Last updated on March 9, 2021
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Travel blogging and vlogging offer plenty of marketing and sales opportunities because there is so much to cover. I know this to be true since I’ve traveled to 20+ countries. A travel content creator can discuss his experiences, tips, hacks, things to do, places to visit, dining, nightlife, tours, reviews, travel reward cards, money matters, what to avoid, and more.
Millions of people travel annually for pleasure and business. That makes the trillion-dollar travel and tourism industry an essential part of getting from one place to the next. On the flip side, sales margins tend to be small, negatively impacting what advertisers can pay affiliates. Therefore, commission rates tend to be in the low single to double digits. Cookie durations might also fall short of the industry standard of 30 days.
You can still make a robust income as a travel blogger by sprinkling in affiliate programs from other categories and niches. Case in point, you can create a tools and resources page to highlight your website host, marketing apps, and other useful products.
Best Travel Affiliate Programs
Let’s review the best travel affiliate programs in 2021. Most travel merchants use affiliate networks. Impact and CJ Affiliate offer robust selections of advertisers in various travel niches. By contrast, ShareASale and Rakuten Advertising have fewer programs and well-known brands. FlexOffers has a decent selection of companies, but their payout terms aren’t as advantageous as other networks. The Travelpayouts affiliate network features travel and tourism companies exclusively.
Standard travel categories include accessories, accommodations, airfare, attractions, car rentals, cruises, flights, hotels, insurance, luggage, parking, sightseeing, tours, transportation, and vacations. You won’t find many pay-per-lead affiliate programs in the travel sector since most merchants only pay for sales, i.e., cost per sale (CPS).
Airfares & Flights
1. Booking
Booking.com is a travel fare aggregator website and travel metasearch engine for lodging reservations. Learn more and join the Booking affiliate program.
- Commission rate: 4%
- Cookie duration: Session-based
- Affiliate software/network: In-house and CJ Affiliate
2. Expedia
Expedia offers great deals on air, hotel, vacation packages, cruise, car rentals, and in-destination services. Learn more and join the Expedia affiliate program.
- Commission rate: 6%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Affiliate software/network: CJ Affiliate
3. Momondo
Momondo is a travel search engine and comparison site for flights, hotels, and car rentals. It reaches travelers in 35 markets worldwide. Learn more and join the Momondo affiliate program.
- Commission rate: Up to $0.55
- Cookie duration: Session-based
- Affiliate software/network: CJ Affiliate
4. Orbitz
Orbitz offers everything from flights to hotels and car rentals to cruises and travel insurance to services-from suppliers worldwide. Learn more and join the Orbitz affiliate program.
- Commission rate: Up to 5%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Affiliate software/network: CJ Affiliate
5. Priceline
Priceline offers discounts on hotels, flights, alternative accommodations, rental cars, cruises, and bundled trips. Learn more and join the Priceline affiliate program.
- Commission rate: 3%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Affiliate software/network: CJ Affiliate
6. Skyscanner
Skyscanner is a leading global travel search site providing instant online comparisons for flights, car hire, and hotels. Learn more and join the Skyscanner affiliate program.
- Commission rate: Up to 50%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Affiliate software/network: CJ Affiliate
Car Rentals
7. Myrentacar
Myrentacar is an aggregator of car rental companies for Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Montenegro, Thailand, and seven other countries. It works with local car suppliers to offer unique selections. Learn more and join the Myrentacar affiliate program.
- Commission rate: Up to 50%
- Cookie duration: Up to 60 days
- Affiliate software/network: In-house
8. Discover Cars
Discover Cars makes renting a car easy by connecting customers globally with rental cars at affordable prices. Learn more and join the Discover Cars affiliate program.
- Commission rate: 40%
- Cookie duration: 365 days
- Affiliate software/network: ShareASale
9. RentalCars.com
RentalCars.com is the world’s largest platform for making online car rental reservations. Learn more and join the RentalCars affiliate program.
- Commission rate: Up to 6%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Affiliate software/network: CJ Affiliate
Note: Alamo, Avis, Budget, National, and Thrifty have affiliate programs that pay up to 4 percent.
Cruises
10. Princess Cruises
Princess gives you the chance to be in awe of the world again. Take a cruise vacation to the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, and returned refreshed. Learn more and join the Princess Cruises affiliate program.
- Commission rate: 4%
- Cookie duration: 60 days
- Affiliate software/network: Awin
11. Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean International is a leading cruise holiday company with 22 ships, sailing to over 240 ports worldwide. Learn more and join the Royal Caribbean affiliate program.
