Travel is one of the biggest niches for Web Publishers and Affiliate Marketers. Travel blogs are some of the most popular content there is. Wether someone is planning an upcoming trip or just doing some armchair dreaming the numbers are there.
Go to our affiliate programs page for more program reviews.
Other products like travel insurance, travel gear, tour booking etc. can generate higher commissions per transaction. So if you are a new travel blogger it may make more sense to focus on those products.
The best part for all bloggers though is that the travel market is huge! Online sales in 2020 will exceed $800 billion!
Travel Affiliate Categories
1– Travel Agencies
2– Airlines
3– Cruises
4– Resorts
5– Review Sites
6– Luxury Travel
7– Travel Insurance
8– Travel Tours
9– White Label
10– Travel Gear & Gadgets
We also have a section on how to market travel programs. Let’s take off and explore the world of travel affiliate programs…
1 — Travel Agency Affiliate Programs
These are generally speaking all affiliate companies themselves. They get paid a commission from airlines, hotels and other travel partners when someone makes a booking. All of these companies are going to require quite a bit of traffic to be sent their way to make any serious money.
Expedia
Commission Rate: 2% – 6%
Commission Rate: 2% – 6%Cookie Length: 7 days
Affiliate Info: Expedia at CJ Affiliate
Expedia is the king of travel booking sites. That’s before even considering all the sites they control including …
The Expedia affiliate program pays between 2% and 6% depending on the product booked. Cruises pay the best at 6%. There is also an affiliate program for travel agents that pays between 3% and 11% and also offers better rates for your customers. You do need to be a US-based travel agent and they are selective.See our in-depth Expedia Affiliate Program article.
Booking.com
Commission Rate: up to 90%
Commission Rate: up to 90%Cookie Length: 30 days
Affiliate Info: Booking.com Affiliate Page
Booking.com is the the second most popular travel site after Expedia. The commission rate ranges from 25 – 40% depending on the amount of booking per month that you generate. Remember this 25% – 40% of Bookings.com’s commission — not of the transaction total.
| BOOKINGS PER MONTH | COMMISSION RATE |
|---|---|
| 0 — 50 | 25% |
| 51 — 150 | 30% |
| 151 — 500 | 35% |
| 500 or more | 40% |
See our in-depth Booking.com Affiliate Program article.
Agoda
Commission Rate: 4% – 7%
Commission Rate: 4% – 7%Cookie Length: 30 days
Affiliate Info: Agoda Affiliate Page
Agoda is a large booking company for air and hotels. They particularly strong in Asian markets. The commission rates range from 4% -7% and scales with your monthly booking quantities. They have a handy commission calculator that can give you an idea of your potential commissions.
Kayak
Commission Rate: up to 50%
Commission Rate: up to 50%Cookie Length: 30 days
Affiliate Info: Kayak Affiliate Page
Kayak was the first to provide the ability to search across lots of booking agents and direct hotel and airline companies. They have both an affiliate program paying up to 50% commissions and a white-label program that lets you integrate Kayak data to your brand. They have over 15,000 affiliates promoting their complete line of travel offerings.
SkyScanner
Commission Rate: up to 50%
Commission Rate: up to 50%Cookie Length: 30 days
Affiliate Info: Skyscanner Affiliate Page
SkyScanner is much like Kayak. A meta-search engine for the best travel deals.
The Skyscanner affiliate program is managed by CJ (Commission Junction). In addition to their commission payout for bookings they also have a CPI (Cost per Install) for their app.
See our in-depth Skyscanner Affiliate Program article.
2 — Airline Affiliate Programs
Quatar
Commission Rate: 2%
Commission Rate: 2%Cookie Length: 30 days
Affiliate Info: Qatar in-house affiliate program
Qatar is a top-tier airline with worldwide service. Their hub is in Doha with daily service to New York. They also have a strong presence in Australia and Asia.
Formed just in 1997 Qatar Airlines has jumped onto the international scene very quickly.
