Our Top 3 Airline Affiliate Program Picks:
Travel Payouts
1-5% Per Sign-up
30 Days Cookie
CheapoAir.com
$ 5-35 Per Sign-Up
90 Days Cookie
Qatar Airways
2% Commission Per Sale
30-60 Days Cookie
As the wheels of the Airbus hit the Gatwick tarmac a few days ago, it hit me: I should write an article about airline affiliate programs as they are great ways to make money.
So here it goes.
There's no doubt about it: Affiliate marketing is an excellent way for you to monetize your (travel-) blog.
If you aren't new to affiliate marketing, you already know there are many great affiliate programs you can promote as a blogger. This article will concentrate on the best airline affiliate programs you can promote to your travel-loving readers.
Many people use the internet to find ideas and destinations for their travels and are willing and able to spend a lot. In 2029, global leisure tourism spending will exceed 9.3 trillion dollars.
That's pretty good news for you!
Since people are willing to use a lot of money on travel, many of these travel affiliate programs can bring in high earnings (even if the percentage payout may seem small at first glance).
You plan to visit a beautiful, far-away location. But how can you get there? How do you prefer to travel abroad?
By car? Probably impossible.
By boat? Possible, but it takes a lot of time.
By train? I have yet to see a train that travels on water.
Alright, as you can imagine, people prefer to travel by air. It's the easiest and fastest way to travel. So, why not jump on board and promote some awesome airline companies?
Our Methodology - How we chose the Best Airline Affiliate Programs
MWTS has access to many websites that cater to a wide range of niches.
Since the dawn of the 21st Century, I've managed affiliate websites in all verticals.
After testing the airline niche for some time, we have rated these affiliate programs based on their conversion rates, product quality, and commission percentage.
Obviously, we haven't used all these affiliate programs ourselves. Still, we talked to some site owners who we know and looked at the top-performing travel blogs, such as Nomadic Matt, and analyzed what works for them.
We also rated these sites based on quality and commission percentage. Cookie duration is also an essential factor to consider.
You can see my personal Three Top Picks above.
28 Best Airline Affiliate Programs Of 2024
- Travel Payouts
- Dollar Flight Club
- Emirates Airlines
- Etihad Airlines
- Jet Radar
- Skyscanner
- Momondo
- British Airways
- Cheapoair.Com
- Southwest Vacations
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
- Just Fly
- Air France
- Travelocity
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Kayak
- CheapTickets
- Trip.Com
- Omio
- Expedia
- 12GO
- Qatar Airlines
- Vayama International Flights
- Park'n'Fly Airport Parking
- OneTravel.com
- Kiwi.com
- Air Malta's Affiliate Program
- Points.com
You can promote the affiliate programs discussed below in your content, social media channels, and email list.
You will not only earn a commission, but you will also provide value to your audience by promoting these airline affiliate programs. By showing them how they can book the vacation of their dreams with a trusted airline, you will help them. And that's what content marketing should be all about.
Affiliate programs with airlines are a great way to make money while you travel. You travel, take photos of your destination and use those photos to promote an airline offer. Your blog visitors see the images, get inspired, and at the same time, find a great deal for airline tickets. It's a win-win, which is precisely why many people promote them to their audience.
With this, I present to you, In no particular order…
1. Travel Payouts
Travel Payouts is an industry-specific affiliate network. The platform offers over 100+ affiliate programs for travel, along with exclusive offers you can share with your audience.
Travel payouts give you access to the most prestigious airline affiliate programs and other travel-related programs like car rental and hotel booking.
Each month, they pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to their affiliates. Their top-performing affiliate made just $200,000 last month!
We have had great results with Travel Payouts ourselves. Not necessarily because their commission fees are the best, but because they make it so easy for us to choose between a myriad of offers to promote.
- Commission: Varies. Usually, it is between 1-5%
- Cookie Duration: 30 Days
2. Dollar Flight Club
Dollar Flight Club membership is available to members and allows them to save significant amounts on flights.
It alerts members whenever discounted flights become available to their preferred destinations.
Members can then book the tickets and take advantage of the low prices. Dollar Flight Club members can save between 60-90% on flights. On average, they will save $500 per ticket.
Dollar Flight Club offers an affiliate program that allows you to earn as much as 50% on every membership referral. For every paying member you refer, you could be earning up to $35
- Commission: Half of the referral fees (up to $35 each)
- Cookie Duration: 90 Days (< Excellent!)
