With the global travel industry experiencing a significant resurgence, now is an opportune moment to leverage the power of Travel Affiliate Programs. For those passionate about exploration and eager to monetize their online presence, becoming a travel affiliate marketer offers a compelling path to earning commissions while sharing your love for travel.
The travel sector stands as a colossal economic force, contributing a substantial 7.6 percent to the world’s total GDP. This vast market translates into significant earning potential for affiliates, with top performers averaging over $5,000 per month, driven by high transaction values and appealing commission structures inherent in travel bookings.
After in-depth research and careful curation, we’ve compiled a list of 15 of the top travel affiliate programs currently available. We are confident that these represent the most rewarding and reliable options for content creators in the travel niche. The desire to explore and travel is timeless, ensuring that this evergreen niche offers enduring and robust potential for affiliate marketers.
So, pack your virtual bags and get ready to explore the most lucrative travel affiliate programs that can help you inspire wanderlust and earn substantial income.
How to Maximize Your Success with Travel Affiliate Programs
To truly excel as a travel affiliate marketer, a strong foundation in digital marketing is essential, particularly in search engine optimization (SEO). Effective SEO strategies are crucial for enhancing your online visibility and attracting targeted traffic to your travel website or blog.
To assist you in mastering these critical skills, we’ve developed comprehensive guides, including:
- SEO Marketing: [Link to Backlinko’s SEO guide]
- Keyword Research: [Link to Backlinko’s Keyword Research guide]
- Content Marketing: [Link to Backlinko’s Content Marketing guide]
- Link Building: [Link to Backlinko’s Link Building guide]
Implementing the knowledge gained from these resources can significantly improve your travel website’s search engine rankings, driving more qualified traffic and ultimately leading to increased bookings and affiliate commissions.
Discover the Best Travel Affiliate Programs
Below, we present a detailed overview of 15 of the best travel affiliate programs, encompassing everything from luxury travel options to essential services like car rentals. This diverse selection is designed to help you pinpoint the programs that best align with your audience and content focus.
1. Expedia Group
Expedia Group Travel Affiliate Program
- Niche: Broad travel offerings, including accommodations, activities, car rentals, flights, and cruises.
- Commission Rate: Up to 4%
- Cookie Duration: 7 days
- Join URL: Expedia Group Affiliate Program
- Advantages: Robust affiliate tools and a widely recognized brand.
- Disadvantages: Commissions are not paid on canceled bookings and are only processed after the completion of the customer’s trip.
Expedia Group is a global leader in the travel industry, a name synonymous with travel for many. Even those unfamiliar with the intricacies of the travel niche will likely recognize the Expedia brand. Expedia’s vast inventory includes access to over 3 million properties, connections with 500 airlines, a multitude of car rental services, and over 220,000 activities worldwide.
The Expedia Group Affiliate Program stands out as a top choice due to its exceptionally high conversion rates, a direct result of the brand’s strong reputation and consumer trust. Becoming an Expedia affiliate is a straightforward process. Upon signing up, you gain access to their affiliate platform, which is equipped with a suite of helpful tools designed to streamline your marketing efforts. These resources include:
- Creator Toolbox: A collection of resources to aid in content creation and link management.
- Trackable Links: Essential for monitoring performance and attributing conversions.
- Search Widgets: Embeddable search functionality to enhance user engagement on your site.
- Banners: Visually appealing promotional materials to attract clicks.
- Performance Data: Analytics to track your progress and optimize your strategies.
By directing traffic to the Expedia Group website through your unique affiliate links, you can earn commissions on every eligible booking made through your referrals. While the commission rate might not be the highest available, the reliability and brand recognition of Expedia make it a highly dependable and effective program.
2. Booking.com
Booking Travel Affiliate Program
- Niche: General travel, encompassing accommodations, flights, car rentals, and attractions.
- Commission Rate: 25 – 40% of Booking.com’s commission.
- Cookie Duration: Session-based.
- Join URL: Booking.com Affiliate Partner Centre
- Advantages: Globally trusted brand and a range of promotional tools.
