Imagine waking up somewhere on the beaches in the Caribbean islands. Your vacation is more like a long-term getaway as you write up another post about your travels. This freedom of work and play is no longer something that is only available through retirement; it is the real life of a travel blogger. In this age of resistance and resilience, the lifestyle of a digital nomad is more attainable than ever. This type of work takes a lot of time, hard work and dedication but like most things that do, the pay off is delicious and 2019 is the year to go for it. Travel blogging is a nomadic and profitable niche, offering a wide range of ways to make money such as working with travel and tourism companies and also working with travel affiliate programs.

Monetizing through affiliate programs is an essential and accessible method of earning while you are traveling and sharing that experience with an interested audience. Affiliate programs involve a form of performance-based marketing system where brand or business pays one or more affiliates for each visitor or customer brought by the affiliates’ own marketing. Typically, the more traffic the affiliate brings toward the webpage of the business, the more money they can make and the more affiliate programs offered to them.

But with many affiliate programs out there—how do you know which ones to go for? The answer is never simple, even if the content of your writing is focused on travel it depends on the angle you go for, your audience, your goals and many other factors that make your content unique. Take a deep breath, I am here to simplify. Here are 10 different travel affiliate programs to help you make money in 2019.

Before we get started, we want you to give our Facebook page a quick like and be sure to follow us on Instagram for some amazing inspiration. We also do use Affiliate links in some of our posts meaning we could make a commission if you purchase from links. Trip Advisor is also one of our Affiliate partners that we link too.

Bookings.com

Bookings.com is a popular website amongst those with an affinity for travel. Having over 2,085,167 properties—it is one of the largest accommodations in the industry. For you as a blogger, it provides an easy and simple system with an easy to use affiliate program. Everything is simplified from sign up which is done on their affiliate page and payment which is done through PayPal.

Their affiliate program has a—“the more you book, the more you make” policy, where they value loyalty and consistency. Currently, they have over 12,500 affiliates as they offer customizable and flexible products. They also have an easy to reach support team that is there to answer your questions as they come. As an added bonus, if you are using WordPress there are step-by-step instructions on how to link a Booking.com official plug-in to your webpage.

In summary:

• Popular webpage for travelers
• Free, easy and simple sign up process
• Payout starts at $100 and delivered through PayPal
• WordPress plug-in readily available

Trip Advisor

Trip Advisor has a travel community like no other, it’s one of the largest and most popular on the web. Their affiliate program aims to enhance your own content and they provide users with access to 600+ million reviews along with 500,000 city and hotel pages.

Working with them, you can expect multiple incentive programs, 50% commission and continuous addition of products and promotions. Their team evokes trust, dedication, and experience. They also provide text-links, banners, and content widgets that can be added to your webpage along with an opportunity to monitor your earnings. Their commission cheques are sent out monthly and real-time reporting is always available.

In summary:

• Large and popular online travel community
• Multiple incentives added consistently
• 500,000 city and hotel pages available to link
• Offer sign-up through CJ Affiliate
• 24/7 reporting and monthly payments

Amazon Associates

Amazon is the ultimate online tool for all things a to z! Shoppers can find almost anything there, the shipping is quick and reliable and as a blogger; it allows you to have tons and tons of opportunities for affiliate links. It is easy, free and quick to join and there are over 1 million products to advertise at your hands. Their affiliate program provides easy to use linking tools with competitive conversion rates. They also offer up to 10% in advertising fees and the opportunity to earn commission on any product purchased after following your link rather than just the product you’ve linked that led them to the Amazon website.

In summary:

• Widely used website with over 1 million products available
• Easy to sign up and use
• Competitive conversion rates
• 10% in advertising fees offered
• Commission earned on any product purchased after clicking link

Cruise Direct

Cruise Direct considers itself to be one of the fastest growing segments on the web and if you’re looking to write about cruises, it should be your number one go-to. The process of joining is very much simplified and commissions are offered for every purchase on their website generated from your site. They also offer 3% of gross sales and a 45-day tracking cookie in which you earn credits for booking up too 1 1/12 months after a customer visits. Their affiliate program also offers communication updates as they provide weekly newsletters that include bonus commissions. They are consistently updating and growing, and their affiliate program will continue to improve.

In summary:

• Fast growing cruise booking website
• 3% gross sales and 45day tracking cookie
• Weekly Newsletters for affiliates
• Incentives and Promotions
• Continuously growing platform

Sandals Resorts

Across the Caribbean resort world, Sandals is recognized as a well-known name and a go-to vacation spot for the average traveler. They offer a unique travel experience and high-quality, luxurious resorts—they also offer a unique affiliate program.

Their sign-up is done through CJ affiliates and once you’ve gotten started, you earn 4% commission on bookings. Because Sandals provide luxury hotels and well-known service a typical stay can range up to $2,000; earning you big commissions per stay. They also offer multiple luxurious affiliate incentives (include free stays!), a 60-day cookies program and monthly payments.

