About Orbitz
Orbitz is a leading global online travel agency (OTA) that provides a digital platform for booking flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, vacation packages, and local activities. Headquartered in Chicago, USA, it was founded in 2000 by a group of major U.S. airlines and is now a subsidiary of the Expedia Group.
Orbitz offers a user-friendly website and mobile app, known for its extensive inventory and the Orbitz Rewards program, which allows customers to earn “Orbucks” for instant savings on hotel stays.
Orbitz Affiliate Program Overview
The Orbitz Affiliate Program allows partners to earn commissions by driving traffic and generating qualified bookings for Orbitz’s wide range of travel products. The program is managed externally through affiliate networks, providing affiliates with a dashboard, various promotional tools, and tracking capabilities.
| Factor | Detail |
| Industry | Travel / Online Travel Agency (OTA) |
| Product Type | Flights, Hotels, Rental Cars, Cruises, Vacation Packages, Activities |
| Affiliate Program Type | Cost Per Sale (CPS) / Merchant Model |
Orbitz Affiliate Program Offers
The program provides affiliates with necessary tools and has specific operating conditions, generally managed through the third-party affiliate network (e.g., CJ Affiliate).
| Factor | Detail |
| Promotional Materials | Storefronts, data feeds, text links, banner ads, newsletters, and exclusive offers. |
| Affiliate Cookie Duration | 7 Days |
| Accepted Traffic Source | Generally accepts most ethical sources (websites, blogs, social media) that comply with network and program terms. |
| Accepted Countries | Global, as Orbitz operates in over 70 countries. |
| Explicit Content | Not accepted (must comply with the affiliate network’s terms of service). |
| Religious or political content | Not accepted (must comply with the affiliate network’s terms of service). |
Orbitz Affiliate Commissions & Payments
Orbitz offers a tiered commission structure where the rate varies significantly depending on the product booked. The program is free to join.
| Factor | Detail |
| MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) | No, this is a standard affiliate marketing program. |
| Commission Rate | Varies by product, for example:
|
| Commission Structure | Percentage of sale for most products, flat rate per sale for flights and cruises. |
| Payout Frequency | Monthly (Net-30 or Net-45 basis, depending on the network). |
| Payout Methods | Direct Deposit, Check, or Payoneer (via the affiliate network). |
| Minimum Payout | $50 for Direct Deposit, $100 for Check (via the affiliate network). |
Suitable Affiliates for Orbitz Affiliate
The Orbitz Affiliate Program is highly suitable for affiliates who focus on the travel vertical and can attract an audience that is actively planning and booking trips. Given its broad product offering (flights, hotels, packages), it is ideal for content creators who cover multiple aspects of travel.
- Bloggers: Highly suitable, especially travel bloggers, niche destination guides, and budget travel sites. They can use deep links, widgets, and banners in articles about specific destinations, deals, and travel planning.
- TikTokers, KOC, KOL, Influencers, and YouTubers: Suitable for those with a travel-focused audience. They can promote specific deals or destination packages through unique links in their bios or video descriptions. Content creators with high-quality, authentic travel recommendations are a great fit.
- Video editors and Livestreamers: Less directly suitable unless they operate a travel-centric channel or website where they can embed links or widgets. Their main focus should be content creation that drives traffic to a promotional channel.
Orbitz Affiliate Software
The Orbitz Affiliate Program does not use in-house affiliate management software; it is primarily managed through large, established third-party affiliate networks.
- Affiliate Management Software: Orbitz operates its affiliate program through major external affiliate networks, most notably CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction) and sometimes through the broader Expedia Group Affiliate Program (which is also managed via networks).
3 Alternatives for Orbitz Affiliate Program
Three prominent alternatives in the Online Travel Agency (OTA) space are Expedia, Booking.com, and TripAdvisor. The best alternative depends on the affiliate’s audience and content focus (e.g., hotel reviews vs. full trip planning).
| Comparison Factor | Orbitz Affiliate Program | Alternative 1: Expedia Affiliate Program | Alternative 2: Booking.com Affiliate Program | Alternative 3: TripAdvisor Affiliate Program |
| Average Bill | Variable (Full trip component bookings can be high) | Variable (Full trip component bookings can be high) | Variable (Hotel-focused, but high bill possible) | Variable (Activity-focused, but high bill possible) |
| Entry Fees | Free to join | Free to join | Free to join | Free to join |
| Withdrawal Threshold | $50 (Direct Deposit) / $100 (Check) – via CJ | Varies by network (e.g., $50) | Monthly payouts with no minimum threshold reported on their own program | Varies by network (e.g., $50) |
| Payment Frequency | Monthly (Net-30/Net-45) | Monthly | Monthly | Monthly |
| Commission | Up to 7% (Hotels), Flat rate for flights/cruises | Up to 6% (Varies by product) | Starts at 25%-40% of Booking.com’s commission | 50% to 80% of revenue generated from bookings |
| Conversion | High due to strong brand recognition and Orbitz Rewards. | High due to massive brand recognition and inventory. | Very high, especially for hotel bookings, due to large inventory and focus. | High, particularly for users seeking reviews and activities/tours. |
| Marketing Materials | Banners, Text Links, Data Feeds, Widgets | Search widgets, Deep-link builder, Banners, API | Banners, Search boxes, Deep linking, API | Deep linking to 500,000+ city/hotel pages, Widgets |
