Corporate Travel Department (CTD) Participation

The ARC CTD program provides companies with direct access to ARC's central accreditation and reporting and settlement processing systems. Once accredited as an ARC CTD, you receive a permanent ARC number that identifies a true corporate identity to ARC and industry suppliers. The program is extremely flexible in that it allows for various insourcing and outsourcing options to meet individual corporate needs.

Why Become an ARC-Accredited CTD?

Take control of your Corporate Travel Department
Receive a permanent ARC number that identifies true corporate identity to ARC and industry suppliers
Achieve greater transparency of your corporation's data, have commissions flow directly to you when you use your ARC number, and improve cash flow
Unbundle, receive, and pay for only the travel services needed, i.e., 24-hour service and personnel, which can lead to financial benefits
Control cash flow between industry suppliers and the CTD through the CTD's designated bank account

Program Flexibility

A CTD can outsource any function of the process except the legal and fiduciary responsibility between the CTD and ARC to one or multiple agencies
Becoming an ARC approved CTD does not mean that you will no longer be able to work with a travel agency, in fact you can choose to insource all of the travel process, or outsource all or parts of the travel process and still enjoy the vast benefits of ARC Accreditation
There is no minimum air volume required to become ARC-Accredited
There is no required time period to the ARC Contract (Corporate Travel Department Reporting Agreement)

Access to all ARC-Related Functions

Access to more than 170 carriers and innovative ARC services
PCI compliant since 2005
Electronic settlement through the ARC Industry Agent Reporting (IAR) a Web-based application
Access to 39 months of ticketing data available online stored in the ARC COMPASS® database
ARC data and analytical products keep your organization fully aware of travel activity, expenditures, and benchmarking
ARC MarketPlace provides access to more than 5,500 commissionable destination activities, products, services, including passport and visa services

Participation FAQs

What is the difference between an ARC Approved CTD and an ARC Approved Agency?

The ARC Approved CTD is intended for the purpose of purchasing carrier transportation and services for its own employees, owners, and officers. (i.e. in-house travel department). This is unlike an ARC Agent that is open and accessible to the general public for the retail sale of air transportation.

The ARC Approved Agent is governed by the Agent Reporting Agreement (ARA) and the ARC Approved CTD is governed by a separate Corporate Travel Department Reporting Agreement (CTDRA).

Can the approved CTD operate their own Branches or STPs?

Yes, once the home office of the CTD is approved the entity will be able to apply for remote branch and STP locations. All applications and forms for CTD locations are available directly from ARC's Accreditation Services Department. One form will provide the branch application and another provides the STP application for the approved CTD.

Where can the CTD be located?

A CTD may be located on the premises of the parent company, one of its wholly owned subsidiaries or another ARC approved travel agency to service the business needs of the entire organization.

What is the trade name or doing business name that I must use to identify my services?

The CTD d.b.a. or "doing business as" name can be any name that you choose, so long as it is not the same as, or misleadingly similar to, a carrier, and it is not identified as an airline office.

Are there any government, banking or association rules that might preclude us from becoming approved as a CTD?

ARC is aware of some requirements and may be able to assist with broad suggestions in this area. However, it is up to the CTD for ensuring that they are in compliance with all requisite local, state, and federal licenses required to operate the CTD from the designated location.

Must I have my ARC Specialist in place before I submit an application?

ARC requires one ARC Specialist staff at each approved location except STPs. The ARC Specialist must be named in the application before the application can be processed. However, that individual is not required to have already passed the ARC Specialist test at the time that the application is submitted. The proposed qualifier must pass the ARC Specialist test, and meet all other ARC requirements, before the CTD application may be approved.

How will the approved CTD be identified to the suppliers?

ARC will provide basic location information on the approved CTD to carriers and other industry suppliers who purchase ARC data. Those files will also identify the CTD as a corporate purchaser, as opposed to a travel agent who is a retail seller of travel.

What will the commission be if I am approved? Will employees of the CTD be eligible for free and reduced travel privileges?

Remuneration and other commercial arrangements are matters between the CTD and its suppliers. ARC is not involved in such matters and suggests that you contact individual suppliers directly.

I have heard that the CTD application process is very involved and time consuming and that I also have to provide personal information on all of our corporate officers. Is that true?

The entire application process can take up to 90 days from the date all information is received. For a publicly held corporation, ARC requires a completed personal history form for only one corporate officer involved with the CTD.

Will ARC be able to assist with a transition plan as we move from our existing agency relationship to our own appointment?

ARC may be able to offer generic suggestions that can assist in a smoother transition. However, ARC is unable to assist in the specific detail agreements between the proposed CTD and the ARC agency.