The car hire market is experiencing a significant boom. Experts predict the global car rental industry will surge from a substantial $82.5 billion in 2022 to an impressive over $137 billion by 2029. With a current customer base of approximately 417 million globally, projections indicate this number will exceed 602 million by 2026. This growth, fueled by the resurgence of travel post-pandemic, presents a golden opportunity to tap into the lucrative world of Car Hire Affiliate Programs.
Whether you’re already immersed in the travel niche or catering to an audience interested in vehicle rentals for various needs like moving houses or planning road trips, the potential to convert your website traffic into revenue is substantial. The rising demand for car hire services creates numerous avenues for generating passive income through strategic affiliate partnerships.
Let’s explore some of the top car hire affiliate programs available right now and how you can leverage them to your advantage.
Top Car Hire Affiliate Programs to Boost Your Earnings
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1. RentalCars.com
Rentalcars.com stands out as a leading online car hire agency, facilitating over four million rentals annually across more than 46,000 locations worldwide. They partner with a wide spectrum of car hire providers, from industry giants like Avis, Enterprise, and Hertz to smaller, local brands, offering customers diverse choices.
As part of Booking Holdings, which also manages prominent travel platforms such as Booking.com, Cheapflights, and Kayak.com, Rentalcars.com benefits from strong industry connections and brand recognition.
Their affiliate program offers a 6% commission on each completed car hire booking, calculated from the base car price, excluding extras. With a 30-day cookie window, affiliates have a good timeframe to earn commissions. Travelpayouts affiliate network data indicates an average order value of €230 for Rentalcars.com, suggesting a solid earning potential.
- URL: RentalCars.com affiliate program
- Commission rate: 6% of each completed booking
- Cookie duration: 30 days
Further Reading:
Travelpayouts Review
2. Discover Cars
DiscoverCars.com is a premier car hire comparison website, empowering travelers to efficiently search, compare, and book car rentals in over 145 countries and 10,000 locations globally. Attracting over a million users monthly during peak travel periods, it’s a high-traffic platform.
Discover Cars distinguishes itself by providing quotes that encompass all mandatory fees, taxes, and extras upfront, ensuring customer satisfaction and transparency. They also provide 24/7 customer support and free cancellation options, enhancing user experience.
Their affiliate program, managed through ShareASale, a leading affiliate network, offers a competitive 40% commission on qualifying revenue from each car hire, plus an additional 23% on sales of their FullCoverage insurance service. A standout feature is their generous 365-day cookie duration, the longest among the programs reviewed, giving affiliates ample opportunity to earn.
ShareASale statistics show Discover Cars achieving an average sale of $62.72 and an EPC of $101.34, with a strong conversion rate of 4.85%. Affiliates also benefit from a dedicated account manager and a comprehensive suite of promotional tools, including banners, text links, customizable widgets, and a landing page generator.
- URL: Discover Cars affiliate program
- Commission rate: 40% of qualifying revenue per transaction
- Cookie duration: 365 days
3. Enterprise
Enterprise is a globally recognized car hire brand, offering car and truck rentals at over 8,000 popular destinations worldwide. As the flagship brand of Enterprise Holdings, which includes Alamo and National, Enterprise benefits from a strong portfolio and extensive network.
Renowned for exceptional customer service, Enterprise consistently ranks high in customer satisfaction surveys, including topping JD Power’s latest car rental customer satisfaction study.
Their US car hire affiliate program operates on the Impact Radius network. While the commission rate is 1% of sales, the 180-day cookie window is substantial. Given the potentially high value of car hire bookings, especially for premium vehicles, even a 1% commission can translate to significant earnings. Enterprise provides affiliates with various promotional resources like logos, banners, and text links to facilitate traffic and conversions.
- URL: Enterprise affiliate program
- Commission rate: 1% per sale
- Cookie duration: 180 days
4. National Car Rental
National Car Rental, also part of Enterprise Holdings, serves customers across 1,500+ locations in numerous regions, including the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
A key attraction of National is their Emerald Club rewards program, offering frequent renters benefits like rental credits, which accumulate towards free rental days.
Their affiliate program, also on Impact Radius, provides a 3% commission on all sales with a 180-day cookie window. Commissions are typically paid within 30 days after booking completion. National’s established brand and rewards program can be strong selling points for affiliates targeting business travelers and frequent renters.
- URL: National affiliate program
- Commission rate: 3% per sale
- Cookie duration: 180 days
5. Alamo
Alamo, another brand within the Enterprise Holdings group, focuses on providing budget-friendly car hire options. Their website aims to streamline travel planning by offering tools like travel directions and weather reports. Alamo also features a rewards program offering discounts to members.
Alamo emphasizes traveler safety through its participation in the Clorox Safer Today Alliance, ensuring adherence to robust safety guidelines with expert support from Cleveland Clinic and the CDC.