- Disadvantages: Payouts are only processed once earnings reach a minimum of $109.
Booking.com is widely recognized as a comprehensive platform for travel planning, serving as a go-to resource for many when arranging travel. While primarily known for accommodation bookings, Booking.com also offers flights, attractions, car rentals, and airport transportation, making it a versatile option for travelers.
With an extensive inventory of over 28 million accommodation listings across more than 60,000 destinations, Booking.com’s popularity is undeniable. It’s therefore not surprising that Booking.com also operates one of the most sought-after travel affiliate programs.
Their affiliate program is particularly well-suited to bloggers and travel influencers. However, anyone with a website can effectively use their affiliate links to generate supplementary income. Booking.com provides a commission of up to 40% on confirmed stays, with the specific percentage determined by the number of bookings referred each month.
The commission structure is tiered, which can initially seem complex. Here’s a clear breakdown:
| Monthly Confirmed Bookings | Percentage of Booking.com Commission Paid to You |
|---|---|
| 0-50 | 25% |
| 51-150 | 30% |
| 151-500 | 35% |
| 501+ | 40% |
It’s important to note that the commission is not a percentage of the total booking value but rather a percentage of Booking.com’s commission from the booking. For instance, if a hotel room is booked for $200 through your link, and Booking.com typically earns a 20% commission, they would receive $40. As an affiliate at the base level (25% commission tier), you would earn 25% of that $40, resulting in a $10 commission.
While this might seem modest, it can accumulate significantly with consistent bookings. Our own positive experiences with this program underscore its potential and contribute to our high rating of the Booking.com affiliate program. Affiliate marketers also gain access to valuable promotional tools, including:
- Search Box: Integrate a Booking.com search directly onto your website.
- Banners: Promote specific deals and destinations visually.
- Deals Finder: Highlight current promotions and offers to drive conversions.
3. Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor Travel Affiliate Program
- Niche: General travel, focusing on accommodations and activities.
- Commission Rate: Starting at 50% of Tripadvisor’s commission.
- Cookie Duration: 14 days.
- Join URL: Tripadvisor Affiliate Program
- Advantages: Extensive selection of promotional links and a well-known platform for travel reviews and bookings.
- Disadvantages: Commissions are exclusively for hotel bookings.
Tripadvisor is primarily known as the leading platform for travel reviews. With over a billion reviews and opinions, it’s the go-to resource for travelers seeking authentic insights. However, beyond reviews, Tripadvisor also facilitates bookings for hotels and activities.
The Tripadvisor affiliate program primarily focuses on accommodation. Similar to Booking.com, the commission structure involves earning a percentage of Tripadvisor’s commission when a user clicks through your affiliate link to a hotel’s website. The standard rate begins at 50% of Tripadvisor’s commission.
It’s important to note that Tripadvisor affiliate commissions are currently limited to hotel bookings and do not include restaurants, activities, or flights. However, during special incentive campaigns where Tripadvisor promotes specific travel products or services, commission rates can surge as high as 80%, offering a significant boost to earnings.
One of the most attractive features of the Tripadvisor affiliate program is that a completed booking is not required to earn a commission. You earn simply when a user is directed from your site to Tripadvisor and then clicks through to a booking partner’s site. This click-based commission model is a significant advantage.
Joining the Tripadvisor affiliate program is facilitated through the Commission Junction Affiliate Network. Simply sign up for a Commission Junction account and then search for the Tripadvisor program to apply.
4. Viator
Viator Travel Affiliate Program
- Niche: Travel activities and experiences.
- Commission Rate: 8% on completed experiences.
- Cookie Duration: 30 days.
- Join URL: Viator Travel Affiliate Program
- Advantages: Weekly payouts via PayPal and a wide array of affiliate tools.
- Disadvantages: Bank transfers have a minimum payout threshold of $50.
Viator’s affiliate program is designed for anyone passionate about travel, from travel bloggers and service providers to avid explorers. It offers an opportunity to earn commissions by promoting a vast selection of travel experiences.
