Hotwire is a famous platform offering discounted rates on travel essentials like hotels, flights, etc. Its affiliate program lets publishers earn lucrative commissions by driving bookings on its website.
In this guide, we’ll explore the Hotwire affiliate program in detail, discussing its pros and cons, earning potential, and more. Read on now to see if it’s the right choice for you.
Overview of Hotwire
Established in 2000, Hotwire is a leading online travel agency renowned for offering discounted rates on hotels, flights, and rental cars. With a user-friendly platform, it empowers travelers to find affordable accommodations and transportation options worldwide.
Hotwire partners with top airlines and hotels to offer unsold inventory at a discount compared to published rates. Customers get significant savings but do not know the brand name until after booking.
Trusted by millions of travelers, Hotwire is a go-to destination for securing affordable travel arrangements with ease and confidence.
Overview of the Hotwire Affiliate Program
Managed through Impact, the Hotwire affiliate program pays publishers a commission for referring customers who make travel bookings on Hotwire.com.
This affiliate program is free to join. When you apply and get approved, you’ll get access to lots of different promotional materials with your unique affiliate link. These creatives include banners, widgets, text links, and deep links.
Moreover, Hotwire will send you weekly emails with sales info, tips, and big discounts to help you boost your conversions. Plus, there is a dedicated affiliate team to support you during your promotions.
The Hotwire affiliate program is great for travel-related content creators, bloggers, and influencers. Anyone with an audience interested in finding deals with airlines and hotels can join the program.
Hotwire Affiliate Program: Commissions and Payment Details
Hotwire offers a competitive commission structure of up to $15 per sale on each qualifying sale. The rate depends on the specific item category you refer to. Here’s the detail:
- RetailAir: $2 per order
- Packages: $15 per order
- Hot rate hotel, hot rate car rental, and all others: 2% of order sale amount
However, referrals on the retail hotel and car rental categories are not eligible for commissions.
The cookie duration is 30 days. This means if your audience clicks your link and makes a commissionable booking on Hotwire within a month, you’ll get credited for that referral.
Your commissions are paid out 65 days after they’re invoiced. You can withdraw your money through direct transfer, BACS, or PayPal once you have at least $10 in your account.
Pros and Cons of the Hotwire Affiliate Program
This table summarizes some benefits and drawbacks of the Hotwire affiliate program:
| Pros | Cons |
| Popular brand | Strong competition |
| Competitive commission rate (up to $15/sale) | Long payment cycle |
| 30-day cookie window | $10 minimum payout threshold |
Hotwire is a leading discount travel booking site with high-demand booking services, making it easier to promote its products. With a competitive commission of up to $15 per sale, you can swiftly build a substantial revenue stream. Moreover, the 30-day cookie lifetime gives you lots of time to execute your strategies.
However, the payment process can take up to 65 days to complete, so you may need to invest in marketing or manage other business expenses. Additionally, your affiliate earnings must exceed $10 to be approved.
Hotwire Affiliate Program Sign Up: Step-by-step Guide
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to join the Hotwire affiliate program:
Step 1: Visit the Hotwire affiliate page
Go to the Hotwire affiliate program page and read its info and terms carefully. Then, click on “here” to head to its registration page.
Step 2: Submit application
Complete the Hotwire affiliate application with your contact, company, and promotional methods. Then, click “Sign up.”
Step 3: Get approved
Hotwire will check your application, which can take a few business days. If accepted, you’ll receive an approval email from the Hotwire affiliate team.
Step 4: Hotwire affiliate program login
Sign in to your Hotwire affiliate dashboard to access your affiliate links and other marketing materials.
Step 5: Start promoting
Place your affiliate referral link and other creatives on your site and content to start promoting Hotwire and get affiliate commissions.
How to Promote Hotwire as an Affiliate?
In this section, we’ll give you some effective strategies to boost your income with the Hotwire affiliate program:
The first tip is to share detailed reviews of your Hotwire trips, like describing the destinations, accommodations, and overall satisfaction. Your honest reviews will help your audience make informed decisions about booking through Hotwire.
Another effective strategy is creating lists of the best destinations, hotels, and activities on Hotwire. You can highlight the top-rated options in different categories to help your audience find what they’re looking for more easily.
You can also offer practical tips for saving money while traveling, such as booking last-minute deals or using Hotwire’s special pricing model. Showing how these tips can lead to big savings can encourage your audience to click on your affiliate links to book their trips.
Furthermore, you should keep your audience updated on Hotwire’s latest deals, especially during busy travel times. By sharing these offers, you’ll encourage your audience to use your affiliate links for Hotwire’s discounts.
Is the Hotwire Affiliate Program Worth It?
The Hotwire affiliate program offers an enticing opportunity for affiliates in the travel niche.
With its reputable brand and extensive reach, affiliate marketers can tap into a vast audience. You’ll also benefit from its generous commissions, long cookie duration, and wide range of creatives.
Let’s calculate the potential commissions as a Hotwire affiliate:
- A website with 5,000 monthly visitors
- 2% conversion rates
- Commission of up to $15 per sale
That would be up to $1,500 in commissions per month.
However, it’s crucial to acknowledge potential challenges, like the travel industry’s fluctuating nature and long payment process.
Overall, the success of this affiliate program depends on how well you tailor your plan. If you create interesting content and understand your followers’ travel preferences, you can increase your affiliate earnings.
FAQs
- Does Hotwire have an affiliate program?
Yes, Hotwire offers an affiliate program managed by Impact, one of the popular affiliate networks.
- Is the Hotwire affiliate program available on the app?
No. You can currently access the Hotwire affiliate program on Impact’s website portal.
- Who should join the Hotwire affiliate program?
The Hotwire affiliate program is best suited for publishers who cater to audiences interested in travel deals and discounted bookings.
- Is there a fee to join the Hotwire affiliate program?
No, there is no cost to join the Hotwire affiliate program.
- Are there any minimum requirements to become a Hotwire affiliate?
There are no minimum requirements to become a Hotwire publisher.
- Can the Hotwire program be combined with other affiliate programs?
Yes, you can promote multiple relevant offers together with the Hotwire affiliate program.
- What are the best Hotwire affiliate program alternatives?
Some top alternatives to the Hotwire affiliate program are Kayak, Hotels.com, Expedia, Cheapflights, Momondo, and VRBO affiliate programs.
