Because I’m a 6-figure blogger monetized through affiliate income, I understand the potential of these programs. You can make money with affiliate programs by promoting travel-related deals and discounts as a Travel blogger. Create content that showcases your favorite hotels, flights, and destinations, while adding your own creative spin to the stories you post.
By making a promotional link available with every post, you can earn commissions whenever a customer clicks on the link and makes a purchase. Additionally, you can use social media networks to drive more traffic to your posts and increase your chances of earning commissions.
Finally, you can take advantage of different forms of advertising to promote the travel affiliate products or services you are partnering with, such as placing banners on your website or running sponsored Twitter ads.
The Best Travel Affiliate Network
A travel affiliate program changes frequently. They move affiliate networks and change incentives, advertisements, and referral windows. While this comprehensive list of travel affiliate programs will get you started, you’ll want to click through each program to see its most recent offerings, commission rates, and updated agreements.
Here are some top affiliate networks bloggers can join to find excellent travel affiliate programs.
AWIN Affiliate Network
This referral network works with hundreds of affiliate programs in the travel industry, such as Hotel.com and Expedia. They offer great commissions for hotel bookings.
CJ.com
This affiliate network is the home of many travel and hospitality companies, like Priceline and Orbitz. They offer excellent commission rates for flight bookings.
Rakuten
Rakuten has a wide variety of travel merchants that offer commissions for hotel stays, flights, car rental services, and other travel-related services.
FlexOffers
FlexOffers has many travel vendors, such as Expedia and Choice Hotels, offering competitive commission rates for hotel bookings and other services.
ShareASale
ShareASale is home to hundreds of merchants in the travel industry, such as HomeAway Vacation Rentals and Travelocity. They offer competitive commissions for flight bookings and car rentals.
Impact
Impact has affiliate programs in the travel and hospitality industry, such as Hotels.com and Viator. They offer great commission rates for hotel bookings and other travel services.
By joining these top networks, you’ll have access to some of the best travel affiliate programs available today – making it easy to monetize your blog.
By joining one of these networks, you can gain access to various affiliate programs in the travel industry and earn commissions through your blog!
1) Expedia
Expedia has long been one of the best travel affiliate programs. They offer outstanding packages that allow travelers to group purchases for flights, rental cars, hotels, and more, saving people money.
They also are one of the largest affiliate networks in the world. They have more than 500,000 hotels with which they partner across the world. Affiliate programs can recommend them, earning up to 11 percent commission on any sales made through the link.
It is important to note that this is up to 11 percent. The actual percentage earned depends on the type of transaction. Some examples include:
- Basic hotel transactions on Expedia earn a three percent commission
- Vacation packages (either flight with a hotel or flight with a hotel and rental car) of less than three hotel nights earn a three percent commission
- Vacation packages (either flight with a hotel or flight with a hotel and rental car) of three hotel nights or more earn a five percent commission
- Basic rental car transactions on Expedia earn a six percent commission
- Premium hotel transactions on Expedia earn a nine percent commission
- Expedia Premium Plus hotel transactions on Expedia earn an 11 percent commission
Through the Expedia affiliate program, payments are made once per month after the affiliate has made at least $50 during the month in commissions.
This program is great because the Expedia affiliate program provides one of the largest travel inventories in the world.
With more than 500,000 hotels to recommend, combined with more than 400 airlines, the opportunities are too good for visitors to ignore. Expedia offers some of the most competitive affiliate rates.
As one of the most reliable websites, all legitimate sales will be paid out on a regular basis.
Join at CJ.com.
2) Hotels Combined
Hotels Combined is one of the most popular platforms for those looking to shop and save on hotels. Thousands of people around the world use Hotels Combined on a regular basis to book their hotels, helping them save money. In addition, Hotels Combined has one of the best travel affiliate programs for bloggers and influencers.
Those who apply for the Hotels Combined affiliate program can earn between $0.50 and $2.00 for each lead sent to the website. Every visitor who clicks on the referral link will be tracked for up to a year. This means that affiliates can earn massive commissions if they revisit the site throughout the year.
With the Hotels Combined affiliate program, affiliates are paid once per month. Payouts are made once visitors reach the minimum mark of $100. All payments are sent to the registered PayPal account.
Advantages of the Hotels Combined affiliate program include:
• The high average commission rate of $1.00 per lead
• Easy-to-use tracking system that allows affiliates to see their progress and earnings
• Fast payment processing within 30 days of reaching the minimum payment amount
• Great customer service for providing tips on how to maximize earnings
First, Hotels Combined is one of the few affiliate opportunities that allows affiliates to make money over the course of a full year.
