14 best travel affiliate programs //

Finding travel affiliate programs that are profitable can be difficult.

The travel industry is a $7 trillion global industry, and the competition for this niche is fierce.

What is the problem?

It is almost impossible to decide which travel affiliate programs are worth your while. Some travel affiliate programs offer commissions up to 80% while others are almost non-existent.

Some platforms even claim to have the highest conversion rate. They’re not telling the truth.

This post will reveal some of the truths about these programs.

I’ve put the best travel affiliates programs under the microscope. I will be looking at key factors such as:

What is the result?

Here is a list of 14 top travel affiliate programs to help you increase your income. Also included is some advice on How to market your links, and how to select the best travel affiliated program.

Let’s get started.

The Top Travel Affiliate Programs

The global tourism industry has no doubt exploded. It accounts for 7.6 per cent in the global GDP. Affiliate programs are an excellent way to earn a piece of that pie. It can take a lot of time and effort to sift through and evaluate the various travel-related programs.

Don’t worry. You’re in good hands.

To help you select the best program, I have listed and broken down 14 programs that are available – from car rental services to luxury travel affiliate programs.

  1. Expedia Group
  2. Booking.com
  3. Tripadvisor
  4. Viator
  5. G Adventures
  6. Agoda
  7. GetYourGuide
  8. Discover Cars
  9. Klook
  10. Hostelworld
  11. Skyscanner
  12. Travelpayouts
  13. KAYAK
  14. World Nomads

1. Expedia Group Affiliate Program

Expedia is a name that you are likely to recognize, even if you don’t work in the travel industry. Expedia is the largest travel brand in the world. Expedia offers access to more than 3 million properties and 500 airlines. It also provides 1000s of car rental options, as well as 220k different activities.

The high conversion rate is also a favorite of mine, thanks to the brand’s popularity.

You can also be a part.

The sign-up process was very simple. Signing up for the affiliate program will give you access to the platform and marketing tools. These include:

You can earn commissions for each qualifying booking that is made by driving traffic to Expedia Group from your website or social media platforms.

Expedia may not offer the lowest commission rates, but it is a brand that can be trusted.

2. Book.com Affiliate Program

Booking.com is the one-stop shop of most people for everything travel. Booking.com is not only used to book accommodation but also for flights, car rentals, airport taxis, and attractions.

Booking.com has more than 28,000,000 accommodation listings in 60,000 different locations. It’s no wonder that Booking.com is so popular.

Booking.com is also one of the top travel affiliate programs.

The affiliate program of this company is primarily geared towards bloggers and travel influencers. Anyone with a site can earn extra money by using their affiliate links.

Booking.com pays up to 40% for confirmed bookings, depending on the number of referrals per month.

This commission structure is a little confusing. Here is a breakdown.

Monthly stay bookings You will receive a payment from the total Booking.com commission
0-50 25%
51-150 30%
151-500 35%
The 501th or More 40%

You don’t earn 25% of the booking fees. You’ll earn 25% of Booking.com commission on the booking fees.

Say someone booked a $200 hotel room via your Booking.com links. Booking.com takes 20% of the total booking price, which is $40. Then you’ll get 25% of the $40, which is a good $10.

It’s a good sign if you get at least a few bookings per month.

This is not a random number – it is what actually happened to me. That is why I give this program such high marks.

Affiliate marketers can also access promotional tools such as:

Nice!

3. Tripadvisor Affiliate Program

You go to Tripadvisor primarily to read reviews. There’s a reason for the over one billion reviews.

You can use the portal for booking hotels or activities.

The main focus of Tripadvisor’s affiliate program is accommodation. You get 50% of the commission when someone clicks on your affiliate link to visit a hotel website (similarly to how Booking.com’s affiliate program works).

Tripadvisor does not pay a commission for flights, restaurants, or activities.

If you get clicked during incentive campaigns, when Tripadvisor promotes certain products, your commission could be as high at 80%!

No actual booking is required. Yep. You’ll get paid as soon as someone clicks through from your website to Tripadvisor and then to a partner.

Sign up for the Commission Junction affiliate network and search for Tripadvisor. Easy!

4. Viator Affiliate Program

Viator’s Affiliate Program is for anyone who enjoys traveling. This program is designed for anyone who loves to travel, whether they run a travel website, offer travel services or simply enjoy the experience.

This travel affiliate program will pay you 8% on any experience that is booked within 30days of clicking your link.