This travel affiliate program provides an 8% commission on any experience booked within 30 days of a user clicking your affiliate link. Viator boasts an impressive inventory of over 300,000 experiences across 2,500 destinations, including sightseeing tours, day trips, and extended excursions.
Viator excels in its selection of activities within North America, making it an excellent choice if your audience is primarily focused on this region. However, their offerings extend globally, ensuring relevance for a broad international audience. Affiliate tools provided by Viator include:
- Links: Text and deep links to specific activities and categories.
- Widgets: Embeddable tools to showcase Viator experiences on your site.
- Banners: Visually engaging banners to promote Viator’s offerings.
5. Sandals Resorts
Alt text: Sandals Resorts Affiliate Program banner featuring luxury resorts
- Niche: Luxury all-inclusive resorts.
- Commission Rate: From 4% per completed reservation.
- Cookie Duration: 60 days.
- Join URL: Sandals Affiliate Program
- Advantages: Well-established luxury travel brand, with potential for performance-based commission increases and free trips.
- Disadvantages: 4% commission may be considered low by some, and the niche is focused on luxury travel and romantic getaways.
Sandals Resorts is an ideal affiliate program for those targeting the luxury travel market. With a high average order value of approximately $2,000, even a 4% commission can generate substantial earnings per booking.
The luxury travel sector is currently experiencing significant growth and is projected to exceed $3.7 trillion by 2032. This growth trajectory makes it a particularly lucrative niche to tap into. Sandals Resorts offers a 60-day cookie duration, reflecting the longer decision-making process often associated with booking luxury vacations.
You can join the Sandals affiliate program through Commission Junction. Once approved, you’ll gain access to a range of marketing resources and dedicated support to assist in your promotional efforts.
6. G Adventures
G Adventures Travel Affiliate Program
- Niche: Adventure travel and tours.
- Commission Rate: 5% on confirmed sales.
- Cookie Duration: 90 days.
- Join URL: G Adventures Affiliate Program
- Advantages: Provides a variety of marketing materials including display ads, XML feed, and copy.
- Disadvantages: Adventure travel is a niche market, potentially requiring more focused marketing efforts.
G Adventures specializes in adventure travel experiences. While it’s a more niche market compared to general travel, it’s a highly valuable one, and G Adventures stands out as a leading provider of adventure tours.
Considering that G Adventures boasts an average order value of around $2,600, a 5% commission rate becomes quite attractive. The adventure travel market is estimated to be worth over $1 trillion by 2026, indicating significant growth potential.
G Adventures recognizes that booking adventure tours often involves a longer consideration period. To accommodate this, they offer a generous 90-day cookie duration, giving you ample time to earn commissions from referred traffic. You can sign up for the G Adventures affiliate program through either Commission Junction or AWIN affiliate networks.
7. Agoda
Agoda Travel Affiliate Program
- Niche: Accommodation focused.
- Commission Rate: 4% to 5%, tiered based on booking volume.
- Cookie Duration: 30 days.
- Join URL: Agoda Partners
- Advantages: Commission increases with booking volume, and offers free tools to enhance traffic.
- Disadvantages: Program access is restricted to website owners, excluding social media platforms.
Agoda is a well-known platform for accommodation bookings, offering a wide spectrum of options from large resorts to boutique hotels. As an affiliate marketer, partnering with Agoda allows you to capitalize on their trusted brand while generating income.
This travel affiliate program is exclusively for website owners, not social media-based marketers, which may present a higher barrier to entry for some. However, the commission structure is designed to reward high-performing affiliates. Earning up to 5% commission on completed bookings is possible if you exceed 299 bookings monthly, making it a potentially lucrative program for established websites.
Agoda – Commission rate
Agoda also provides affiliates with free tools aimed at boosting traffic and conversions. These include:
- Text Links: Direct links to specific properties or search results.
- Search Box: Integrate Agoda’s search functionality onto your site.
- Banners: Visually appealing promotional banners.
- Hotel Data File: Access to hotel data to enhance content and offerings.
Agoda’s platform is available in 38 languages, enabling you to effectively target diverse global audiences.