- Commission rate: 4%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Affiliate software/network: TradeDoubler
Hotels & Motels
12. Agoda
Agoda is one of the fastest-growing online hotel booking platforms worldwide, listing hundreds of thousands of hotels. Learn more and join the Agoda affiliate program.
- Commission rate: Up to 7%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Affiliate software/network: ShareASale and in-house
13. Best Western
Best Western operates hotels in 95 countries, with each keeping an individual charm and local appeal. Learn more and join the Best Western affiliate program.
- Commission rate: 3%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Affiliate software/network: CJ Affiliate
14. Hotels.com
Hotels.com offers more than 1,000,000 properties in 200 countries, from hotels and B&Bs to condos and all-inclusive resorts. Learn about the Hotels.com affiliate program.
- Commission rate: Up to 4%
- Cookie duration: 7 days
- Affiliate software/network: CJ Affiliate
15. Motel 6 & Studio 6
Motel 6 offers fantastic room rates at more than 1,100 locations throughout the United States and Canada. Learn more and join the Motel 6 affiliate program.
- Commission rate: Up to 6%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Affiliate software/network: CJ Affiliate
Touring & Sightseeing
16. GetYourGuide
GetYourGuide enables travelers to find, compare, and book sightseeing tours, attractions, excursions, things to do, and fun activities from around the world. Learn more and join the GetYourGuide affiliate program.
- Commission rate: 8%
- Cookie duration: 31 days
- Affiliate software/network: In-house
17. Contiki
Contiki provides tours for 18-35s. It offers a mix of sightseeing and culture in over 40 countries across six continents. Learn more and join the Contiki affiliate program.
- Commission rate: 5%
- Cookie duration: 45 days
- Affiliate software/network: CJ Affiliate
Travel Affiliate Networks
18. Travelpayouts
Travelpayouts is the largest travel affiliate network. Affiliates can join various travel-related affiliate programs, such as Booking.com, GetYourGuide, Discover Cars, and more. With Travelpayouts, you can manage all your programs from a single dashboard and streamline commission payments. Learn more and join the Travelpayouts network.
- Commission rate: Up to 50%
- Cookie duration: Avg of 30 days
- Programs in the network: 80+
Other Travel Affiliate Programs
19. SafetyWing
SafetyWing is building the first global safety net for remote companies, online freelancers, entrepreneurs, and digital nomads. It offers travel and comprehensive health insurance at affordable prices. Learn more and join the SafetyWing affiliate programs (Nomad Insurance and Remote Health).
- Commission rate: Up to 20%
- Cookie duration: 364 days
- Affiliate software/network: In-house
20. Getaway
Getaway is a travel company centered around providing vacations for people to escape the hustle and bustle of life. Learn more and join the Getaway affiliate program.
- Commission rate: 7%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Affiliate software/network: CJ Affiliate
21. Groupon
Groupon features daily deals on the best stuff to do, see, eat, and buy in various cities across the United States and the world. Learn more and join the Groupon affiliate program.
- Commission rate: Up to 10%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Affiliate software/network: In-house
22. SeaWorld
SeaWorld is a leading theme park and entertainment company providing experiences that matter and inspire. Learn more and join the SeaWorld affiliate program.
- Commission rate: 4%
- Cookie duration: One day
- Affiliate software/network: CJ Affiliate
23. TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor is a leader in user-generated content, reviews, price comparisons, and offers. Learn more and join the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
- Commission rate: 50%
- Cookie duration: 14 days
- Affiliate software/network: Awin and CJ Affiliate
24. VBRO
VRBO is an online marketplace for vacation rentals with over 1 million properties in 190 countries. Learn more and join the VBRO affiliate program.
- Commission rate: $20
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Affiliate software/network: CJ Affiliate
25. Walt Disney
Walt Disney World is a dream holiday destination for all ages, including families as well as adults. Learn more and join the Walt Disney affiliate program.
- Commission rate: 3%
- Cookie duration: 30 days
- Affiliate software/network: CJ Affiliate
Your Next Move
From luxury to adventure niches, there are easily over 600 travel affiliate programs to join. I’ve done my best to provide you with the top ones based on their earnings per click (EPC) and website rankings. I recommend sifting through what’s available and promoting the companies and products/services you frequently use. In my case, that would be Priceline and LATAM Airlines. You can promote these companies on your blog, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
You can also promote goods in related categories, including books, magazines, courses, dating, relationships, entertainment, food, health, wellness, lifestyle, and personal finance. For instance, a post entitled, How to Send Money to Your Family While Traveling, could include an affiliate link to Wise. Wise helps people hold, save, transfer, and spend currencies at interbank exchange rates and low fees.
