Are you interested in joining a travel affiliate program but unsure how to start? Or wondering if affiliate marketing in the travel industry is worth the hassle?
Well, if you have a travel-related online presence, you’re in a good position. You already have a captive audience that relies on you for travel advice, recommendations, and services. Making money through your network is an excellent way to increase your revenue while providing additional assistance to your readers or clients.
So it goes without saying that affiliate programs are a useful tool to have on hand if you own a travel blog. This guide will help you in generating revenue from your digital network in no time.
How to Select the Most Effective Travel Affiliate Program
There are many different travel affiliate programs to choose from. However, you must partner with brands that share your mission and values. Only choose organizations that are relevant to your readers’ or clients’ needs.
Travel is a broad category, so think about your target audience or customer. Partner with brands and businesses whose products or services complement your niche, whether adventure travel, unusual places, or a specific region. For example, if you write for backpackers on a budget, you should not be affiliated with a high-end product brand. Families looking for kid-friendly package vacations have very different needs than luxury honeymooners.
Sticking to a travel niche is the best way to ensure your affiliate content reaches the right people. From there, you can provide specific services or create content to benefit your customers.
On the other hand, some topics have universal appeal for all types of international travel, such as travel documents or travel insurance affiliate programs.
Best Travel Affiliate Programs
#1. Expedia
2%-6% commission
Cookie lifespan: 7 days
Expedia is a global travel company that provides access to over 140,000 properties worldwide and discounted flights, vacation packages, cruises, and car rentals.
Its over 500 travel partnerships with hotel and airline suppliers allow travelers to save up to $500 on combined airline and hotel bookings.
Users earn points to spend on future travel experiences through Expedia’s loyalty program, providing an additional incentive to book through Expedia.
Expedia affiliate commissions vary depending on the type of successful referral you drive, ranging from 2% on rental cars to 6% on cruise bookings.
While the seven-day cookie window is one of the worst of any affiliate program on this list, the seven-day EPC of more than $83 indicates plenty of affiliate income to be made here.
#2. Booking.Com
4% commission
Cookie lifespan: Session-based
Booking.com is an online travel service that offers hotel reservations, airline tickets, and car rentals.
It’s one of the world’s most popular travel comparison sites, with nearly 30 million bookable rooms in over 2.5 million properties.
Because of the strength of Booking.com’s partner relationships, users never have to pay booking fees, allowing it to undercut the competition.
Unsurprisingly, Booking.com has one of the most popular travel affiliate programs, with over 12,500 travel affiliates signed up.
They earn 4% on all bookings, whether they are travel bloggers, influencers, or anyone else. This is one of the highest-paying affiliate programs in the travel niche, with a seven-day EPC of $160+.
Affiliates can also use a search box for offers, banner integration options, and deep linking.
However, because the cookie window is session-based, you only earn money if someone clicks your referral link and converts right away.
Make certain that you only send warm, pre-qualified traffic to Booking.com.
#3. Agoda
A commission of up to 7% is possible.
Cookie lifetime: 30 days
With over two million vacation rentals and hotel bookings, Agoda is one of the world’s largest online travel accommodation platforms.
Rather than focusing on a single travel niche, it provides discounts for business, leisure, solo, and family travelers, from the largest resorts to the smallest hidden gems. That means there will be more audiences to target for travel bloggers.
Because it is only open to people who have their website, Agoda’s travel affiliate program is heavily focused on travel bloggers. In other words, there are no social influencers.
If you qualify, you can earn up to 7% commissions on each successful referral, which is higher than the commissions offered by the other major booking portals.
Hotel power ads, text links, and other tools are also available to help you increase your affiliate marketing commissions.
#4. Tripadvisor
50% commission
Cookie lifespan: two weeks
You’ve probably heard of Tripadvisor, an online review platform. That is its primary purpose, and it excels at it, with the site boasting approximately 884 million reviews by the end of 2020.
However, it is also a booking portal for hotels and activities.