There are plenty of opportunities to share your experiences.

You can choose from 300,000 different experiences, including day trips, sightseeing tours and multi-day excursions.

Viator offers a wide range of activities across North America. If that’s what you want to do, Viator will be your best choice. The program offers tours around the world, which are geared towards a global audience.

5. G Adventures Affiliate Program

G Adventures is a company that caters to adventurous travelers. It’s a niche that is very profitable (and one of my favorites for adventure travel, because of all the amazing tours offered).

When you consider that G Adventures average order value is $2,600 this 6% commission looks really good.

The adventure travel niche will be worth over $1 trillion by 2026 . Why not take advantage of this niche now?

The majority of people will take time to think about purchasing an adventure tour. Your link may be clicked, they might ponder a little, then decide to book. G Adventures knows its niche and offers a cookie period of 90 days.

G Adventures offers affiliate programs on two networks: Commission Junction and AWIN.

6. Agoda Affiliate Program

Agoda has become a household word when it comes time to find a place to stay. Agoda offers a wide range of accommodations, from family-friendly resorts and romantic hidden gems to massive resorts.

As an affiliate marketer you can earn money while working with a brand that is trusted.

The only way to be eligible for this travel affiliate program is to have a website. No social media postings are allowed. You can earn up 5% of completed bookings when you reach 299 bookings in a month.

Installing free tools has been shown to increase conversions and traffic. These tools include:

Agoda supports 38 languages so that you can reach your audience no matter where they are from.

7. GetYourGuide Affiliate Programme

GetYourGuide curates excursions and activities to users around the globe. Joining their partner program allows you to offer amazing experiences to your audience and earn money for every completed activity and booking.

GetYourGuide has a LOT to offer. Tour categories include:

You’ll receive 8% of the total booking price if any visitors to your website book these activities using your link!

GetYourGuide offers free training to affiliate marketers, as well as a range of tools including widgets, hyperlinks and advice on how to integrate the links into your platforms.

8. Discover Cars Affiliate Programme

It doesn’t get any better than this for transportation affiliate programs.

Discover Cars is one of the most effective affiliate programs I have ever seen for car rental. Why? You can earn “double” commission by using the Full Coverage Service and earning commission on car rentals.

This partnership is also a great deal of fun, thanks to the cookie’s long lifespan. After a year, you’ll still get commissions from a user who visited your website!

Discover Cars takes its affiliate program seriously. Their affiliate program is very serious. They provide their affiliates with a dedicated account manager, who will guide you in how to maximize your profits and give feedback on the links.

Join Discover Cars affiliate program via any of the following affiliate networks.

Please note that Discover Cars offers a 70% commission rate, but the affiliate networks offer a different percentage.

9. Klook Affiliate Program

Klook offers a convenient way to book tickets for tourist attractions and special events.

Sign up for Klook Affiliate Program to earn commissions when you book attractions, shows and tours. You can also earn commissions by booking dining experiences.

Klook has its headquarters in Hong Kong, so a large part of the company’s activities is based on Asian countries. It also increased its focus on the North American and European market a few year ago. With more than 100,000 activities and excursions in destination, you are sure to find something that will appeal to your target audience.

The Klook Kreator program is a separate influencer programme where social media influencers earn passive income via commissions and promo codes.

10. Hostelworld Affiliate Program

Hostelworld offers a huge accommodation and travel platform. Hostelworld focuses on hostels that are affordable, unlike other sites such as Booking.com or Expedia, which offer luxury travel affiliate programs.

Hostelworld users can find more than 13 millions reviews and make bookings for backpackers and hostels across 179 countries.

You can cash that in. Nice!

This is the best affiliate program for your audience if they are interested in budget-friendly accommodations.

While researching, I discovered dozens of links to Hostelworld in many of the most popular travel blogs. This confirms the popularity and success of this market.

11. Skyscanner affiliate program

Skyscanner is visited by more than 100 millions users each month who use it to plan their trip. Skyscanner, a global brand trusted by millions of users, offers a generous commission for each booking made through your link.

You’ll find a product that suits your audience because they have access to over 1,200 suppliers in 180 countries.

Skyscanner Affiliate Program is not open to everyone. You must have a website that is up and running with HTTPS. Also, you need to receive more than 5,000 unique monthly visitors and provide up-to date content.