3. Emirates Airlines
Looking for luxury on long-distance travels? Go business class with the Emirates, and you won't even notice you are traveling.
Emirates is a global airline with its headquarters in Dubai. Their award-winning customer service is well-known, as well as their diverse workforce. This makes them a popular choice when it comes to long-haul international flights.
Their affiliate program boasts industry-leading commission rates, ranging from 1.25% to 2.5% on flights depending on the route.
- Commission: 1.25% - 2.5%
- Cookie Duration: 30 Days
4. Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways is a well-known global airline known for its exceptional service and highly skilled crew. Etihad Airways is based in Abu Dhabi and offers flights to the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, North America, and Asia.
Bloggers in all countries can join the Etihad Airways affiliate program. Affiliates have the option to join either through AWIN, FlexOffers or CJ Affiliate, which are some excellent affiliate networks. Etihad offers a 2% commission for all bookings and a 30-day cookie period.
- Commission: 2%
- Cookie Duration: 30 Days
5. Jet Radar
Jet Radar is an online flight search engine that allows users to find the best hotel and flight deals.
You will find flights to most of the top holiday destinations around the globe.
The Travel Payouts affiliate network runs this flight program. You can quickly join and manage all your affiliate programs from one place.
- Commission: 5%
- Cookie Duration: 30 Days
6. Skyscanner
Skyscanner, a popular flight search engine, allows users to compare flights, hotel deals, and car hire prices. Skyscanner offers an affiliate program that will enable you to earn 20% revenue from the traffic you send to Skyscanner via your affiliate links.
Skyscanner will pay 20% to the affiliate for every $10 earned from a flight booking. That is $2.
I've personally used Skyscanner and can vote for its ease of use (although I can admit that I used it to search for flights but actually booked directly from the airline).
- Commission: 20% (Revenue Share)
- Cookie Duration: 30 Days
7. Momondo
Momondo, a travel search engine, gives users access to the most recent deals on hotels, flights, packages, holidays, activities, and more.
Only flights are eligible for the airline affiliate program. Affiliates can earn between $0.45 to $0.65 per click on the flight search page. This is one of the highest rates available in the industry.
Most bloggers will probably join through CJ.com. However, If you have more visitors than 200,000 per month, you can contact them at affiliate [at] momondo.com for a direct deal or better commission percentage...
Momondo is (probably) the most popular travel search engine in Europe, but it is also popular in most other countries and areas around the globe.
- Commission rate: $0.45 for mobile and $0.65 for desktop and tablet
- Cookie Duration: Unknown
8. British Airways
British Airways is the UK's second-largest airline. It is well-known for its comfortable aircraft and outstanding customer service. This makes it a popular choice for travelers flying to or from the UK or any other destination in which British Airways operates.
British Airways is a well-known brand that travel bloggers can promote.
- Commission: Varies depending upon the product promoted
- Cookie Duration: Unknown
9. Cheapoair.Com
CheapOair is a search engine that helps travelers find the best prices for hotels and flights. The fantastic deals make CheapOair an excellent choice for bloggers who want to travel the world without breaking the bank.
CheapOair allows influencers to join through several affiliate networks, including CJ Affiliate and Rakuten Linkshare.
For every booking they make, their affiliate program offers competitive commission rates. Affiliates can earn anywhere from $5 to $35 per booking, depending on the product. You can also earn a higher commission by doing a special deal (if you have the traffic to make it worthwhile for the company). They have a generous cookie duration of 90 days.
One of the best cookie durations in this niche.
- Commission: $5-35 per sale
- Cookie Duration: 90 Days
10. Southwest Vacations
Southwest Airlines' package holiday provider is Southwest Vacations. The deals available are exclusive. This can, in our view, lead to high conversion rates, and we have had good results with this company...
CJ Affiliate manages the Southwest Vacations affiliate program. Sign up today, and you can start making money immediately. Affiliates can earn $6.50 per sale, with the average sale at $1,300
- Commission: Beginning at 0.50%. With an average sale of $1300, expect around $6-7 per sale.
- Cookie Duration: 30 Days
11. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is the Dutch flag carrier airline. This airline is an excellent choice for anyone traveling to the Netherlands.
