The Best Affiliate Networks for Travel Bloggers

You don’t need to own a product to make money online. Affiliate marketing is simply earning a commission for promoting other people’s products, and for travel bloggers it is one of the most reliable income streams there is.

Over the years I have signed up to a lot of affiliate networks, and most I no longer touch. So rather than pad this post out with platforms I do not use, here are the few I genuinely rely on to earn from That Travel Blog today. New to all this? Read my quick-start guide to affiliate marketing for bloggers first, then come back to pick one.

How affiliate networks and programs work

There are two ways in, and I use a mix of both:

• Networks like Awin sit between you and hundreds of brands. You apply once, then request to join individual programmes from a single dashboard. Great for variety.
• Direct programmes like Trip.com or SafetyWing are run by the brand itself. You apply straight to them, usually for a better commission on that one product.

1. Awin

Awin is the network I would start with. It is clean, genuinely easy to use, and home to a huge range of travel brands under one roof. You apply once, then join programme after programme from the same dashboard.

It is also where ShareASale now lives. ShareASale was the very first network I used (I earnt my first $100 in affiliate commission there), and it has since merged into Awin, so the two are one and the same today. If an old guide tells you to sign up to ShareASale separately, you are really signing up to Awin.

Brands I like on Awin: Agoda, Trusted Housesitters, and plenty of travel and gear companies worth a browse.

2. Trip.com

Trip.com is my go-to for accommodation and transport. It covers hotels, flights and trains, the commissions are solid, and the booking experience is good enough that I am happy sending readers there. If your content covers where to stay or how to get around, this one is an easy win.

3. GetYourGuide

GetYourGuide is the big player for tours, activities and attraction tickets, with strong coverage worldwide. It is what I use across my destination guides, and the booking widget drops into a post without looking like an advert. Whenever I write a guide there is usually an experience that slots in naturally, and readers like being able to sort skip-the-line tickets before they go.

4. SafetyWing

SafetyWing is the travel insurance I actually use, which makes it the easiest one on this list to recommend. The bit I like most: you can start a policy at any time, even when you are already abroad and mid-trip. That is rare, and genuinely useful for nomads who forgot to sort cover before they left.

They also run a creator referral (ambassador) programme, so it is a natural fit if your audience is travellers and remote workers. It is the only one of these I would happily put in my nav bar, and I have.

Most of the links above are affiliate or referral links. They cost you nothing extra and simply help keep the blog running. Thank you for the support.

Bonus: a template for affiliate applications

You will often be asked to include a short message with your application. Do it, it only takes a few seconds and instantly makes you look more professional than the people who leave it blank.

It doesn’t have to be unique, just enough to show you know what you are doing. Here is a template based on one of my own applications:

“Hello <first name>,

I am <full name> of <blog domain>. My blog is about <blog description>. Please consider my application to become an affiliate for <company name>. I feel strongly that your values, products and services will resonate well with my audience.

I look forward to including your affiliate links and creative on existing and forthcoming content on my travel blog.

Thanks in advance for your consideration. <your full name>”

Advertisers want publishers, but they will not always accept anyone and everyone. A simple, considered introduction goes a long way.

Affiliate networks are just one income stream. For the full picture, see my guide on how to make money blogging.