About Skyscanner

Skyscanner is a leading global travel search engine based in Edinburgh, Scotland, and owned by Trip.com Group. It helps users compare and book flights, hotels, and car rentals by aggregating prices from hundreds of airlines, online travel agencies, and booking platforms.

Their mission is to help travelers plan and book their trips with ease and confidence by providing a comprehensive, transparent, and free-to-use search service. The site is available in over 30 languages and is used by over 100 million people monthly.

Disclaimer
Affiliate program terms can change frequently. The figures below are based on general information and may vary based on specific campaigns or affiliate tiers.

Skyscanner Affiliate Program Overview

The Skyscanner Affiliate Program allows content creators and website owners to earn a commission by promoting Skyscanner’s travel search services to their audience. Affiliates integrate Skyscanner’s search tools and links onto their platforms, earning a percentage of the revenue Skyscanner receives when a referred user clicks through and makes a booking with one of their travel partners.

FactorDescription
IndustryTravel, Online Search Engine, Booking
Product TypeDigital Services (Travel Search and Comparison for Flights, Hotels, Car Rentals)
Affiliate Program TypeRevenue Share (RevShare) / Cost Per Sale (CPS) / Cost Per Click (CPC – on click-out to partner site)

Skyscanner Affiliate Program Offers

The program provides affiliates with necessary tools and operates with specific terms to help them monetize their traffic.

FactorDescription
Promotional MaterialsBanners, Text Links, Customizable Widgets, Deep Links, Travel API (for established businesses with high traffic)
Affiliate Cookie Duration30 days
Accepted Traffic SourceWebsites/Blogs with regular traffic, Social Media (Specific requirements may apply)
Accepted CountriesWorldwide (Skyscanner operates in over 180 countries)
Explicit ContentNot Accepted (Typically against partner guidelines)
Religious or Political ContentNot Accepted (Typically against partner guidelines)

Skyscanner Affiliate Commissions & Payments

Skyscanner’s commission is often structured as a percentage of the revenue they earn from their partners (a revenue share model on the “click-out” or booking) rather than a percentage of the total booking price.

FactorDescription
MLMNo (Single-tier commission structure)
Commission RateUp to 20% of Skyscanner’s revenue cut for bookings. Some sources indicate a 50% revenue share from traffic sent.
Commission StructurePercentage of Skyscanner’s commission/fee, often translating to a fixed amount per click-out or booking (e.g., €0.40 to €1.00 per completed booking).
Payout FrequencyMonthly
Payout MethodsPayPal, Other methods often available through the affiliate network (e.g., Impact).
Minimum PayoutVaries; some sources suggest No minimum payout, while others mention an amount like $200 before withdrawal is possible.

Suitable Affiliates for Skyscanner Affiliate

The Skyscanner Affiliate Program is best suited for those who can generate high-volume, high-quality traffic from an audience actively planning and researching travel.

  • Bloggers & Website Owners: Particularly those running travel blogs, niche destination guides, or flight deal aggregation sites. An active website with a minimum traffic (e.g., 5,000 unique users per month) is often required for direct partnership/API access.
  • YouTubers & Influencers: Those creating content focused on travel planning, budget travel, comparison videos of booking sites, and destination inspiration.
  • KOL/KOC/Livestreamers: Individuals who can consistently recommend travel options and deals to their engaged followers with a high conversion intent.

The program works well for affiliates who treat their promotional efforts like a media business, constantly updating content, tracking new routes, and optimizing for high-intent traffic.

Skyscanner Affiliate Software

Skyscanner manages its main affiliate program through a third-party affiliate network:

  • Affiliate Management Software: Impact (Impact Radius) is the primary affiliate network Skyscanner uses to manage its partners, tracking, and payments.
  • In-house Software: Skyscanner also offers a direct partnership and Travel API access for established businesses with a large audience and robust business plan, which is managed in-house.

3 Alternatives for Skyscanner Affiliate Program

Here are three strong alternatives in the travel affiliate space, each with a different focus, compared with Skyscanner.

Comparison FactorSkyscannerKAYAKBooking.comExpedia Group
Primary NicheFlight, Hotel & Car Search/Comparison (Metasearch)Flight, Hotel & Car Search/Comparison (Metasearch)Accommodation BookingGeneral Travel (Accommodation, Flights, Cars)
Average BillHigh (Associated with total trip cost)High (Associated with total trip cost)Varies (Hotel stay)Varies (Package deals often higher)
Entry FeesFreeFreeFreeFree
Withdrawal ThresholdVaries (e.g., No minimum or $200)High ($500)Varies (e.g., €100 for PayPal/Credit Card)Not specified (Typically paid via affiliate network)
Payment FrequencyMonthlyMonthlyMonthlyTwice Monthly
CommissionUp to 20% of Skyscanner’s commission (RevShare)Up to 50% of KAYAK’s revenue (RevShare)25% to 40% of Booking.com’s commission (Tiered RevShare)Up to 6% on bookings (Tiered by product)
ConversionPays on booking/click-out to partner, not the final sale price.Pays on click-outs and bookings.High conversion due to brand trust and large inventory.High conversion due to brand recognition.
Marketing MaterialsBanners, Text Links, Widgets, APILinks, Widgets, API, Comparison toolsDeals Finder, Search Box, Banners, LinksCreator Toolbox, Links