Their affiliate program allows travel bloggers and influencers to make money by recommending their products. For short-haul flights, commissions are 1%, and for long-haul flights, it's 1.5%. To increase your chances of earning a commission, they offer a generous 30-day tracking cookie.
- Commission: 1 - 1.5%
- Cookie Duration: 30 Days
12. Just Fly
JustFly allows users to compare flights and find the best deals. With over 160,000 user reviews and a Trustpilot score of 4, JustFly is quickly rising to the top of flight comparison websites.
JustFly offers an affiliate program that is managed by CJ Affiliate. For every international flight sold, they offer a flat $16 commission and an $8 commission for each domestic flight. The program is also known for its generous cookie duration of 45 days. The dynamic banners are available to affiliates for use on their websites.
Affiliates also have access to an affiliate manager who can assist them in getting the most out of the program.
- Commission: For international flights, $16 (For domestic flights, the commission is $8)
- Cookie Duration: 45 Days
13. Air France
Air France, France's biggest airline, has flights to more than 193 destinations in France and 93 other countries.
TradeTracker is where the affiliate program is managed. Affiliates have all they need to promote Air France to their target audience. The standard commission is 1.25% per sale and comes with a 30-day tracking cookie.
- Commission: 1.25%
- Cookie Duration: 30 Days
14. Travelocity
Expedia Group owns Travelocity, an online travel agency. This website allows you to search for the best prices on hotels, cars, vacation packages, and other travel services.
Expedia's affiliate hub runs the program. This allows you to easily access all Expedia Group affiliate programs from one location. You can access over 500 airlines and receive competitive commissions on all products.
The best part is that affiliates have access to the most recent technology and tools through the Travelocity program. You can embed booking widgets into your website or blog.
- Commission: Variable, typically 2-4%
- Cookie Duration: 45 Days
15. Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines is the oldest and largest airline in America. With flights to Hawaii, the Philippines, Australia, South Korea, and South Korea, it's the largest airline in Hawaii.
Hawaiian airlines also have an affiliate program (why else would they be on this list. Duh!). The affiliate program pays a 1.5% commission on all bookings made within the 30-day cookie window.
Hawaiian Airlines' affiliate program is handled by CJ. It also gives you access to many other travel affiliate programs.
- Commission: 1.5%
- Cookie Duration: 30 Days
16. Kayak
Kayak, an American online travel agency, makes it easy to book holidays and flights online. You can access the best deals and use an app to manage all your travel bookings.
This is a great option for eco-friendly bloggers as it allows you to see the environmental impact of your travel choices. Greta Thunberg must be ecstatic. Or maybe not.
Kayak also has an affiliate network that includes other brands like Momondo, HotelsCombined, and many more. Affiliates can earn 50% commission on their commission for each sale.
- Commission: 50%
- Cookie Duration: 30 Days
17. CheapTickets
CheapTickets is a leading US travel site for budget travel. You can search for low-cost flights, accommodation, car rentals, and package holidays.
CJ Affiliate manages CheapTickets' affiliate program. It uses both a percentage and fixed commission structure.
Cruise, car rental, and flight bookings can earn fixed commissions up to $30 each. Based on the product, hotels, activities, packages, and hotels may pay a portion of the sale in commission. This can vary from 1% to 8%.
- Commission: Variable
- Cookie Duration: 7-days
18. Trip.Com
Trip.com is an online agency that offers travel services.
You can book all your travel arrangements through the website, including flights, hotels, and activities, for the duration of your trip. You will find all the information you need with access to over 450+ airlines and more than 1.4 million accommodations options.
Trip.com has an app that allows you to manage your trip from anywhere you go, even if you're on the move. They also provide 24-hour customer support for your peace of mind. You can enjoy all the benefits of a travel agent right from your home.
You can refer your audience to Trip.com through their popular affiliate program. For flights, commissions start at 0.5%. This could increase depending on how many flights you sell in a month. Affiliates can earn up to 7% commission on hotels and 5% on tours and tickets. They also get $1.50 per booking of a train ticket.
- Commission: Variable
- Cookie Duration: 30 Days (7 Days for the app)
19. Omio
Omio allows users to book all types of travel, including buses, trains, buses, and ferries, from one place. An app is available that allows users to store their travel information and tickets. This makes it easy to manage their travel.