Even after a person clicks on the referral link and purchases something, if that same person comes back later in the year, this is another commission.
Hotels Combined is one of the leading hotel comparison sites. This means that affiliates can promote thousands of hotel stays to visitors in destinations that are all over the world.
3) Amazon Associates
Amazon is one of the largest companies in the world, providing online shopping opportunities, streaming services, and more. They ship products all over the world, and travel affiliates must promote Amazon products as well.
While Amazon might not be in the business of flying people to their travel destinations (yet), they do sell tons of products that are directly related to travel. Some items include travel kits, jackets, camping gear, and more.
Travel bloggers are jumping on the Amazon train and promoting this tremendous online platform. While commissions are low, it’s still one of the best affiliate programs based on conversions.
Amazon has one of the largest affiliate programs in the world. More than 1 million affiliate marketers have enlisted their affiliate programs to promote various products through Amazon.
The Amazon associate program pays around four percent commission for most products; however, it does vary from product to product. Some of the affiliate commissions that might be relevant to the travel niche include:
- DVD and Blu-Ray Products and Accessories: 2.5 percent
- Amazon Kindle and Amazon Fire Tablet Devices: 3 percent
- Health and Personal Care Products, including Baby Products: 4.5 percent
- Outdoor Products and Tools: 5.5 percent
- Beauty Products, Industrial Supplies: 6 percent
- Apparel, Luggage, Handbags, Accessories, Amazon Echo products: 7 percent
- Amazon Fashion products, Luxury Beauty products, 10 percent
Everything else that is not listed above receives a standard four percent commission.
All Amazon commission payments are made on a monthly basis. The minimum threshold is $100. Amazon is not as quick to pay as others; however, they are reliable.
If someone makes $200 in the month of February, their payment will arrive sometime in April.
Therefore, there is an almost unlimited upside to joining the Amazon program.
In addition, Amazon provides its affiliates with links and banners that can be used to promote countless travel products.
This can be used to help websites better promote Amazon products. Amazon also tracked these banners, helping people make even more money through the program.
Finally, there is also an Amazon associate support program where affiliates can get help and support with any questions they might have.
4) Booking.com
Booking.com is one of the most popular online platforms for finding and booking accommodations. Millions of people use Booking.com to purchase accommodations, so there is a chance to earn massive commissions.
Furthermore, an affiliate could earn some of the largest commissions in the entire world of affiliate marketing. There is a chance for those who register with the affiliate program to earn up to a 25 percent commission on their purchases.
Furthermore, affiliates earn on each stay that is generated through the program. The longer the person stays (through the partner’s link), the larger the commission. In some cases, the commission could be as much as 40 percent.
Payments through the affiliate program are paid out through a PayPal account. Usually, payments arrive one month after the guest has finished his or her stay, so the payment could be delayed if someone books months in advance; however, there are some important benefits of the affiliate program.
Every day, more than 1 million rooms are booked through Booking.com, meaning there are numerous opportunities for someone to earn a fantastic commission through the affiliate program.
In addition, the company also provides numerous tools that help their affiliates promote various stays and hotels. This includes search boxes, banner ads, plugins, deals finders, and more. This can make it easier for affiliates to promote hotels.
Booking.com is one of the most popular online platforms for finding and booking accommodations. Millions of people use the travel site to purchase accommodations, so there is a chance to earn massive commissions.
Finally, Booking.com also has a customer support team dedicated to its affiliates. This can help affiliates with anything they need regarding the affiliate program, from payouts to commissions and more.
5) Cruise Direct
Cruises are one of the most popular luxury vacations out there, and Cruise Direct is one of the fastest-growing platforms.
They provide cruise vacations, travel bookings, and more. They also have a strong affiliate program that allows affiliates to earn thousands of dollars.
With the Cruise Direct affiliate program, there is a three percent commission on sales made through the Cruise Direct website. In addition, Cruise Direct also has a cookie window duration of 45 hours.
This means that if someone clicks the tracking link but leaves the website with the intention of coming back later, a commission is still paid if a booking is made within 45 hours of the person clicking on the link.
Commissions paid by Cruise Direct arrive on a monthly basis. A threshold of $25 is required for someone to get paid out. If someone makes $100 in the month of January, the payment usually arrives by the month of March.
There are a few major benefits of joining the Cruise Direct affiliate program. First, Cruise Direct is known for sending deals and bonuses to its affiliates. They are announced in a newsletter that arrives every week.
This helps affiliates figure out which products and deals to market during that time period. This newsletter is an important tool because it could help travelers save money on their vacations, allowing affiliates to increase their referrals and make more money.
Furthermore, Cruise Direct also provides its affiliates with a number of marketing tools that help them increase their referrals.