Emirates
Commission Rate: 1.25%
Commission Rate: 1.25%Cookie Length: 30 days
Affiliate Info: Emirates at CJ
Who doesn’t know Emirates. They are a premium airline with its main hub in Dubai. They have over 3,600 flights per week from Dubai and service 80 countries. The affiliate program pays just 1.25% though. Commissions from the US program at CJ are paid on flights leaving from:
- Australia & New Zealand
- China, Japan, Singapore
- France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland
- India
- South Africa
- UAE
- UK and the US
Air France
Commission Rate: 1.25%
Commission Rate: 1.25%Cookie Length: 30 days
Affiliate Info: Air France affiliate page
Air France is a world class airline serving 5 continents and 600+ destinations. They are also, of course, well known as the only carrier to offer commercial super-sonic air travel with the now retired Concord.
US affiliates can join at CJ and receive 1.25% on most flights.
Average sale around $1,500 = $15 average commission per sale!
3 — Cruise Affiliate Programs
Cruise Direct
Commission Rate: 3%
Commission Rate: 3%Cookie Length: 45 days
Affiliate Info: CruiseDirect Affiliate Page
The CruiseDirect affiliate program is managed by CJ. Some of the features include …
- PPC Marketing opportunities
- Proactive Affiliate Management Team
- New Banner Ads, Text Ads & Search Boxes
- Weekly Newsletters that include bonus commissions for our affiliates
CruiseAway
Commission Rate: $10 booking quote CPA
Commission Rate: $10 booking quote CPACookie Length: 14 days
Affiliate Info: CruiseAway affiliate page
CruiseAway is Australia’s premier cruise booking site. If you are writing an article on Australian travel they are a must include. You can send emails and other traffic and get an easy $10 for each visitor who requests a quote.
Cruise.com
Commission Rate: 50%
Commission Rate: 50%Cookie Length: 30 days
Affiliate Info: Cruise.com Affiliate Program
Cruise.com takes a different approach to affiliate partners. They are looking for small and even home-based travel agents. However they are one of the few programs I have seen that charges for affiliate membership …
They have 3 program options, each can have sub-affiliates…
Classic Program (85% Commission)
- Consumer Booking Engine: No set up fee – $29/month (12 month contract)
- Hosted Consumer Website: No set up fee – $49/month (12 month contract)
Gold Program (100% Commission)
- Basic Program Membership:$39/month (12 month contract)
- Add Consumer Booking Engine: $299 one-time set up fee – $198/month (12 month contract)
- Add Hosted Consumer Website: $350 one-time set up fee – $208/month (12 month contract)
Certified Travel Specialist Program
- Individual Agent Membership ($349 One Time Sign-Up Fee)
4 — Resort Affiliate
Anantara
Commission Rate: 50%
Commission Rate: 50%Cookie Length: 30 days
Affiliate Info: Anantara Affiliate Page
Anantara is a well-known luxury brand with properties in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. There affiliate program is managed by Affilred who are a performance marketing agency that focuses on the travel sector. Features of the program include:
- Up to 5% commission
- $1000+ average order size
- Great marketing material including Banners, Offers, voucher codes, text link etc
Sandals
Commission Rate: 4%
Commission Rate: 4%Cookie Length: 60 days
Affiliate Info: Sandals Affiliate Program Page
Sandals specializes in all-inclusive 5-star holidays. It is nice to know that there will be no big surprises when you plan your holiday or check-out. The target five specific markets …
- Couples
- Families
- Friends
- Groups
- Weddings
The affiliate program has a very high EPC — it pays well. They also have a dedicated affiliate manager if you need assistance.
Atlantis, Paradise Island
Commission Rate: 4%
Commission Rate: 4%Cookie Length: 7 days
Affiliate Info: Atlantis At CJ
Atlantis, Paradise Island is a unique resort that lets you connect with the culture of the Bahamas
A beautiful oceanside Caribbean resort on Paradise Island in The Bahamas, Atlantis has it all — an elegant peaceful tropical resort.
5 — Travel Review Sites
Tripadvisor
Commission Rate: 50%
Commission Rate: 50%Cookie Length: 14 days
Affiliate Info: Tripadvisor Affiliate Page
Tripadvisor is the goto place to do research on hotels, resorts and activities as you plan your holiday. You of course need to watch-out for self-promotion and company shills but the larger properties have so many reviews it is easy to get a good idea of their pros & cons.
You will also find booking and price research tools. When someone makes a purchase after linking from Tripadvisor a commission is paid. If a customer arrived via your link to Tripadvisor you will get a portion of that commission.