The Tripadvisor affiliate program focuses solely on lodging. Affiliate marketers receive a 50% commission on hotel bookings, but no commission on flights, restaurants, vacation rentals, or tourist attractions.
That 50% commission is already quite generous, but it can reach up to 80% during incentive campaigns.
Another intriguing feature of this affiliate program is that you do not need to make a booking to earn a commission. Instead, you earn money every time a user referred by your site clicks through to any of Tripadvisor’s booking partners.
With conversion rates of 30% or higher, the Tripadvisor affiliate program has the potential to be one of the highest-paying affiliate programs in the travel niche (assuming you can drive enough traffic).
#5. Hotels.Com
4% commission
Cookie lifespan: 7 days
Hotels.com, as the name suggests, is a major provider of hotel accommodations, with a portfolio of over one million properties in 200 countries.
You’ll probably find it here if you want a glitzy resort or a small bed-and-breakfast.
Hotels.com operates 85 localized websites in more than 35 languages, allowing you to reach a truly global audience, unlike some referral programs.
However, be aware that it operates multiple affiliate programs via the Commission Junction affiliate network, each focusing on travelers in a specific market.
If you only join the affiliate program for the United States and Canada, you will only earn a commission on bookings from customers in those countries.
Hotels.com makes it simple for affiliate marketers to promote exclusive voucher codes with competitive discounts.\
#6. G Adventures
6% commission on each sale
Cookie lifetime: 60 days
G Adventures is the market leader in small-group adventure travel.
Instead of booking all-inclusive vacations, its customers want to live like a local in the Amazon, tour North Asia by rail, or go mountain trekking in Nepal.
So it operates in a relatively small market, which is expected to be worth $1.6 trillion by 2026. As a result, this is one of the top affiliate programs for adventure travel blogs.
The premium prices are another advantage of the adventure travel niche. Because these are frequently once-in-a-lifetime experiences, people aren’t necessarily looking for the cheapest option.
While the 6% commission rate may not appear spectacular, it becomes much more appealing when you learn that G Adventures’ average order value is $2,600.
#7. Travelpayouts
The commission varies.
Cookie lifetime: varies
Unlike the other travel sites on this list, which are all brands with their affiliate programs, Travelpayouts is a pay-per-action affiliate network with multiple referral programs focusing on everything from flights and hotel bookings to car rental services and insurance.
Travelpayouts provides access to over 90 travel affiliate programs from brands such as Vrbo, Tripadvisor, and Hilton Honors, some of which are only available through the affiliate network.
It has paid over $28 million in commissions to approximately 300,000 affiliates since 2011.
Up to 70% of Travelpayouts affiliate network earnings are shared with referral partners.
In practice, this means that affiliate marketers can earn 1.1% – 1.15% of total booking value on flights and 4% – 5% on hotel bookings.
#8. Kayak
50% commission
Cookie lifetime: 30 days
Kayak effectively runs its travel affiliate network because it owns several brands, including HotelsCombined, Momondo, and, uh, Kayak.
These brands generate more than six billion travel searches each year, work with over two million properties, and pay out more than $76 million in affiliate earnings.
Getting access to multiple travel affiliate programs with a single signup is a pretty good deal. It gets even better when you consider Kayak’s 50% commission rate.
The only real drawback is the payment threshold — you won’t see any commissions until you earn $500.
#9. Viator
8% commission
Cookie lifetime: 30 days
Travel is all about the experience for many of us. And, with over 395,000 attractions and things to do in 2,500 destinations, Viator is essentially a one-stop shop for those experiences.
Viator goes out of its way to make the conversion process as easy as possible. It offers cancellations up to 24 hours in advance on 85% of its affiliate products and supports over 35 languages. It also has over one million reviews to help customers make the right booking.
This makes monetizing the traffic that affiliate marketers refer to much easier.
Travel bloggers and other content partners earn an 8% commission on every booking, and the 30-day cookie period is longer than many of the referral programs on this list.