This includes text ads, search boxes, banner ads, and more. This can help affiliates increase their conversion rates with Cruise Direct.
Like other affiliate programs, Cruise Direct also has a reliable support center. Their support system can help affiliates place ads, promote deals, understand discounts, and increase conversion rates.
These benefits have made the Cruise Direct affiliate program one of the world’s best travel affiliate programs.
Apply with CJ Affiliate.
6) Agoda
When it comes to travel communities, Agoda is at the top of the list. Millions of people use this website on a daily basis to locate accommodations, including hotels, resorts, and more.
People trust Agoda to find the best prices on their next vacation. In addition, Agoda also provides a strong affiliate program.
As Agoda affiliates, marketers can earn a five percent commission for each affiliate referral transaction. For example, a hotel booking of $400 will earn $20 in commissions as an affiliate.
Through the Agoda affiliate program, partners will earn commissions every month. For example, if an affiliate has a customer book using their link in February, the commission will arrive during April. Commissions are sent to a PayPal account. The minimum commission payment total to receive a payout is $200.
Like other programs, if the commission balance is less than $200, the amount is carried forward to the next month. It doesn’t just disappear!
Agoda should be on the list of travel affiliates because it is one of the largest travel communities in the world. Agoda has partnered with more than 900,000 properties worldwide.
This means countless opportunities for affiliates to find and promote stays at certain properties. This will provide the blog with numerous links that visitors can use to book their next vacation.
Furthermore, Agoda also provides its affiliates access to numerous hotels and their data to target commissions strategically. Finally, Agoda has text links, customized tools, and unique ads that can increase affiliate commissions.
Like other programs, Agoda also has a dedicated support team that helps affiliates with any issues. Agoda is one of the top affiliate travel programs.
7) TripAdvisor
Trip Advisor is one of the oldest websites in the world of travel. This website provides lists, rankings, and reviews of nearly every travel destination. This includes restaurants, hotels, destinations, and more. Millions of people use Trip Advisor to help them plan their trips and vacations.
The Tripadvisor affiliate program is one of the best travel affiliate programs for bloggers.
Through the Trip Advisor affiliate program, it is possible to earn as much as an 80 percent affiliate commission through this program. The affiliate could make more money than Trip Advisor on a sale.
Furthermore, the standard commission through Trip Advisor is 50 percent. It doesn’t get much better than this! The exact commission received depends on the product type and the transaction’s value.
It is one of the most popular programs among bloggers, and the amount of money an affiliate could make through this Trip Advisor program is tremendous.
Trip Advisor disburses its commissions on a monthly basis. This means that if commissions are earned during the month of February, they will arrive sometime in April.
There are numerous benefits to joining the Trip Advisor affiliate program. First, Trip Advisor is an international program.
This means that this platform has a global reach. Even those who reside outside of the United States can join the Trip Advisor program and start promoting some of their top destinations.
In addition, Trip Advisor has one of the widest linking systems in the world.
This makes it easy for affiliates to find useful affiliate travel products that can boost commissions. Furthermore, there are many textual ads, banners, and more that affiliates can use to increase their exposure to visitors.
Finally, Trip Advisor has a support team dedicated to its affiliates’ needs. This covers commissions, bookings, deals, and more.
The Trip Advisor affiliate marketing program is one of the best travel affiliate programs for bloggers in travel blogging.
8) STA
STA is one of the largest travel agencies in the world. While they are mainly geared toward student and youth travel programs, they offer great deals to virtually anyone visiting the site.
They are known for providing great tours, cheap flights, Spring Break trips, and more. In addition, STA has one of the strongest affiliate programs as well!
STA pays great commissions on flights and tours. Their commission program provides a 10 percent commission on tours, SIM cards, ISIC cards, and other products. Affiliates also make $4 on every flight booked using the affiliate’s link.
Like other programs, payouts through the STA affiliate program are made on a monthly basis to a PayPal account. Transactions that take place in the month of January are paid during the month of March.
There are several benefits that people should note about the STA affiliate program. First, STA is a website that targets youth and student travel programs and packages. Unlike other travel websites, which focus on everyone, STA has a smaller target audience.
This means that bloggers who like to promote trips for kids and students can achieve a higher conversion rate, given the focus of STA.
In addition, this is still one of the most popular travel websites in the world. There are millions of people who view STA on a monthly basis, making STA a popular option for travelers.
Finally, anyone with questions or concerns about the STA affiliate program has a dedicated support team to help them answer their questions. This includes bookings, youth travel, discounts or deals, and more.
The STA affiliate program is one of the best affiliate programs for those who blog on travel and vacation destinations, particularly as they pertain to youth or student trips.