Tripadvisor has affiliate programs at both AWIN and CJ (Commission Junction). Both of these programs allow for deep links. This means you can have an affiliate link to any page on Tripadvisor site.
Not only does Tripadvisor pay a minimum of 50% of their booking fees to the affiliate, they also have a CPL-like commission. For every lead you send to Tripadvisor who then goes to one of the hotels, airlines etc. from Tripadvisor, you get a bonus. These can really add up …
LonelyPlanet
Commission Rate: 15%
Commission Rate: 15%Cookie Length: 30 days
Affiliate Info: LonelyPlanet Affiliate Program at AWIN
LonelyPlanet is a well respected set of tour guide publications. They started as a print-based product. They specialize in really getting to know a location like a local.
Now they have their information online and pass their visitors to hotels, tour companies and airlines for booking.
NOTE: LonelyPlanet has ended the affiliate program with Awin without announcing a replacement. You could still have affiliates links to their print products at Amazon and other book-sellers.
6 — Luxury Travel Affiliate Programs
BoatBookings
Commission Rate: 10%
Commission Rate: 10%Cookie Length: 30 days
Affiliate Info: BoatBookings Affiliate page
Booking a yacht for your holiday may seem like quite the holiday — and it is. While definitely a luxury vacations it is also one you will always remember. Do remember to reserve funds for the staff tip at the end … it is expected and big portion of their wages ( a good article topic).
Priority Pass
Commission Rate: $14 per sale
Commission Rate: $14 per saleCookie Length: 30 days
Affiliate Info: Priority Pass Affiliate Page
There is nothing better when on a long layover than to spend the time in a First-class lounge. In the past you need to buy a business or first class ticket to gain entrance. With Priority Pass you can just pay for admission to the lounge even with your super-saver economy ticket.
7 — Travel Insurance Affiliate Programs
World Nomads
Commission Rate: 10%
Commission Rate: 10%Cookie Length: 90-days
Affiliate Info: World Nomads Partner Page
World Nomads is one of the leaders in the health and accident travel insurance market. They write coverage to residents of over 130 countries. They have quite a bit of travel content on their website so be sure that you are not competing with them for those keywords.
AllianzGlobal
Commission Rate: $12 -$25 per policy written
Commission Rate: $12 -$25 per policy writtenCookie Length: 45 Days
Affiliate Info: AllianzGlobal Affiliate Page
Allianz Global insurance is a direct competitor to World Nomad for travel insurance that protects you if you are sick or injured while travelling. This creates good opportunities for an article like “World Nomads vs. Allianz Global”.
The affiliate program is run by the CJ affiliate network.
Roam Right
Commission Rate: 15%
Commission Rate: 15%Cookie Length: 1 year
Affiliate Info: RoamRight at ShareASale
RoamRight is another travel insurance company. Their commissions are a bit higher than the others and the cookie length is much more generous at 365 days.
The products available for marketing and commissions include …
- Basic Travel Insurance
- Auto Rental
- Trip cancellation
- Multi-trip Insurance
- Pro-plan with optional hazardous sport endorsements (scuba, bungee, etc.)
8 — Travel Tours Affiliate
Viator
Commission Rate: 50%
Commission Rate: 50%Cookie Length: 30 days
Affiliate Info: David Wygant Affiliate Program
Viator has set their sights on consolidating the local tour industry. Up till now there has not been a single site that you can go to to quickly find tours at your destination. Whether planning a once in a lifetime holiday or have a weekend to kill on a business trip, Viator is a great resource. They are owned by Tripadvisor (an Expedia company) so you know they have strong backers.
Get Your Guide
Commission Rate: 8%
Commission Rate: 8%Cookie Length: 31 days
Affiliate Info: Get Your Guide Affiliate Page
Getyourguide is based in Berlin. They are not as big as Viator but still a major player.
A nice feature is that the affiliate program also pays commissions on transactions that come from the GetYourGuide app which is a likely way for travelers to be booking while on holiday.
With over 35,000 tours and activities in over 100 countries they likely have a tour for your reader. Why not have a nice comparison article of tours from both Viator and Getyourguide?
