Airbnb Affiliate Program Explained: How It Worked, Why It Ended, and What’s Next for Hosts

Affiliate marketing lets individuals or companies earn commissions by referring new customers to a brand. Airbnb once ran its own version of this through the Airbnb Associates Program, where creators, travel websites, and influencers could share special links that earned them a small cut every time someone booked a stay.

For many hosts and travel enthusiasts, it sounded like a simple way to earn extra income by promoting the platform they already used. But Airbnb’s affiliate journey has changed over the years from early experiments and relaunches to eventually discontinuing the program.

In this guide, we’ll unpack what the Airbnb affiliate program was, how it worked, why it ended, and what alternatives exist today for those who still want to earn from Airbnb’s ecosystem.

What Is the Airbnb Affiliate Program?

The Airbnb Affiliate Program, later known as the Airbnb Associates Program, was Airbnb’s official initiative that allowed individuals and businesses to earn money by referring travelers or new hosts to the platform. 

It followed a classic affiliate marketing model, where you promote a product or service through custom links and receive a commission when someone makes a purchase or booking.

How It Worked

Here’s the basic idea behind it:

• Affiliates joined the program through Airbnb’s dedicated portal.
• They received unique tracking links that could be added to blogs, social media posts, or websites.
• When a user clicked the link and completed a booking, the affiliate earned a commission.
• Payments were based on confirmed stays, not just clicks or sign-ups.

Who It Was For

The program mainly targeted:

• Travel bloggers who shared destination guides or accommodation reviews.
• Influencers and YouTubers who showcased unique stays.
• Online travel agencies or deal websites with existing audiences.

How Did the Airbnb Affiliate Program Work?

The Airbnb Affiliate Program (later called the Airbnb Associates Program) operated like most traditional affiliate marketing models, where participants promoted Airbnb stays, and Airbnb rewarded them when their audience booked through their unique links.

To join, individuals or businesses had to apply through Airbnb’s partner portal. Once approved, they received tools to create and share affiliate content, including links, banners, and widgets.

Here’s how it typically worked:

• Sign-up and approval: Interested partners applied on Airbnb’s official Associates page. After approval, they got access to a custom dashboard.
• Promotion: Affiliates could link to Airbnb homes, destinations, or experiences from their websites, blogs, or social channels.
• Tracking: Each affiliate link contained a unique tracking code to record clicks and bookings.
• Earnings: When a traveler clicked a link and completed a verified booking, the affiliate earned a commission based on Airbnb’s service fee.

In practice, this system allowed travel bloggers, review sites, and creators to monetize their content while helping Airbnb expand its global reach. The setup was simple, transparent, and performance-based, making it an appealing option for creators already writing about travel and hospitality.

How Much Did Airbnb Pay Affiliates?

During its active years, Airbnb’s affiliate program paid out based on confirmed bookings—not clicks or impressions. The exact earnings varied by region, booking type, and partner performance, but the structure remained transparent and straightforward.

Affiliates typically earned up to 25% of Airbnb’s service fee per completed booking. Since Airbnb’s service fee averaged around 10–15% of the booking amount, the final affiliate commission was a small percentage of the total transaction value.

For example:

• If a guest booked a stay worth $500, Airbnb’s service fee might be $50.
• The affiliate’s share — about 25% of that fee — would be roughly $12.50.

Other important payout details included:

• Cookie duration: Bookings had to be completed within a set number of days (usually 28–30) after the initial click.
• Verification period: Commissions were only paid after the guest completed their stay, ensuring valid transactions.
• Payment threshold: Affiliates needed to meet a minimum payout limit before withdrawing funds.

While earnings per booking were modest, high-traffic blogs and travel sites could generate substantial monthly revenue from consistent referral traffic. 

However, since Airbnb discontinued the program in 2021, these payments no longer apply today.

Alternatives to the Airbnb Affiliate Program for Hosts

Even though Airbnb’s official affiliate program no longer exists, hosts and creators still have several ways to earn extra income or promote listings through similar models. Understanding these alternatives can help hosts diversify their revenue streams or even apply affiliate-style marketing to their own short-term rental businesses.

1. Booking.com Affiliate Partner Program

Booking.com continues to run one of the largest affiliate programs in the travel industry. 