Omio offers an affiliate program that allows you to make money by helping others promote the service. Affiliates can access a variety of banners, assets, and API and booking widgets to embed on their blog or website. The destination determines the commission rate.
- Commission: 2% - 8%
- Cookie Duration: 30 Days
20. Expedia
Expedia is the leading online travel website in the world, offering thousands of holiday packages, flights, hotels, and other services. With high conversion rates, Expedia is trusted by millions of users each month.
With a cookie duration of 30 days, affiliates can earn up to 7% commissions. CJ affiliate or the Expedia Affiliate Network can be used to access the Expedia Group affiliate program.
- Commission: 1% - 7%
- Cookie Duration: 30 Days
21. 12GO
12Go is a travel platform that covers most parts of South East Asia and Oceania. You can book buses, trains, taxis, car rentals, day trips, and ferries throughout South East Asia.
Affiliate program 12Go offers a 50% commission share for each booking made through the site. Travel Payouts handles the affiliate program.
- Commission: 50% Commission Share
- Cookie Duration: 30 Days
22. Qatar Airlines
Qatar Airlines is quite a new airline. Their first flight took place in 1997.
Still, they have managed to expand to 160 destinations and are doing so in style with a fleet of new jet aircraft with often a very high level of comfort.
Qatar Airlines Business Class has always been great, but the Qsuites are one step up.
They have been rewarded with Qatar Airways being named "Airline of the year" nearly every year since 2011, the latest in 2022.
How much cash can you rake in promoting Qatar Airways?
The affiliate program was made public on ShareASale in 2019. Therefore, we don't have a lot of data yet. Initial testing shows an EPC of around $15-17.60, which is not too shabby.
It is also available on certain other networks, and terms may differ.
It is important to note that their average sale is $1,008.21 and that they reward high-volume affiliates for their work with a greater commission percentage.
As the affiliate program is new, get in early and reap the rewards before everybody else.
Commission: 2% Per Sale
Cookie Duration: 30-60 Days
23. Vayama International Flights
Vayama was created as a travel agency in 2007 and has been serving customers successfully ever since.
Its mission is to offer everything you need for foreign travel, including hotels, flights, and rental cars, through its global network.
They offer flights to remote areas of the globe, which sets them apart from their competitors.
Vayama is a company in the BCD Group that includes brands such as Travix, Park'n'Fly, and other big names, making it part of a multibillion-dollar business.
Affiliates earn 5% for every sale they refer. Customers spend several hundred dollars on average per transaction, so the number can add up quickly.
This affiliate program would look great on a blog that caters to digital nomads. People who want to escape the tourist-infested areas but don't want to spend a gazillion getting there.
Vayama offers an extensive suite of marketing tools to help you promote the company's products. These include banners, text links, widgets, feeds, and APIs. The company also offers an affiliate management service where you can get help with any issues you may have.
Commission: 5%
Cookie duration: 30 Days
24. Park'n'Fly Airport Parking
The company is the largest off-site airport parking provider in the United States, operating at 44 airports in 40 cities. It is a popular parking company, making it an easy sell for people traveling to the airport by car.
As a sister company to Vayama, they are also part of BCD Group.
Park'n'Fly is precisely what it sounds like: It provides affordable and safe parking at airports across the United States and internationally.
It's more than safe parking. The shuttle bus service will pick you up from your car and drop you off at your terminal.
As you can see below, the commission is set to 3%.
That's probably not gonna buy you that new Porsche or pay for your next Qsuite trip. However, the Park'n'Fly program can be a supplementary offer to other travel-related programs you promote.
Commission: 3%
Cookie Duration: 7 Days (That's "meh!" at best)
25. OneTravel.com
OneTravel started out with humble beginnings. The business was actually set up in a Pennsylvania barn in the mid-nineties.
They grew fast and were acquired in 2004 by Fareportal. Today they are part of the three biggest travel companies in the world.
OneTravel is different from other travel websites in that they offer a wide range of niche concepts, including senior, gay- and lesbian travel and travel to exotic destinations.
You have probably noticed a trend in airline affiliate programs regarding relatively low commission rates.
The airline business is battling high energy prices, low margins, and post-travel habit changes because of the pandemic.
It is still worth promoting airline affiliate programs, though, particularly if you have a blend of other related services to promote.
Another scenario where it can be extra profitable to still promote airline offers is if you have a lot of generic visitors who could be interested in booking flights. That's where a long cookie period becomes handy.