Skyscanner’s affiliate program can be an excellent choice if you check all the boxes. You will earn up to 20% on any bookings made through your links.

12. Travelpayouts Affiliate program

Travelpayouts differs slightly from the other affiliate travel programs listed on this page.

Why?

Travelpayouts has multiple affiliate programs in the travel industry, instead of just one.

This platform provides access to over 90 travel affiliate programs. Some are exclusive to the affiliate network. This platform is a Cost-per-Action Travel Partnership Platform where you can find some of the most popular travel affiliate programs under one roof. It includes some of the affiliate programs that are already on this list.

If you do not want to sign-up for all of the programs listed, you can check out Travelpayouts and see which companies they work with.

Travelpayouts affiliate marketers do not need to meet any minimum traffic requirements. This means that even complete beginners can start with the program.

13. KAYAK Affiliate Programme

KAYAK does not appear to be an affiliate network at first glance, but it isn’t. KAYAK owns several travel companies, including Momondo Cheapflights and HotelsCombined. When you join KAYAK’s Affiliate Program, you also get access to the brands!

KAYAK is a popular destination for travelers to search for flights, hotels, car rentals and other activities. The US is a huge market for this metasearch engine, with over 6 million searches per year. Wild.

The commissions are different, but you could earn as much as 50% of the revenue generated by bookings, clicks and ads across all their travel products.

14. World Nomads Affiliate Programme

World Nomads, the only travel insurer on my list, is the one that offers arguably the best affiliate program in this niche.

World Nomads ” strive to be part of each adventurous traveler’s journey by offering a variety of travel insurance services“.

Travel insurance isn’t the most exciting affiliate program. When you realize that World Nomads products are sold in more than 100 countries, and you have the opportunity to earn up 10% commission it becomes a much more attractive affiliate program.

Becoming a Travel Partner

You now know the best travel affiliates programs. How can YOU become an affiliate for travel?

Here’s a quick breakdown:

Building Your Site/Audience

It’s time to start if you do not already have a blog or website dedicated to travel. Some of the affiliate travel programs listed above don’t invest in social media influencers. It is therefore best to start a website that has a steady flow of traffic.

It is also important to establish rapport with your target audience. A website cluttered with links will not be trusted by anyone. You should instead offer personalized experiences with up-to date content.

Give your audience travel tips, share your stories and inspire them to follow your advice.

Promoting Travel Offers

Tourist traps are not liked by anyone, not even in person or online.

It’s important to promote your content and unique referral links in a way that makes your readers feel like they are being pushed in the face.

Working with affiliate programs to promote the best deals on your website is an alternative to working directly with brands.

Staying on trend is the best way to achieve this!

Before 2020, almost everyone had an unfulfilled travel bucket list. The Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of China and even a visit to the Eiffel tower are all on the list. Luxury travel is definitely on the rise.

After 2020, there will be an rise in the number of digital nomads as well as sustainable travel.

You’ll need to create content that is competitive to keep up with these trends.

Post ideas for your travel website:

You’ll notice that everyone writes these types of travel posts. Nina Clapperton, She Knows Search Engine says that the secret to travel affiliate marketing lies in “turning your entire website into a funnel”. Don’t begin at the end and guide them to the affiliate link through internal links. Focus on informative posts and your audience’s pain points to build trust.

Maximizing Earnings

Find the balance between those programs with high commissions, and those likely to convert.

If no one in your target audience is interested in the affiliate program, it’s not worth signing up.

It is important to be committed for the long term. Choose a program which will appeal to your target audience and encourage them to convert.

Don’t place all your eggs into one basket. As affiliate programs end (like Airbnb’s program, which will be ending in 2021), it is important to sign up for multiple programs to maximize your earnings.

You can also sign up with an affiliate network like Travelpayouts, ShareASale or ShareASale where you will find dozens and dozens of affiliate marketing travel programs.

What is the Best Travel Affiliate Program?

Not sure what travel affiliate program to join? I’ve got you covered.

Tips for selecting the right program

Have I missed any Travel Affiliate Programs?

Signing up for the best affiliate programs in travel can lead to lucrative side jobs. It’s time to cash in on the booming travel industry.

I’m done.


I would love to hear back from YOU.

What affiliate programs have you signed up for?

What ones have you found successful?

Would you rather have a network of travel affiliates than a single program for your business?

Please let me know what you think by leaving a message below.

The post 14 Best Travel Affiliate Programs first appeared on Backlinko.

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