In summary:

• Widely known and popular name amongst Caribbean cruise world
• Luxurious trips that can range up to $2,000 (which you earn a 4% commission on if they have been made with your affiliate link)
• Luxurious affiliate incentives such as free stays
• 60-day cookies program

Airbnb

Airbnb’s affiliate program model is centered around growing together—an idea of community that is reflective of their brand identity. Their program is designed to help you earn commissions while also providing more options to your users. The website offers an opportunity for the unique and adventurers traveler. With over 4 million homes in 191 countries and 100,000 places available to book daily!

The sign-up process with Airbnb’s affiliate program is simple, once qualified you can participate in their ‘Guest affiliate program’ or ‘Host affiliate program’. The Guest affiliate program gives you access to link any listing from Airbnb onto your own site. Commissions can be earned with every booking led from your blog. Host affiliate program, on the other hand, is made to help your users gain extra income as Airbnb hosts. Hosting opportunities will be featured on your site and you will earn commission for each new hosts you generate.

In summary:

• Concept centered around mutually beneficial growth
• Relevant and widely used webpage
• Two unique affiliate programs that offer profit for you and your user
• Commissions earned per success

Skyscanner

Skyscanner is all about partnership; they are focused on the idea of joining together the travel internet community. Their website acts as something beyond a search engine as they provide world-class travel search technology. They provide instant comparisons for flights, car hire, and hotels.

As an affiliate, you’re offered 50% revenue share under their flights and car hire program and they offer high conversions. Since they have a range of products, you can find multiple things to link your users to in order to generate income.

They offer payment through OTA and airlines, the user from your site is redirected to theirs, 50% of that generated revenue is shared with you! Quick note that their details do slightly change from country to country so it is worth reading offer before you sign up.

In summary:

• Leading search engine for all things and comparisons related to travel
• Hassle free sign-up
• 50% commissions offered
• High conversion rate

Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet is the ultimate travel guidebook! They provide a traveler centered space dedicated to informing, inspiring and providing an abundance of useful data and information for users. They are unique in many ways but especially their choice to provide content through multiple mediums; mobile, print and online. They believe that travel is a force of good, especially when done so responsibility and beautifully.

Through their affiliate program, Lonely Planet offers commissions above the industry average. Commissions are made through every shop sale that your site makes, plus competitive rates on qualified leads. Commissions can be earned through different methods:

1. Every time your users purchase a print travel guide or Ebook
2. Transactions and leads generated through your site to theirs (a fixed percentage for every sale is then paid to you based on the value you’ve made)

Their program allows you to track your sales in real time, get access to Lonely Planet products and promotional tools, and monthly incentives for shoppers. It’s also very easy to get started and they are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associate program making them already familiar which a commonly used affiliate website.

In summary:

• Ultimate travel guidebook; online, digital and print
• Above industry average commission opportunities
• Commissions earned per purchases and transactions
• Simple to sign-up and get started

Hotels Combined

Hotels Combined summarizes its affiliate program with one phrase: “you bring the traffic, we bring the magic.” They provide users to a metasearch engine available in over 42 languages, 130 different currencies and more than 2 million deals on travels and hotels. It’s the ultimate tool for the informed and planning traveler! Their signup is free and it involves simple steps after clicking their “join now” button.

They offer a win-win style commission program; the more traffic you generate to their website, the more you make in commissions. Their structure is based on accommodation, full customization, and focusing on more than just the clicks. Their entire process is very user-friendly and they provide you with the tools necessary to start earning commissions and generating income. They believe your traffic plus their technology equals a mutually beneficial relationship!

In summary:

• Metasearch engine with millions of resources on hotels and travel
• Win-win style commission program
• More traffic you generate more income you generate

Agoda Travel

Agoda is a hotel booking service owned by Booking Holdings. They guarantee the lowest prices on hotels, resorts, hostels, homes and much more travel needs worldwide. They are the world leaders in budget-friendly online travel and vacation related services. Agoda’s affiliate program provides easy integration along with a multilingual platform and total support. With their system, the more completed bookings made through your links, the more you make each month. As a result, you earn more as you grow, allowing you to strive for a goal and continue to generate more earnings.

You receive your payment through Direct Bank Transfer, avoiding the PayPal middleman, as each commission payment is calculated at the beginning of the month. The sign up involves a free and simple sign up button along with a registration form. After this, you have access to over 925,000 properties worldwide available to offer through affiliate links; the next step is getting started.

In summary:

• World leaders in online travel and vacation related services
• Direct Bank Transfer; avoiding middlemen
• Free and simple sign up
• Generate more clicks and earn more commissions

Overall, whichever affiliate programs you end up going with, remember that everything has something different to offer. Take the time to try out different ones and figure out which ones work for you. These 10 affiliate programs are a great way to get started; they all offer unique experiences. Check them out and keep on writing, you’ve got this.