Commission: $5-$25
Cookie Duration: 90 Days
26. Kiwi.com
Tired of searching online for legitimately low airfares, Oliver Dlouhy started Kiwi in 2011. He found that sites comparing prices often were more expensive than booking directly through the airline.
Together with Jozef Kepesi, they began creating their own flight search engine over the next twelve months. It was launched in 2012 to the rest of the world.
Are they really able to offer lower flights than their competitors?
Yes, thanks to a process called flight hacking.
They basically automate hours of manual searching and allow travelers to save time by choosing unconventional routes to get to their destination. Does that mean that Kiwi always is cheaper than other price comparison sites? Probably not, but they make the search a lot easier.
And that's quite a feat for such a new company.
Our tests with Kiwi so far tell us that the average order size is around $410, and the commission is 3%. That means you can expect approximately $12 per sale you send their way.
Commission: 3%
Cookie duration: 30 Days
27. Air Malta's Affiliate Program
Air Malta was a regional airline that started in Malta with two leased Boeing 720B aircraft. It served the UK, France, Italy, and Libya.
They have expanded its fleet and routes over the past 45 years to cover most of Europe and the Middle East. However, their primary focus has remained on regional flights and not international.
In 2017, the airline underwent a restructuring that resulted in more profits than ever before.
Is Air Malta the first airline company you come to think of? Probably not.
It's probably not in the forefront of your readers' minds either, but Air Malta's performance at Commission Junction is better than many large international airlines, including the largest companies in the industry. And that equals… *drumroll*... more earnings potential for you!
Commission: 2.5%
Cookie Duration: 15 Days
28. Points.com
We're putting points.com at the bottom of the list for now. Not because it is terrible or anything. The service they offer is actually quite clever, but simply because it is a little bit on the outskirts of what this list was meant to be discussing.
So, what is Points.com?
It is a simple concept.
It allows you to manage all of your loyalty programs through one interface.
Quite clever, indeed.
It allows you to track your points, and you can exchange them between loyalty programs. You can also redeem them for gift cards or shopping vouchers.
They allow you to track your miles or points across 110 brands, including airlines, hotels, and train lines.
You can also earn points or miles by staying at a qualifying hotel through their PointsHound program.
Although unique ideas are wonderful, are affiliates making money by promoting this program to others?
Indeed, and you can do it too. Although you usually only make a small amount of money per sale (usually $3 to $5), it all adds up.
An EPC of $48.40 for 3 months is a solid indicator that affiliates are making long-term money and not just one-off commissions (according to CJ.com).
Commission: Up to 10% per sale
Cookie Duration: 15 Days
How To Promote Flight Affiliate Programs
There are many ways to promote the best affiliate programs for airlines to your audience. It is important to offer value to your audience and make it easy for them to book their travel.
These are some of the most effective ways to promote affiliate programs for airline companies:
- Link in related blog content
- Listicles: Blog about the "X Best Airlines Flying to Y"
- Social media
- Got an email list? Send out broadcasts whenever there are special offers available.
- Travel-related podcasts are a great way to market your offers: "This episode on things to do in Paris is sponsored by Airfrance. Go to nameofpodcast.com/AF to find your flight today."
- Embed searches, or create a unique search or comparison feature on your website and link to the various affiliate offers.
You can embed the search widget from many of these affiliate programs into your blog or travel website. This will make it easier for your audience to search the web without leaving the page, increasing conversion rates.
A side note on search widgets: They tend to work best when they are from a well-known provider such as Momondo, Expedia, etc.
If you are new to affiliate marketing, we recommend you read this post.
Conclusion and Advice
Similar to other niches, many affiliate programs are available for bloggers wishing to add some flight offers to their affiliate portfolio. Each program offers its own benefits.
Sometimes it may prove more profitable to use an airline's affiliate program, especially if there are fewer airlines in a country or few special offers. The direct deals usually pay you higher commissions than the ones you can find on Travel Payout, Kayak, or Expedia.
One of the benefits of going through generic travel affiliate companies like, for instance, Travel Payouts is that you also get paid for ancillary products such as hotels or rental cars.
You can read more about how to make money as a travel blogger here, and we have content in the pipeline describing the best travel affiliate programs, the best cruise affiliate programs, and other travel-related affiliate program lists.
Stay tuned!