Apply at CJ Affiliate.
9) Wego
Wego is based out of Singapore; however, it operates in more than 50 countries and provides information in more than 20 languages. Furthermore, Wego publishes real-time results from more than 700 travel websites.
This website allows users to shop for flights and hotels worldwide in one convenient place. Wego also has a strong affiliate program designed for bloggers wanting to promote travel affiliate programs.
Those who want to make money by promoting travel products on Wego should look at their affiliate program. Wego pays affiliate marketers based on clicks. In essence, this is a commission-per-click (CPC) type of model.
This works great for anyone looking for an affiliate program based on clicks instead of transactions. Those who join the Wego affiliate program can make anywhere from $0.05 and $0.40 per click related to a flight exit and $0.20 and $0.80 per click related to a hotel exit.
Wego also tends to pay a bit quicker than other affiliate programs. Money that is made during the month of January will get paid out between the 15th and the 20th of month of February. The minimum to get paid out via PayPal is $100 in the previous month.
Those who prefer to have money wired directly to a bank account must reach a minimum threshold of $500. Of course, if these thresholds aren’t met, the money carries over to the next month.
There are several benefits of joining the affiliate program with Wego. First, their affiliate program is exclusive to the travel niche and provides a different model through which marketers can earn money.
This is a great way for bloggers to diversify their portfolio of affiliate programs. In addition, Wego also provides a wide range of products that affiliates can market. This means that affiliates can use a deep pool of links throughout their travel blogs.
Finally, the affiliate program with Wego also has a strong support team that exclusively helps its affiliates with any concerns. The Wego affiliate program is a great opportunity for bloggers to make money uniquely.
10) Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is one of the largest book publishers in the travel industry. The company has sold more than 120 million books since its founding in 1972.
Lonely Planet is trusted by people worldwide and has published guides related to the top destinations on every continent. In addition, Lonely Planet also has a strong affiliate program.
In addition to publishing books, Lonely Planet allows people to plan their trips with hotels, flights, advice, and more. Lonely Planet’s affiliates promote its books, guides, and more.
Therefore, they pay a hefty commission to affiliates who successfully refer people to their website and complete a purchase.
Through the Lonely Planet affiliate program, affiliates will earn a 15 percent commission on all digital and print book purchases made using the affiliate’s link.
In addition, affiliates will earn a 12 percent commission on any travel guides sold using the blogger’s link.
Like other programs, the Lonely Planet affiliate program pays out monthly to a designated PayPal account. Money that is made during the month of January will usually be paid out sometime in March.
Lonely Planet also provides numerous ads that affiliates can place on their blogs and articles to increase their conversion rates. They provide dynamic banner ads that can promote everything from magazines to travel guides and eBooks. Furthermore, Lonely Planet also has a cookie bonus.
If a customer visits the Lonely Planet website after clicking on a promotional link but doesn’t buy anything, the customer has up to 30 days to return to Lonely Planet and buy something for the link to be valid.
This extensive window increases the opportunity for affiliates to make money.
Finally, Lonely Planet also has a strong customer support team that helps its affiliates with questions related to deals, discounts, payouts, and more. These benefits make the Lonely Planet affiliate program a strong option for travel bloggers everywhere.
Apply at AWIN.
11) Viator
Viator is a leading travel platform that provides travelers with experiences such as sightseeing tours, activities, and more. Viator covers over 1,500 destinations all around the world.
Through its affiliate program, affiliates can promote Viator’s products to their audience. The program pays out commissions on every booking made through its affiliate link.
The affiliate program provided by Viator pays up to 8 percent commission on all qualified bookings made through the link. This is higher than other programs, which can pay anywhere from 1-5%.
The payment schedule for Viator’s affiliates is quite flexible, and they pay out every month. Affiliates can also choose between PayPal, check, and direct deposit payments.
It is important to note that Viator has a specific link for affiliates to use to be eligible for the commission. This means that the affiliate must include the tracking code and URL provided by Viator.
In addition, Viator has a variety of different types of links that affiliates can use to increase their conversions. For example, they have links for specific destinations or activities, such as hiking tours and cooking classes.
Finally, Viator also provides its affiliates with banners, text ads, and other promotional materials to help them earn more money. With its higher commission rate and flexible payment schedule, the Viator affiliate program is a great option!
12) Hotels.com
- CJ.com Affiliate Network
- 4% Commission
- Cash Back Coupons
- Weekly Newsletters
- Datafeed
- Marketing Assets
- Deep Linking
- Bonus Opportunities
- 7-day referral window
The Hotels.com affiliate program is a great way for bloggers in the travel niche to earn additional income. Through the program, affiliates can earn up to 4% commission on all qualified bookings made through their website or blog.