8. GetYourGuide
GetYourGuide Travel Affiliate Program
- Niche: Curated travel experiences and activities.
- Commission Rate: Starting at 8%.
- Cookie Duration: 31 days.
- Join URL: GetYourGuide Partner
- Advantages: Provides free training through workshops and networking events.
- Disadvantages: Bank transfers have a minimum payout threshold of $50.
GetYourGuide specializes in offering curated excursions and activities worldwide. By becoming a GetYourGuide partner, you can offer your audience access to unique and engaging travel experiences while earning commissions on bookings.
GetYourGuide boasts a vast array of activity categories, including:
- Day Trips
- Walking Tours
- Attractions Tickets
- Hop-On/Hop-Off Tours
- City Cruises
- Airport Transfers
- Multi-Day Trips
- City Sightseeing Passes
For every booking made through your affiliate link for these activities, you earn a commission starting at 8%. Beyond commission earnings, GetYourGuide provides valuable resources for affiliates, including free training workshops, networking opportunities, and a suite of tools such as widgets, links, and guidance on effective integration strategies.
9. Discover Cars
DiscoverCars Travel Affiliate Program
- Niche: Car rental services.
- Commission Rate: 70% of rental profit; 30% of full coverage revenue.
- Cookie Duration: 365 days.
- Join URL: Car Rental Affiliate Program
- Advantages: High commission rates, extended cookie duration, and a dedicated account manager.
- Disadvantages: Minimum payment threshold of $200.
For transportation-related affiliate programs, Discover Cars stands out as a premier option. It’s considered one of the best affiliate marketing programs for car rentals due to its exceptional “double” commission structure. You earn commission not only on the car rental profit but also on the sale of Full Coverage insurance.
The exceptionally long 365-day cookie duration further enhances the program’s profitability. You continue to earn commissions for up to a year after a user initially clicks your link. Discover Cars demonstrates a strong commitment to its affiliates by providing each with a dedicated account manager. These managers offer guidance on optimizing earnings and provide feedback on affiliate links.
You can join the Discover Cars affiliate program through several affiliate networks. However, it’s worth noting that commission rates through affiliate networks may differ from the 70% offered directly through Discover Cars. Check specific network terms for details.
10. Klook
Klook Travel Affiliate Program
- Niche: Travel experiences and tours.
- Commission Rate: Up to 5%.
- Cookie Duration: 30 days.
- Join URL: Klook Affiliate
- Advantages: Provides tools to aid in affiliate integration.
- Disadvantages: Requires website or blog ownership, excluding social media-only promotion.
Klook is a user-friendly platform specializing in booking tickets for tourist attractions and events. By joining the Klook Affiliate Program, you can earn commissions on a wide range of travel products, including attractions, shows, tours, transportation, and dining experiences.
While Klook is headquartered in Hong Kong and has a strong presence in Asian markets, it has significantly expanded its reach into North American and European markets in recent years. With over 100,000 in-destination activities and excursions globally, Klook offers a diverse inventory to appeal to a broad audience.
Klook also operates a separate Klook Kreator Program designed for social media influencers. This program allows influencers to earn passive income through commissions and unique promotional codes.
11. Hostelworld
Hostelworld Travel Affiliate Program
- Niche: Budget-friendly accommodation, hostels, and backpacker travel.
- Commission Rate: Calculated as a percentage of the deposit.
- Cookie Duration: 30 days.
- Join URL: Hostelworld Affiliate Program
- Advantages: Offers a dedicated support team and integration tools.
- Disadvantages: Commission rate percentage is not publicly disclosed on their website.
Hostelworld is a major accommodation and travel booking platform, specializing in budget travel. Unlike platforms like Booking.com and Expedia that cater to a broader range of accommodations, Hostelworld focuses primarily on hostels and affordable travel experiences.
Hostelworld provides access to over 13 million reviews and bookings for hostels and budget accommodations across 179 countries. This makes it a prime choice for targeting the budget-conscious traveler segment.