Participants can:

• Earn a commission for every completed booking made through their links or website widgets.
• Access customizable tools like banners, search boxes, and deep links to properties.
• Join easily through networks like CJ Affiliate or directly via Booking.com’s partner portal

This is a viable option for travel content creators or hosts who run blogs comparing accommodation options.

2. Vrbo Affiliate Program

Vrbo (part of Expedia Group) also offers an affiliate program that works through large marketing networks. Affiliates earn a share of Vrbo’s service fee for completed bookings — similar to Airbnb’s previous structure. For hosts who list on multiple OTAs, this program lets them promote their vacation rentals across platforms while earning referral income. You can join this program through platforms like the Vrbo website’s affiliate section, CJ affiliate, or Travelpayouts.

3. TripAdvisor Partnerships

TripAdvisor maintains an open affiliate and partner program with flexible commission models. They allow affiliates to promote hotels, experiences, or vacation rentals. It also provides analytics dashboards and booking widgets, which are ideal for hosts or creators writing destination content.

4. Airbnb’s Own Referral Options

While the affiliate model is gone, Airbnb still offers referral programs that reward users for:

• Inviting new hosts to join and list their properties.
• Referring new guests who book a stay for the first time.

These are not commission-based, but they often include travel credits, bonuses, or discounts — offering a lightweight way to benefit from sharing Airbnb.

5. Affiliate Programs in the STR Ecosystem

Hosts can also explore affiliate opportunities beyond booking platforms, such as:

• Dynamic pricing tools like PriceLabs. You can either join our Ambassador Program or our Referral Program.
• Property management software (PMS) like Guesty or Hostaway.
• Vacation rental insurance and cleaning services that offer referral commissions.

These programs allow hosts to earn through partnerships that align closely with their hosting business and expertise.

Airbnb’s Current Referral and Partnership Options (2025 Update)

Although Airbnb’s open affiliate/associate program has ended, the company still offers several referral and partnership programs relevant to hosts, and understanding them can help you use them strategically.

Referral Programs for Hosts

One of the most tangible opportunities for hosts is the Host Referral Program. In this setup, you can refer new hosts and earn rewards when they complete a qualifying booking.

Here is how the key mechanics work:

• You share your unique referral link with someone who is not yet a host on Airbnb and who creates a listing via your link.
• The referred person (the “new host”) must publish a listing for the first time and complete a “Qualifying Booking” according to Airbnb’s terms.
• You can earn a reward (cash or credit) based on the location, listing type, and timing. Payouts are typically made within around 30 days after the qualifying booking.
• There is a cap: you’ll only receive referral rewards for up to the first 25 referred home-hosts, plus separate limits for experience hosts and service hosts.

Guest Referral & Other Rewards

Although the affiliate program for promoting stays is no longer available, Airbnb still has guest-referral programs in some locations. For example, you can refer friends as guests, and both you and the friend may receive travel credits when they complete a qualifying stay. 

These are more limited (in geography, eligibility, and reward type) and less relevant for hosts trying to earn a significant side income, but still worth knowing, especially if you already have a network of travellers.

Key Takeaways for Airbnb Hosts

Airbnb’s affiliate program once rewarded creators for driving bookings, but it was discontinued as the company shifted toward direct marketing and in-app discovery.

While you can’t join an affiliate program today, hosts can still benefit from referral rewards for bringing new hosts on board and guest credits in select regions.

The takeaway for hosts: focus on building your own audience, strengthening your listing visibility, and using affiliate-style strategies — like partnerships and referrals — to grow sustainably within and beyond Airbnb.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Airbnb Affiliate Program

1. Does Airbnb have an affiliate program right now?

No. Airbnb discontinued its public affiliate program, known as the Airbnb Associates Program, in 2021. The company now focuses on brand-led marketing and selective partnerships rather than open affiliate commissions.

2. How much did Airbnb affiliates earn before the program ended?

Affiliates typically earned up to 25% of Airbnb’s service fee per completed booking. For example, if a guest booked a $500 stay, the affiliate might earn around $10–$15 after the stay was completed.

3. Is there any way to earn from Airbnb today?

Yes. Through Airbnb’s Host Referral Program, which rewards existing hosts for inviting new hosts to join and complete a qualifying booking. In some regions, guests can also earn travel credits by referring new travelers.