#10. World Nomads
10% commission
Cookie lifetime: 60 days
World Nomads, as the name implies, focuses on the “intrepid” travel market. Its various travel insurance policies cover more than 200 activities and protect against trip cancellation and medical emergencies.
It is recommended by a slew of well-known travel brands, including Lonely Planet, which is a big plus.
The company’s ethical credentials are another strong selling point. Over 70% of customers make a micro-donation when purchasing a travel insurance policy.
World Nomads has used this approach to raise more than $3 million in support of over 100 projects around the world over the years.
As if that weren’t reason enough for affiliate marketers to promote World Nomads, the brand’s affiliate program pays out solid commissions of 10% on qualified sales and has a generous 60-day cookie window.
#11. GetYourGuide
8% commission
Cookie lifetime: 30 days
GetYourGuide, a Berlin-based online travel agency and marketplace for tour guides and excursions comes in handy here. The website offers over 34,000 tours and activities from around the world, including major attractions such as the Sistine Chapel and the Louvre Museum.
The GetYourGuide travel affiliate program pays 8% commissions, with the possibility of higher rates depending on the partner.
The brand runs regular promotions, offers a lower price guarantee, and accepts last-minute bookings to help drive affiliate sales.
#12. REI
5% commission on each sale
Cookie lifespan: 15 days
While Amazon is the go-to place for general last-minute travel purchases, REI is the place for specialized outdoor gear.
It has been a fixture of the outdoor industry for over eight decades and operates 165 retail stores across the United States, indicating that its brand is extremely strong.
REI has everything you need: a new backpack, hiking boots, or a trekking pole.
Although this is not a traditional travel affiliate program, many monetization opportunities exist for travel blogs.
While a 5% commission may not appear to be much, the site’s average order value of more than $120 makes it much better.
Furthermore, it provides the free pickup from REI stores as well as free shipping on orders of $50 or more, providing plenty of incentive for readers to click your text links.
#13. Take Walks
15% commission on each sale
TBD cookie duration
Take Walks is a tour booking service that works with up to 600 guides in 13 of the world’s most vibrant cities, including Paris, Rome, and New Orleans. More than one million travelers have booked its guided tours.
Prices aren’t particularly low — for example, Paris tours range from $44 to $252. However, they only cater to small groups and frequently include special access to major attractions, including skip-the-line access.
If anything, the higher prices make this affiliate program appear more appealing. What travel blogger wouldn’t want to make 15% on a $250 booking?
#14. InsureMyTrip
Commission: Unknown Cookie duration: unknown
InsureMyTrip, unlike World Nomads, is a comparison site that works with various travel insurance providers, including AIG, AXA, and IMG.
It provides over 100,000 ratings and reviews from previous customers to help international travelers make the best decision when purchasing travel insurance.
The InsureMyTrips affiliate program provides two affiliate models: referral and commission.
Terms appear to be determined on a case-by-case basis, so you’ll need to sign up using a simple online form and consult with their affiliate manager to determine how much you can earn.
#15. TrustedHousesitters
20% commission for sitters; $100 commission for property owners
Cookie lifespan: 30 - 90 days
Fortunately, TrustHousesitters provides a solution: select a sitter to live in your home and care for your pets while you’re away.
Property owners on the site come from 130 countries, ranging from London townhouses to Hawaiian beachfront homes.
Users pay a membership fee, starting at $129 per year, which allows them to:
Bid to become live-in pet sitters and stay for free in the owner’s home.
Get unlimited pet and house-sitting services from verified sitters.
In any case, that’s a fantastic deal!
As a result, TrustedHousesitters operates two distinct travel affiliate programs. Affiliate marketers can earn a 20% commission for referring new sitters to TrustedHousesitters, or up to $100 for referring property owners, similar to how Airbnb used to run a host affiliate program and a guest affiliate program.
These two programs are run by different affiliate networks: the sitter program is run by Awin, and ShareASale runs the owner program.