If your audience is drawn to budget-friendly travel options, Hostelworld is a leading travel affiliate program to consider. Despite the shift in focus of our team away from hostel stays in recent years, research indicates that Hostelworld remains a prominent affiliate partner on numerous top-ranking travel blogs, confirming the continued strength and appeal of this market.
12. Skyscanner
Skyscanner Travel Affiliate Program
- Niche: Airline tickets, hotels, and car rentals.
- Commission Rate: Up to 20% on bookings.
- Cookie Duration: 30 days.
- Join URL: Skyscanner Partners
- Advantages: Provides integration tools like widgets, banners, and links.
- Disadvantages: Has strict requirements for affiliate marketers.
Skyscanner attracts over 100 million monthly users seeking to plan their travel arrangements. As a globally recognized and trusted brand, Skyscanner offers a competitive commission structure each time a booking is made through your affiliate link.
With access to over 1,200 supply partners across 180 countries, Skyscanner provides a vast inventory of travel options to cater to diverse audiences. However, the Skyscanner Affiliate Program has specific eligibility criteria. Applicants need to have an active website with HTTPS security, a minimum of 5,000 unique monthly visitors, and demonstrate high-quality, up-to-date content with good user experience.
For those who meet these requirements, Skyscanner can be a highly rewarding affiliate program, offering up to 20% commission on bookings made through referral links.
13. Travelpayouts
Travelpayouts Travel Affiliate Program
- Niche: Travel partnership platform encompassing multiple brands.
- Commission Rate: Varies by brand.
- Cookie Duration: Ranges from session-based to 365 days, depending on the partner program.
- Join URL: Travelpayouts Partnership Platform
- Advantages: Access to a support team, educational resources, integration tools, and over 100 travel brands.
- Disadvantages: Bank transfer minimum payout threshold of $400.
Travelpayouts differs from the other travel affiliate programs listed as it functions as a platform hosting numerous affiliate programs within the travel industry, rather than a single program.
This platform grants access to over 90 distinct travel affiliate programs, some of which are exclusive to the Travelpayouts network. It operates as a cost-per-action (CPA) travel partnership platform, consolidating some of the best travel affiliate programs in one place, including several already mentioned in this list.
Travelpayouts – Partners
If managing multiple individual affiliate programs seems cumbersome, Travelpayouts provides a streamlined solution, allowing you to access a wide array of programs through a single platform. Notably, Travelpayouts has no minimum traffic requirements for joining, making it accessible even for those who are new to affiliate marketing.
14. KAYAK
KAYAK Travel Affiliate Program
- Niche: General travel search engine.
- Commission Rate: Up to 50%.
- Cookie Duration: 30 days.
- Join URL: KAYAK Affiliate Program
- Advantages: Access to multiple travel brands and a range of integration tools.
- Disadvantages: Minimum payment threshold of $500.
KAYAK, while appearing similar to an affiliate network, is actually the parent company to several prominent travel brands, including Momondo, Cheapflights, and HotelsCombined. Joining the KAYAK affiliate program provides access to these brands as well.
Travelers frequently use KAYAK as a metasearch engine to find flights, car rentals, hotels, and activities. KAYAK is particularly popular in the US, processing over 6 million searches annually. Commission structures vary, but affiliates can earn up to 50% on bookings, clicks, and ad revenue generated across KAYAK’s travel offerings.
15. World Nomads
World Nomads Travel Affiliate Program
- Niche: Travel insurance.
- Commission Rate: 10% on sales.
- Cookie Duration: 60 days.
- Join URL: World Nomads Affiliate Program
- Advantages: Integration tools, ongoing support, and endorsement by reputable travel brands like Lonely Planet and Contiki.
- Disadvantages: Travel insurance content can be challenging to rank for in search engines.
World Nomads is featured as the sole travel insurance provider on this list because it offers what is arguably the best affiliate program in the travel insurance niche. World Nomads states their mission is to “be a part of every adventurous traveler’s journey by providing travelers a range of travel insurance and safety services.”