9 — White Label Programs
Some of the booking agencies like Kayak and Agoda also have white label offerings.
There are also CPA like networks just for travel.
Travel payouts is both.
Travel Payouts
Commission Rate: varies
Commission Rate: variesCookie Length: varies
Affiliate Info: Travel Payouts Network
Travelpayouts views themselves as a CPA affiliate marketplace for the travel industry. a place where you can find affiliate programs for everything travel related. They exist to service affiliates so if you are looking for a single place to manage a few affiliate programs for your travel blog they are a good option. They have over 60 travel related affiliate offers.
In addition they also have a white label service where you can create widgets and search tools with your branding.
10 — Travel Products … Amazon & Beyond
The nice thing about travel gear and gadgets is that it is an evergreen market with many new and established products to review.
Here are a couple to give you an idea. You can also find travel gadgets and gear at Amazon and affiliate networks like ShareASale and CJ.
Roam Luggage
Commission Rate: 8%
Commission Rate: 8%Cookie Length: 30 days
Affiliate Info: Roam Luggage Affiliate Program
Frequent travelers know the value of quality luggage. Just watch them navigate the x-ray and checkin process with their efficient carry-on and then chuckle at the tourist with the recycled gym bag. Roam Luggage takes it a step further and lets you design your own luggage. You first choose the size luggage you want, then the color of each part (handles, back, front, zippers, etc.). Finally add a monogram and voila … custom luggage.
Sky Roam
Commission Rate: 10%
Commission Rate: 10%Cookie Length: 30 days
Affiliate Info: Skyroam Affiliate Program Page
Nothing is more frustrating than landing in a foreign country and needing to reach your contacts. You run around the airport looking for a sim provider, worry that your phone is not compatible with the local cell service, etc. SkyRoam solves this problem for you. Worldwide connectivity upon arrival. They have 4G coverage in 135 countries.
Skyroam pays affiliates 10% on both rental and purchase of hotspots.
How to Market Dating Affiliate Programs
Affiliate Content Marketing
Reviews, destinations, insurance tips, comparison articles, tips, shopping guides. There are lots of opportunities for travel articles. Best to concentrate on low competition lower volume keywords. A search like “travel insurance” may have 360K+ searches per year but there are over 400K articles already with that phrase in the title. A good signal that this is a very competitive keyword.
Lower Competition Keywords
Look for low competition keywords like the ones below. Consider using a method like the Keyword Golden Ratio to uncover easily ranked keywords. Whatever method you use to the goal is to find content that your new site can rank for and start building authority for travel topics.
If you look at keywords for first class lounges, there are lots of low competition opportunities. A new site can rank for any of these …
Travel tour keywords get a bit more competitive.
Travel insurance head keyword is too hard for a new site. Better to focus on lower competition keywords like those identified below …
You also need to build authority in a topic. To focus just on travel and all of the subtopics would be too broad unless you had a big budget, teams of writers and aggressive backlink outreach.
It is better for your site should be focused on a subtopic or two. The keywords you target should be within your area of authority and expertise to rank well. You can expand into more topics as your site gains authority so be careful to not make your domain name specific to a sub-niche.
User Testimonials & Reviews
People love talking about their travel adventures. Polls, surveys, user favorites are all great material for engaging posts.
Social Media
Social media is perfect for promoting travel blogs. Travel is very visual and people love seeing travel photos. Pinterest and other visual social media outlets work very well. Facebook can be used with retargeting ads. It is usually best to send the ad clicks to your review or other landing page. You generally don’t want to send them directly to the dating site.
Wrapping Up
Travel is an evergreen business with so many corners that there are still lots of untapped niches. At the moment it is a bit more challenging but there are even more armchair travelers in this Covid time.
Travel blogging is a tried and true part of the community and affiliate income can be a good source of extra income.
FAQ
Do travel sites like Expedia pay well?
It is a lower dollar value, high volume market. After-all Expedia, Kayak etc. are only getting a commission then they share that with you.
What travel niches have affiliate programs
You can earn commission throughout the travel industry -- air & hotel bookings, travel insurance, tours, cruises and travel products.
How to market travel affiliate programs?
Content marketing is the typical method. Writing blog articles that review or recommend a product. Email lists, funnels and social media can be used to amplify these posts.