#16. Hostelworld
Up to 40% of the deposit as commission
Cookie lifetime: 30 days
Another large travel booking platform is Hostelworld. However, whereas Booking.com and Expedia are generalists, Hostelworld specializes in the hostel experience, with over 36,000 hostels in 179 countries.
Over 13 million verified guest reviews back up its listings to help travelers make the best decision.
Hostelworld has one of the most popular affiliate programs in this lucrative niche, with members such as Culture Trip, Lonely Planet, and Tripadvisor and high-profile travel bloggers such as The Broke Backpacker.
That is always an indication that a referral program is worthwhile.
CPA commissions are calculated as up to 40% of the deposit earned by Hostelworld for each booking.
#17. SafetyWing
10% commission on each sale
Cookie lifetime: 365 days
SafetyWing sells travel insurance to two distinct groups:
- Nomadic digital workers
- Entrepreneurs and remote teams
Because those are two markets that many mainstream insurance companies underserve, there’s plenty of incentive for a qualified reader to click an affiliate link and purchase a policy.
Whatever policy you promote, the SafetyWing affiliate program offers a 10% commission rate and the longest cookie window of any referral program on this list (365 days).
Another perk is that SafetyWing pays out once a month via PayPal when you reach a minimum earning threshold of $10.
#18. Amazon Affiliates
Travel is more than just booking flights and hotels. You must purchase numerous other items before embarking on a long journey, ranging from luggage and travel adaptors to clothing and sunglasses.
And where do you get all of that in a hurry? Amazon.
As affiliate marketers in any niche will tell you, the Amazon Associates program’s terms aren’t exactly generous.
Commissions vary by category; for example, you can earn 4% on clothing sales but only 3% on sports equipment and a meager 1% on health and personal care products.
Furthermore, the cookie window is only 24 hours long, which means that if your referrals aren’t highly qualified, you won’t earn a dime through the Amazon affiliate program.
On the other hand, Amazon has a huge brand and is widely trusted, so convincing people to buy isn’t difficult.
Furthermore, you receive a percentage of any sales made by your referrals during the 24 hours, so you may receive an unexpected bonus commission.
Checklist of Travel Affiliate Programs
Work through our handy checklist for opportunities that fit your niche and customers.
- Are the products truly beneficial to your readers or clients? Is the service, on the other hand, relevant to your target market?
- Do you like the product or service – have you used it before, and would you use it again?
- Is your affiliate link offering a discount to your readers? Is the website easy to use and professional? Consider whether you are comfortable sending your readers there.
- Are you familiar with the affiliate program’s terms and conditions?
- Is the commission structure transparent and worth your time?
- How long does the affiliate cookie last?
- Will you be paid a commission on international purchases?
- What assets will your partners provide you with for you to create appealing and engaging campaigns? For instance, banners and widgets.
- When and how will you be compensated?
- Is there a way to contact you if you have any problems with the scheme?
Is Affiliate Marketing Profitable?
Affiliate marketing is a great way to monetize your travel website. However, while it is sometimes referred to as ‘passive’ income, this is not entirely accurate. Creating quality content that captures your readers’ attention requires careful planning and hard work. It takes imagination to persuade them to click on your affiliate link. However, once you’ve embedded your unique affiliate link in several posts, you’ll be well on your way to a passive income stream.
Prepare for a fluctuation in your income. Some months will see a drop in sales, while others will see a surge. Do you require a success story? Goats on the Road, one of the most successful travel blogs, attributes 32.5% of their $200,000 monthly earnings to travel affiliate programs. Similarly, Adventure in You revealed that affiliate marketing is their primary source of income. It accounted for 36.3% of their $95,614 in revenue over six months of blogging.
If you truly want to make money in travel, be picky about who you partner with. Stay within your area of expertise, and don’t forget to bring your travel documents. The iVisa.com affiliate program allows you to earn money by recommending visas and passport photos.
It is possible to profit from travel affiliate programs. Our final piece of advice is to remain authentic and transparent with your readers and clients. Sharing tips for making travel easier or less expensive feels incredible, and creating great content should always feel more like fun than work.
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