Can Travel Agents Earn Money through Affiliate Links or Blogging - and are Affiliate Programs worth it or not?

Affiliate links and blogging can boost travel agent income, but are they really worth it? Learn how travel affiliate programs work, what commissions you can expect, and how to track and report affiliate income properly in 2025.

TRAVEL AGENTS FINANCE

10/12/202510 min read

Can Travel Agents earn money through Affiliate Links or Blogging - and are Affiliate Programs worth it or not?

Travel agents are constantly looking for new ways to diversify income. Commissions are tightening, supplier payments are delayed, and the work of selling travel often extends well beyond what a single booking fee covers. That’s why affiliate links and blogging have entered the conversation. But the real question is not whether agents could earn from affiliates but whether the effort is financially worthwhile, or is it a waste of time?

This article breaks down exactly how affiliate programs work, what they pay, how they’re taxed, and what travel agents need to consider before calling them a new revenue stream.

1. Why Affiliate Marketing appeals to Travel Agents

Affiliate income offers something traditional commissions do not: payment for influence and content, not just sales. Agents who already write newsletters, post destination blogs, or maintain an active website can earn a small commission when readers click a tracked link and complete a purchase.

It’s attractive because:

You can earn from services you don’t book directly.
You can monetize your expertise beyond client files.
It feels like passive income and though in practice, it requires consistent effort.

Still, the financial return depends on volume, audience, and the type of affiliate program.

2. How Travel Affiliate Programs actually work

Affiliate programs pay commission on referrals tracked through special links. When a traveller clicks your link, a small tracking code (known as a cookie) follows their activity. If they make a purchase within a certain time frame, which is usually between 24 hours and 90 days, you can receive a commission.

In travel, affiliate programs typically fall into a few main categories.

From speaking to some of our clients***, Hotel and OTA affiliates such as Booking.com, Expedia, or Agoda pay relatively small commissions, usually around 3 to 6 percent, and only after the guest completes their stay. If the booking is cancelled or modified outside the tracking window, the commission is lost - Although we include this information, we appreciate that most of our travel agents, would not go for this option - see further info under ***

Tour and activity platforms like Viator or GetYourGuide tend to pay 5 to 10 percent per confirmed booking. These can add up if your website or newsletter generates significant traffic, but they still rely on steady volume.

Travel insurance partners such as Allianz or Travel Guard are often the most rewarding, offering 15 to 25 percent per policy sold. However, several states classify insurance as a regulated product, meaning agents may need appropriate licensing or must partner with an authorised broker (see additional info below)

Product and gear affiliates, such as. for example, Amazon Associates or outdoor retailers like REI, usually offer smaller rates of 1 to 4 percent, but they can help monetize packing lists, travel-gear posts, or social media guides.

The practical takeaway is that affiliate programs vary enormously in payout, reliability, and conversion rate. Travel cancellations, refunds, or cookie expirations can erode 25–40 percent of your expected earnings. For most agents, affiliate income works best as a supplement to commission-based sales or consulting fees rather than a standalone business model.

Often agents use use large networks (like ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, or Travelpayouts) that manage the links, tracking, and payments for numerous travel brands (hotels, tours, gear).

3. Affiliate Income and IRS Reporting

Affiliate payments are treated as self-employment income in the United States. The IRS considers them taxable whether you’re a sole proprietor or operate through an LLC. Affiliate income is taxable and typically reported on Schedule C for sole proprietors; home-office rules are in Pub. 587.

Form 1099-NEC: Most affiliate platforms issue this form if your total earnings exceed $600 in a calendar year.
Schedule C: If you’re self-employed, you must report all affiliate income here.
Expenses: Hosting, web design, SEO subscriptions, and ad costs are deductible business expenses under IRS Publication 535.

The IRS defines ordinary and necessary expenses as those that are “common and accepted in your trade or business and helpful and appropriate for your business.” That means if your blog exists to support your travel sales, those associated costs are legitimate deductions.

IRS Publication 535 notes: “To be deductible, a business expense must be both ordinary and necessary. An ordinary expense is one that is common and accepted in your trade or business.”

Maintain digital records, platform statements, and payout confirmations for at least three years in case of audit.

4. FTC Disclosure and Compliance

Every travel agent using affiliate links must follow Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules on advertising transparency. The FTC requires clear, conspicuous disclosure whenever you earn money or benefits from a link or recommendation.

A compliant statement should appear at the top of the page or near the first affiliate link. For example:

“This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase — at no extra cost to you.” - FTC disclosures must be clear, conspicuous, and near the affiliate link; “affiliate link” alone may be unclear.

