About Hotwire
Hotwire is an innovative online travel agency (OTA) that is part of the Expedia Group. Established in 2000, it caters to cost-conscious travelers by offering heavily discounted deals on flights, hotels, and rental cars.
Hotwire’s unique business model is known as the “opaque” sales model or “Hot Rate” deals. They partner with travel service providers (airlines, hotels, car companies) to sell their unsold inventory at a discount. The key feature is that the exact name or specific details of the provider (like the hotel name or exact location) are only revealed after the booking is completed. This allows providers to clear excess inventory without diluting their main brand’s pricing.
Hotwire Affiliate Program Overview
The Hotwire Affiliate Program allows publishers, content creators, and marketers to earn commissions by referring customers who book travel services on Hotwire’s website. It is an established program within the lucrative travel industry, offering a way to monetize travel-related content.
| Factor | Detail |
| Industry | Travel, E-commerce |
| Product Type | Online Travel Bookings (Hotels, Flights, Rental Cars, Packages) |
| Affiliate Program Type | Cost Per Sale (CPS) / Pay Per Sale (PPS) / Flat Fee |
Hotwire Affiliate Program Offers
The program provides affiliates with the necessary tools and a competitive structure to drive conversions.
| Factor | Detail |
| Promotional Materials | Banners, text links, deep links, widgets, weekly emails with sales and deals, and a dedicated affiliate support team. |
| Affiliate Cookie Duration | 30 days |
| Accepted Traffic Source | Generally accepts most ethical sources (blogs, social media, email, etc.). Disallowed mediums often include: PPC, SEM (Search Engine Marketing) on branded terms, Adult, and Gambling content. |
| Accepted Countries | The primary focus is typically on US and other major global markets, often managed through global affiliate networks. The official program for hotwire.com and hotwire.co.uk is listed as Open. |
| Explicit Content | Not accepted (disallowed medium). |
| Religious or political content | Not accepted, as per typical network guidelines to avoid controversial content. |
Hotwire Affiliate Commissions & Payments
The commission structure is a blend of percentage and flat-rate commissions, and the program is managed through third-party affiliate networks.
| Factor | Detail |
| MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) | No. This is a standard single-tier affiliate program. |
| Commission Rate | Up to $15 per order or 2% of the order sale amount, depending on the product. |
| Commission Structure |
|
| Payout Frequency | Monthly (payments are generally consolidated by the affiliate network). |
| Payout Methods | Determined by the managing affiliate network (often includes direct deposit, PayPal, or check). |
| Minimum Payout | As low as $10 (this can vary depending on the managing affiliate network). |
Suitable Affiliates for Hotwire Affiliate
The Hotwire affiliate program is best suited for content creators with an audience interested in saving money on travel. The program’s success is tied to driving bookings for discounted travel services.
| Affiliate Type | Suitability | Rationale |
| Bloggers | High | Travel bloggers, budget travel niche sites, or coupon/deal sites are ideal for integrating in-depth reviews, tips, and direct links. |
| TikTokers/Influencers/KOL/KOC | Medium to High | Excellent for creating short, engaging content about finding “secret” deals and budget travel hacks that lead directly to Hotwire. |
| YouTubers | High | Can create video reviews, comparison videos (e.g., Hotwire vs. Expedia), trip vlogs focused on cost savings, and tutorials on how to use the “Hot Rate” feature. |
| Livestreamers | Medium | Can discuss travel plans and deals with their audience in real-time and provide a link in the description. |
| Video editors | Low | Not a direct promotional role, but they would be essential for the content creation of the other types. |
Hotwire Affiliate Software
Hotwire does not use an in-house affiliate management system. It typically manages its affiliate program through a major third-party affiliate network.
- Affiliate Management Software: Hotwire’s program is known to be managed through affiliate networks like Impact or historically through LinkShare (now Rakuten Advertising).
3 Alternatives for Hotwire Affiliate Program
Here are three popular alternatives in the online travel booking niche, each with a slightly different focus.
| Comparison Factor | Hotwire Affiliate Program | Alternative 1: Expedia Affiliate Program | Alternative 2: Booking.com Affiliate Program | Alternative 3: Viator Affiliate Program |
| Core Product | Discounted/Opaque Travel (Hotels, Flights, Cars) | Full-Service Travel (Flights, Hotels, Packages) | Hotels & Accommodation | Tours and Activities |
| Average Bill | Lower (Focus on deep discounts) | Medium to High (Full-price bookings & packages) | Medium to High (Longer stays/Luxury) | Lower to Medium (Individual tours/tickets) |
| Entry Fees | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Withdrawal Threshold | Varies by network (often $10-$50) | Varies by network (often $50-$100) | €100 / $100 | Varies by network (often $50-$100) |
| Payment Frequency | Monthly | Monthly | Monthly | Monthly |
| Commission | Up to $15 (flat rate) or 2% (variable) | Up to 6% on hotels/packages (variable) | 25% to 40% of Booking.com’s commission (variable) | 4% to 8% on bookings (variable) |
| Conversion | High (due to deep discounts) | High (due to brand trust/volume) | Very High (largest inventory of hotels) | Medium (Niche product, but high intent) |
| Marketing Materials | Banners, Text Links, Widgets | Banners, Deep Links, Data Feeds, Custom Tools | Search Box Widgets, Banners, Deep Linking Tools, Banners | Deep Links, Banners, Product Widgets |
