When Mill Run Tours was founded in 1974, the concept of airline ticket consolidation was virtually unheard of. Travel agents booked flights directly with airlines, and air travel was restricted to the few travelers who could afford it. This was until Dr. Sawaya and KLM Management conceived the idea of offering consolidated airfares.
The concept behind airline consolidation was simple. Airline consolidators would purchase airline tickets in bulk and re-sell these flights to travel agencies at a discount. In turn, agencies would make a profit by marking up the price of tickets, yet still being able to offer flights to customers for cheap.
This business model invited both travel agencies and airlines not only from the USA, but from countries around the world. For travel agencies, it meant saving costs by buying discounted flights. For airlines, it was a way to fill up seats on large carriers and increase revenue. Airline consolidators therefore provided a valuable service for all parties of the travel industry – airlines, travel agencies, and customers.
Briefly after the concept was conceived, Mill Run Tours established its headquarters in New York and shot up as a pioneer and leader of cost-effective travel. This drew the attention of more travel agencies specializing in different niche markets. From corporate travel agencies to missionary travel agents, clients came pouring in from all corners of the nations.
Travel agencies were not the only parties interested in airline ticket consolidation. Prominent airlines, both local and international, partnered with Mill Run Tours to increase the sale of tickets and saw huge returns from the ingenious business model.
From its humble beginnings in the mid-1970s, Mill Run Tours has experienced exponential growth and support.
It is now a respected airline consolidator for countless travel agencies and has taken all kinds of agencies under its wing. The company caters to traditional travel agencies looking for strategies to up their profit margins and increase commissions for employees. It is also a favorite choice for corporate travel agencies and home-based agents looking to upsell and outsell their toughest competitors.
A number of prominent airlines have also joined the Mill Run cause in effort to sell more flights. In fact, the airline consolidator now has over 50 carriers, some of which are domestic and others international. This allowed the company to offer many more destination options to travel agencies.
From just one office in New York, Mill Run Tours now operates six office branches in different states. It serves clients in its native New York and also in California, Texas, Massachusetts, Illinois and Washington DC. The company is home to 200 pro travel agents to keep up with the growing number of agency and airline clients.
Once a concept, airline ticket consolidation has developed into a necessary service for professionals in the travel industry. Forty years later, Mill Run Tours are still expanding and mentoring new consolidators for service in the industry.