Failure to disclose can result in enforcement action and penalties. Beyond legal compliance, disclosure also builds trust with clients and readers.

If you deal with EU based clients, also note point below on requirements under EU Law.

5. What Affiliate income really looks Like

Affiliate marketing is rarely “passive.” It relies on reach and consistent publishing.

An analysis of top travel affiliate networks in 2024 found:

Earnings vary widely. In travel, cancellations, refunds, and cookie expiry can erode tracked referrals, so affiliate revenue is typically supplemental rather than primary.
The top 10 percent (those with strong SEO traffic or mailing lists) can earn $3,000–$10,000 per month.
In the travel sector, commission loss through cancellations and cookie expiry is high — roughly 25–40 percent of tracked referrals never convert to paid commission.

For most travel advisors, affiliate programs are supplementary so useful for small recurring income or content monetisation, but not a replacement for commissions or consulting fees.

6. Accounting and Practical Tips

If you decide to use affiliate links, treat them like a real business channel, not a hobby.

Separate accounts: Use a distinct business bank account or PayPal for affiliate payouts.
Use accounting software: Tag each affiliate program in QuickBooks, Xero, or Wave to track earnings by source.
Foreign income: Some affiliate platforms (like European-based ones) pay in EUR or GBP. Record conversions accurately to USD on receipt.
Track expenses: Web hosting, photography, copywriting, and email marketing costs are deductible as business expenses under IRS Publication 535.

“If you use part of your home regularly and exclusively to run your blog or marketing work, you may be eligible for the home office deduction.” — IRS Publication 587

7. Are Affiliate Programs worth it or not?

The honest Antravia answer: It depends on your business model.

Worth it if:

You already write consistent, high-quality content that gets traffic.
You have a niche audience (luxury, family travel, cruises) and recommend products your readers actually buy.
You treat it as a marketing extension of your travel business.

Not worth it if:

You have low web traffic or rarely publish new content.
You expect “passive income” without sustained effort.
You risk damaging trust by recommending products you haven’t used or vetted.

Affiliate programs can absolutely generate meaningful side income, but they require the same professionalism and accounting discipline as any other business stream.

8. Combining Affiliate Income with a Broader Strategy

The travel agents who see the best returns pair affiliate income with:

Paid travel planning or consulting fees.
Membership or retainer models for loyal clients.
Newsletter or social content that drives repeat clicks.

Think of affiliate programs as layered revenue and not your core income. When used strategically, they diversify earnings and strengthen your brand authority without undermining your service fees.

Conclusion

Affiliate links and blogging can work for travel agents, but only when approached strategically. The reality is that most affiliate income in travel is modest, often unpredictable, and depends heavily on reach and trust.

For serious professionals, the focus should be on building authority first, not chasing small commissions. When treated as a complementary stream within a structured financial plan, affiliate programs can enhance profitability without distracting from core sales.

Antravia USA helps travel advisors build transparent, profitable financial models that integrate affiliate income, commissions, and fee-based services. If you’re diversifying your revenue in 2025, we can help you set up accounting systems that track each income stream accurately and keep you compliant.

Note ***

Having an affiliate relationship with an OTA like Booking or Expedia clearly conflcts with how much agents work:

As Travel agents generally handle client reservations directly with suppliers or via GDS/wholesalers and earn commission that is recognisable for ARC/IATA or host-agency reporting. Affiliate links bypass all of that. When a client books through your affiliate link:

The booking is owned by the OTA (Booking.com), not you.
You can’t manage payments, issue invoices, or include it in your agency reporting.
The client sees Booking.com as the merchant of record, not your agency.

That’s why most agents avoid affiliate links for core travel services, it undermines their professional control and brand. While Booking.com and similar OTAs offer affiliate programs, they are designed for content publishers rather than traditional travel advisors, and do not allow agents to manage or service the bookings.

Where affiliate links do make sense for agents

They can still be smart strategically, especially for content-based or influencer-style businesses:

A travel agent who writes destination blogs or hotel reviews can link to Booking.com and earn small commissions from readers who book independently.
It works if you’re building a hybrid model, such as a mix of service fees, group trips, and travel content monetisation.
It’s better suited for non-client traffic (blog readers, followers, newsletter subscribers) rather than your paying clients.

Better affiliate alternatives for travel agents

For serious travel sellers, affiliate programs that align better with professional operations include:

GetYourGuide or Viator for tours and activities.
Allianz Travel Insurance or Travel Guard (if licensed).
Amazon Associates for packing lists, luggage, and travel gear.
Cruise or niche suppliers that offer hybrid referral commissions for hosted or group bookings.