Their car hire affiliate program, available through FlexOffers, offers a 5% commission on all sales and a 180-day cookie window. Alamo’s focus on affordability and safety can appeal to a broad audience, particularly families and leisure travelers seeking value.
- URL: Alamo affiliate program
- Commission rate: 5% per sale
- Cookie duration: 180 days
6. Budget Rental Car
Budget is a global car hire company, also offering truck rentals in the US, with services available at over 3,000 locations worldwide. Part of the Avis Budget Group, alongside Avis and Zipcar, Budget is a well-established brand.
The Budget Rental Car affiliate program is managed via the Partnerize network. New affiliates can earn up to 4% commission per sale, based on rental duration and mileage, with potential for higher rates for top performers. They provide a detailed affiliate dashboard for tracking clicks, sales, and earnings to optimize campaign performance.
Note that a live website is required to apply, and Budget currently partners with affiliates based in the US and Canada only. Budget’s strong brand recognition and performance tracking tools make it a solid option for established affiliates.
- URL: Budget Rental Car affiliate program
- Commission rate: Up to 4% per sale
- Cookie duration: Unlisted
7. Avis Car Rental
Avis, a pioneer in airport car rentals, is also part of the Avis Budget Group. With subsidiaries, it operates a major global car hire brand with approximately 5,500 locations across over 165 countries.
Avis offers a best-price guarantee, matching lower qualifying rates and providing an additional 10% discount, enhancing customer confidence.
Like Budget, Avis’s car hire affiliate program is on the Partnerize network, offering new affiliates up to 4% commission per transaction, based on mileage and rental time, with higher rates for top affiliates. Affiliates can manage multiple sites under one account, but currently, only US and Canadian affiliates are accepted. Partnerize provides technical support to help affiliates get started quickly. Avis’s long-standing reputation and best-price guarantee can be attractive to affiliates focusing on value and customer trust.
- URL: Avis affiliate program
- Commission rate: Up to 4% per sale
- Cookie duration: Unlisted
8. Hertz
Hertz is another car hire industry giant, operating over 10,000 locations across 145 countries and six continents. In addition to the Hertz brand, they own Dollar and Thrifty, covering various market segments.
Hertz’s rewards program, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, boasts over 11 million members globally, highlighting strong customer loyalty.
To join the Hertz car hire affiliate program, you need a CJ Affiliate account. Once approved, you earn a 3% commission on completed rentals in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. However, the cookie duration is only one day, which is shorter compared to competitors. Despite this, CJ Affiliate reports a three-month EPC of $89.07 for the program, indicating solid earning potential through volume. Hertz provides affiliates with promotional materials and regular updates on incentives and promotions.
- URL: Hertz affiliate program
- Commission rate: 3% on completed rentals in select markets
- Cookie duration: 1 day
9. Thrifty
Thrifty Car Rental, a subsidiary of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group (owned by Hertz), is a significant player in the car hire market with over 1,000 locations across 77 countries.
As the name suggests, Thrifty targets budget-conscious travelers. Their rewards program, Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards, offers members savings on bookings.
Thrifty’s affiliate program is managed by Rakuten Advertising, offering a 1% commission on consumed rentals with a 14-day cookie window. While the commission rate is lower, Thrifty’s focus on budget travelers can attract a specific segment of traffic, and Rakuten provides robust tracking and payment infrastructure.
- URL: Thrifty affiliate program
- Commission rate: 1% commission on consumed rentals
- Cookie duration: 14 days
10. Auto Europe Car Rentals
Auto Europe is a car hire comparison website partnering with major brands like Hertz, Avis, and Enterprise to offer competitive rates at 20,000 pickup locations across 180+ countries.
Auto Europe offers free cancellations up to 48 hours before pickup and guarantees no hidden fees, alongside a best-rate guarantee and 24/7 customer support. They have served over eight million customers globally, demonstrating reliability and customer satisfaction.
Their affiliate program, on the CJ Affiliate network, offers a 5% commission on completed car rentals with a seven-day cookie duration. Auto Europe’s broad network and customer-centric policies make it an appealing option for affiliates targeting international travelers and those seeking comprehensive car hire solutions.
- URL: AutoEurope affiliate program
- Commission rate: 5% commission on completed rentals
- Cookie duration: 7 days
Conclusion: Is a Car Hire Affiliate Program the Right Path for You?
Car hire affiliate programs present compelling opportunities. The commission potential is significant, with some programs offering up to 40% of the car rental profit. Given the considerable cost of car hire services, with average seven-day rentals reaching up to $695, each conversion can yield substantial payouts.
However, the car hire niche is fiercely competitive. Success requires effectively competing with leading rental companies and numerous other affiliates targeting similar audiences and keywords. Building a well-optimized, high-converting affiliate website is crucial for standing out.
Authority Hacker is here to assist you in navigating this landscape. Sign up for our free training to uncover key strategies for boosting your website’s success, including valuable insights into outranking competitors and leveraging top keywords in your niche!
