often you have to pay for your policy. Read more…
No one wants a claim made against their bond. But, what happens when a claim is made? Read more…
Beau is the Marketing Content Developer at Surety Solutions, A Gallagher Company. He creates content about all types of surety bonds, including mortgage, court, lost title, contractor, fidelity, ERISA and many more.
Secured by SSL.
Please read our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.