While travel insurance might not be the most glamorous affiliate category, World Nomads’ global reach, with sales in over 100 countries, coupled with a 10% commission rate, makes it a financially attractive option.
Steps to Becoming a Successful Travel Affiliate
Now that you’re familiar with some of the best travel affiliate programs, let’s outline the essential steps to becoming a successful travel affiliate marketer.
Build Your Travel Platform and Audience
If you don’t yet have a travel website or blog, establishing one is the first crucial step. As noted earlier, some travel affiliate programs prioritize website-based affiliates over social media influencers, so creating a website and building consistent traffic is highly recommended.
Equally important is building a strong rapport with your audience. Users are unlikely to trust a website that appears spammy or solely focused on affiliate links. Instead, focus on providing valuable, personalized content and up-to-date travel information. Share your travel experiences, offer insightful tips on destinations and accommodations, and aim to inspire your audience with your passion for travel.
Effectively Promote Travel Offers
The key to successful travel affiliate marketing is to promote offers in a way that feels natural and helpful, not pushy or overtly sales-oriented. Readers should feel compelled to explore your recommendations because they genuinely add value to their travel planning.
While direct collaborations with travel brands for exclusive deals can be beneficial, affiliate programs offer an efficient alternative for accessing a wide range of offers and promoting them effectively on your platform. Staying attuned to current travel trends is essential for creating relevant and engaging content.
For example, pre-2020 travel trends were heavily focused on bucket-list destinations and luxury travel. However, the post-2020 era has seen a surge in digital nomadism and sustainable travel practices. These trends continue to evolve, and your content strategy should adapt accordingly.
Consider these content formats for your travel website:
- Listicles: Curate lists of top destinations, activities, or accommodations within specific themes.
- Personal Itineraries: Share detailed accounts of your own travel experiences, providing practical insights.
- Destination Deep Dives: Focus on individual destinations, offering comprehensive guides to accommodations, activities, transportation, and local tips.
However, recognize that these content formats are widely adopted. According to Nina Clapperton of She Knows SEO, the key to excelling in travel affiliate marketing is to “turn your entire site into a sales funnel.” Instead of immediately focusing on conversions, prioritize building trust and providing informative content that addresses your audience’s pain points. Utilize internal links to guide users naturally towards affiliate offers within your helpful content.
Maximize Your Affiliate Earnings
To optimize your earnings, strike a balance between affiliate programs offering high commission rates and those with strong conversion potential. A high commission rate is less valuable if the program’s offerings don’t resonate with your audience.
Travel affiliate marketing is a long-term strategy. Select programs that align with your audience’s interests and needs, fostering genuine engagement and conversions. Diversification is also crucial. Affiliate programs can change or close (as Airbnb discontinued its program in 2021), so avoid relying solely on a single program.
Consider joining affiliate networks like Travelpayouts or ShareASale to access a broader range of travel affiliate marketing programs and diversify your partnerships.
Choosing the Right Travel Affiliate Programs for Your Business
Still unsure which travel affiliate programs are the best fit for you? Here are key factors to consider when making your selection:
- Niche Alignment: Prioritize programs that directly align with your website’s niche, content, and audience interests. A generic travel program might not convert as effectively as a program specializing in a niche area relevant to your audience. For example, a website focused on budget backpacking will likely find luxury travel programs less effective.
- Commission and Conversion Rates: Evaluate programs based on both commission rates and conversion potential. While high commissions are attractive, assess the likelihood of your audience converting. Programs with a balance of good commission rates and strong conversion potential are ideal.
- Cookie Duration: A longer cookie duration increases the window for earning commissions after a user clicks your link. Common cookie durations range from 30 to 90 days, with some programs offering up to 365 days, providing a significant advantage.
- Tools and Resources: Opt for programs that offer robust integration tools and resources, such as widgets, banners, and tracking links. Reliable support teams are also valuable for resolving issues and optimizing your affiliate efforts.
- Payment Reliability: Research the payment reliability of affiliate programs. Affiliate forums and online communities can provide insights into the payment history and reputation of specific programs. Choose reputable programs or networks known for timely and consistent payments.