To join the Hotels.com affiliate program, you need to sign up with CJ Affiliate Network, which connects publishers with brands to help them increase their sales.
Once approved as an affiliate, Hotels.com provides you with cashback coupons and weekly newsletters to keep you up-to-date on any offers or deals they have.
Furthermore, they also provide data feeds and marketing assets such as banners, text links, and more to help you generate higher conversions.
Hotels.com also has a deep linking feature that allows affiliates to link directly to the specific page on the Hotels.com website that they want their visitors to see. This helps increase the chance of conversion and makes it easier for visitors to navigate the Hotels.com website.
Finally, Hotels.com also offers bonus opportunities for its affiliates and a 7-day referral window. Any purchases the customer makes within this window will count as a sale for the affiliate and earn them a commission!
With its generous commission rate and flexible payment schedule, the Hotels.com affiliate program is a great option for travel influencers.
Apply at CJ.com
Increasing Affiliate Commission with Link Disclosures
Now that many top affiliate programs have been covered, it is time to discuss increasing conversion rates. One of the most important practices is always to use affiliate link disclosures.
Bloggers need to build trust among readers and visitors. This is done using a link disclosure. Readers who trust the author are more likely to use the link. They may even want to help the author by using the link specifically.
In addition, try not to use too many affiliate links on a single page, as this can look spammy.
These are some of the top affiliate programs in the travel industry. Bloggers looking to generate passive income should consider signing up for these affiliate programs.
You can make thousands of dollars in commissions from a single link with an affiliate link on your website.
13) Marriott Bonvoy
The Marriott Bonvoy affiliate program is a great opportunity for bloggers in the travel niche to earn commissions on completed hotel stays. With 7,000+ hotels in 131 countries and 30 brands, Marriott International has one of the world’s most diverse and comprehensive collections of hotels and experiences.
Through this affiliate program, affiliates can access all the latest banners, text links, and product catalogs with deep links to any city or hotel. Affiliates also benefit from a 7-day action referral period, fresh & compelling offers, an affiliate newsletter, and Marriott’s Look No Further Best Rate Guarantee.
Furthermore, affiliates have access to a dedicated team of online specialists who can assist with any questions the affiliates have.
14) Hilton Honors Affiliate Program
The Hilton Honors Affiliate Program is a great opportunity for travel bloggers to earn additional revenue through commissions on completed hotel stays.
The program allows affiliates to access all the latest banners, text links, and product catalogs with deep links to any city or hotel, with a base commission of 4%. With 775,000 rooms spanning 104 countries and territories, affiliates can promote a wide array of Hilton Worldwide hotels.
An optimized data feed and a dedicated account management team are just a few benefits of joining this program.
Apply at AWIN
15) Nomad Insurance
The Insured Nomads affiliate program is an excellent opportunity for travel publishers looking to offer their readers protection and well-being while on the road. As a partner, you will be able to protect your community from unexpected bills that may result from medical or other emergency scenarios while abroad.
With a generous affiliate commission of 10% and a 60-day referral window, you can monetize your blog while simultaneously providing a valuable service to your readers.
The API widget allows you to embed insurance into its service, while the customized marketing plan lets you get the most out of your relationship.
Travel Insurance programs are a great way to offer your readers peace of mind when they travel and the Nomad Insurance affiliate program is an easy way to monetize your blog.
FAQ
What are the most popular luxury affiliate travel programs for bloggers?
The most popular luxury affiliate programs for travel bloggers are those offered by high-end hotels and resorts. Popular programs include the Marriott Bonvoy Affiliate Program, Hilton Honors Affiliate Program, and World of Hyatt.
Other popular programs include the Starwood Preferred Guest, InterContinental Hotels Group, and Radisson Rewards. Many of these programs offer generous commissions and rewards on bookings as well as access to exclusive deals and discounts that make it easy to maximize earnings. Additionally, many luxury brands have their own affiliate program, allowing travel sites to promote their products directly from the company’s website or app.
What’s the Difference between Affiliate Programs and Referral Programs?
Affiliate and referral programs both earn commissions on sales or leads generated. The main difference between the two is that in an affiliate program, you get paid when the sale has been completed, whereas, in a referral program, you often get paid in credits or rewards other than cash. Some brands call their programs referral programs and still pay cash.
What Should I Look for in an Affiliate Travel Program?
When looking for an affiliate travel program, it is important to consider the commission rates, cookie life duration, and other benefits such as real-time tracking. It is also important to look for programs with an easy setup process, good customer service, and various promotional tools available.