These align better with content-driven travel businesses without conflicting with your service role.

Final Comment

Yes, you could have a Booking.com affiliate link, but it’s not how professional travel advisors make real money. It’s more suitable for bloggers, influencers, or hybrid travel content creators. For agents, affiliate programs work best as a supplemental revenue stream, not as a replacement for commissions or fees.

travel agent affiliate programs, affiliate income for travel agents, travel agent blogging, travel affiliate links, passive income for travel advisors, IRS affiliate income reporting, FTC disclosure for affiliate links

Note on selling insurance

Some states have adopted the NAIC Travel Insurance Model Act. This act often allows a travel agent to sell travel insurance without a full insurance license if they:

Sell under the supervision of a licensed and appointed insurance producer (agency/broker).
Limit their activities to offering and disseminating the insurance (i.e., they can't interpret the fine print or give technical advice).

Agents must either obtain appropriate licensing (often a Limited Lines Travel Insurance License) or, more commonly, partner with an authorized insurance broker who supervises their sales under the Travel Insurance Model Act.

European Regulations (For GDPR/EU Audience)

Since travel agents often deal with an international audience, it is also worth noting some EU regulations

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

If your blog/website targets readers in the European Union (EU), you must also ensure your site is GDPR compliant. This is important because affiliate tracking cookies are considered user data. You must have a robust cookie banner that allows users to opt-in to the tracking before affiliate links can be activated.

a close up of a shell on a black background

References

Internal Revenue Service (IRS). “Publication 535 – Business Expenses.” U.S. Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, 2024. Available at: https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-535
Internal Revenue Service (IRS). “Publication 587 – Business Use of Your Home.” U.S. Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, 2024. Available at: https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-587
Federal Trade Commission (FTC). “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” Updated 2023. Available at: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides
Federal Trade Commission (FTC). “Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers.” Updated 2023. Available at: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/disclosures-101-social-media-influencers
American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA). “U.S. Travel Advisor Compensation and Revenue Trends Report.” Published 2024. Available at: https://www.asta.org
HubSpot Research. “Affiliate Marketing Benchmarks Report 2024.” Published 2024. Available at: https://research.hubspot.com
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). “Recordkeeping and Accounting for Small Businesses.” Updated 2024. Available at: https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/manage-your-business/keep-records
Federal Trade Commission (FTC). “FTC’s Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking.” Updated June 29, 2023. https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking
Federal Trade Commission (FTC). “Endorsements, Influencers, and Reviews.” Accessed 2025. https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/advertising-marketing/endorsements-influencers-reviews
Internal Revenue Service (IRS). “2024 Instructions for Schedule C (Form 1040), Profit or Loss From Business.” https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040sc.pdf
Internal Revenue Service (IRS). “About Publication 587, Business Use of Your Home.” Updated June 5, 2025. https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-587
Internal Revenue Service (IRS). “Form 1099-NEC & Independent Contractors (FAQ).” Updated Oct 21, 2024. https://www.irs.gov/faqs/small-business-self-employed-other-business/form-1099-nec-independent-contractors/form-1099-nec-independent-contractors
Kiplinger. “IRS 1099-K Threshold for 2025 Taxes Just Changed: What to Know Now.” Published Oct 2025. https://www.kiplinger.com/taxes/irs-1099-k-threshold-for-2025-taxes-just-changed-what-to-know-now
Booking.com Affiliate Partner Program. “Commission and Payments (support article).” Accessed 2025. https://affiliates.support.booking.com/kb/s/article/Commission-and-Payments
Viator (Tripadvisor). “The Premier Travel Affiliate Program — 8% commission and 30-day cookie.” Accessed 2025. https://partnerresources.viator.com/ and https://partnerhelp.viator.com/en/articles/214-how-does-the-30-day-cookie-window-length-work
Amazon Associates Program. “24 hours” cookie explanation (Help Center). Accessed 2025. https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/help/node/topic/G9SMD8TQHFJ7728F
National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). “Producer Licensing — Insurance Topics.” Accessed 2025. https://content.naic.org/insurance-topics/producer-licensing and State Licensing Handbook (Model #218). https://content.naic.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/State%20Licensing%20Handbook%20-%20Complete%20and%20Final.pdf

Disclaimer

This content is for general informational purposes and does not constitute tax or accounting advice. Always consult a qualified professional for guidance on your specific situation.