The car rental industry is experiencing a significant boom, making it a lucrative niche for affiliate marketers. The global car rental market is not just recovering; it’s surging. Projections indicate a jump from an impressive $82.5 billion in 2022 to over $137 billion by 2029. This growth is fueled by a massive customer base, with approximately 417 million car rental users worldwide, a number anticipated to exceed 602 million by 2026. The resurgence of travel post-pandemic is a major catalyst, creating an unprecedented opportunity for those looking to tap into the car rental affiliate market. Even beyond travel-specific niches, the need for rental vehicles for purposes like moving or local transportation provides a broad audience for car rental affiliate programs. Turning your website traffic into revenue through car rental partnerships has never been more promising.
This article explores the Best Car Rental Affiliate Programs available, providing a detailed overview to help you select the perfect partnerships to boost your passive income streams.
Top Car Rental Affiliate Programs for Lucrative Partnerships
Here are some of the leading car rental affiliate programs that stand out in the current market, offering diverse benefits and commission structures to suit various affiliate strategies.
1. RentalCars.com
Rentalcars.com stands as a giant in the online car rental space, facilitating over four million rentals annually across a vast network of 46,000 locations globally. They aggregate options from major car rental providers such as Avis, Enterprise, Hertz, and Thrifty, alongside numerous local brands, providing customers with a comprehensive selection.
As part of Booking Holdings, which also operates travel giants like Booking.com and Kayak.com, Rentalcars.com benefits from strong industry connections and brand recognition.
Their affiliate program, managed through Travelpayouts, offers a 6% commission on each completed booking with a 30-day cookie duration. It’s important to note that commissions are calculated on the base car rental price, excluding extras. Travelpayouts data indicates an average order value of €230 for Rentalcars.com, with an effective CPC of $0.02, suggesting a solid potential for earnings.
- URL: RentalCars.com affiliate program
- Commission rate: 6% per completed booking
- Cookie duration: 30 days
Alt text: Shots mockup showcasing digital marketing tools, relevant to affiliate business automation.
2. Discover Cars
DiscoverCars.com is a leading car rental comparison platform, empowering travelers to effortlessly find, compare, and book rentals in over 145 countries and 10,000 locations worldwide. The site attracts over a million monthly users during peak travel seasons, highlighting its popularity and reach.
A key selling point for Discover Cars is their transparent pricing, which includes all mandatory fees, taxes, and essential extras upfront, ensuring customer satisfaction and reducing booking friction. They also provide 24/7 customer support and flexible free cancellation policies, enhancing user experience.
Their affiliate program, accessible via the ShareASale network, offers a substantial 40% commission on qualifying revenue from each rental. Furthermore, affiliates can earn an additional 23% commission on sales of their FullCoverage insurance product. Discover Cars boasts an industry-leading 365-day cookie duration, providing ample opportunity to earn from referred traffic. ShareASale statistics show a 30-day average sale of $62.72 and an impressive EPC of $101.34, coupled with a strong 4.85% conversion rate.
Affiliates benefit from dedicated account managers offering strategic advice and a suite of promotional tools, including banners, text links, customizable widgets, landing page generators, and XML API integration.
- URL: Discover Cars affiliate program
- Commission rate: 40% of qualifying revenue per rental
- Cookie duration: 365 days
Alt text: Discover Cars homepage interface, showcasing car rental search form and brand logo.
3. Enterprise
Enterprise Rent-A-Car is globally recognized for its extensive network and customer service, offering car and truck rentals across more than 8,000 popular locations worldwide. As the flagship brand of Enterprise Holdings, which also encompasses Alamo and National, Enterprise carries significant brand authority.
Consistently praised for customer satisfaction, Enterprise topped the JD Power’s latest North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study. This strong reputation enhances trust and conversion potential for affiliates.
The Enterprise US car rental affiliate program, hosted on the Impact Radius network, offers a 1% commission on all sales within a generous 180-day cookie window. While the commission rate appears modest, the high value of car rentals, particularly for premium vehicles or extended periods, can translate to substantial earnings.
Enterprise provides affiliates with a range of promotional materials, including logos, banners, and text links, to facilitate effective marketing campaigns.
- 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, operates across 1,500+ locations spanning the US, Canada, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Australia, offering a wide global reach.
A key differentiator for National is its Emerald Club rewards program, which provides frequent renters with exclusive benefits. Members accumulate rental credits with each qualified rental, with seven credits equating to a free rental day, fostering customer loyalty and repeat business.
National’s affiliate program, also found on Impact Radius, offers a flat 3% commission on all sales and a 180-day cookie window. Commissions are typically paid within 30 days after the booking completion, ensuring timely payouts.
- URL: National affiliate program
- Commission rate: 3% per sale
- Cookie duration: 180 days
Alt text: National Car Rental website homepage, featuring car rental booking interface and brand identity.
5. Alamo
Alamo Rent A Car, another brand within the Enterprise Holdings portfolio, focuses on providing budget-friendly car rental options. Their website is designed to simplify travel planning with integrated tools for directions, weather updates, and local activity suggestions, enhancing user engagement and value. Alamo also offers a rewards program that provides members up to 5% discount on base rental rates, appealing to cost-conscious travelers.
In response to traveler concerns, Alamo joined the Clorox Safer Today Alliance, demonstrating a commitment to safety and hygiene. This partnership provides access to expert guidance from the Cleveland Clinic and the CDC on health and safety protocols, building customer confidence.
Alamo’s car rental affiliate program, available through the FlexOffers network, offers a 5% commission on all sales and a 180-day cookie window, aligning with the generous terms offered by its sister brands, Enterprise and National.
- URL: Alamo affiliate program
- Commission rate: 5% per sale
- Cookie duration: 180 days
6. Budget Rental Car
Budget Rent a Car is a globally recognized car rental provider, also offering truck rentals in the US, with over 3,000 locations worldwide. It operates under the Avis Budget Group, which also includes Avis and Zipcar, forming a substantial presence in the rental market.
The Budget Rental Car affiliate program is managed via the Partnerize network. New affiliates can earn up to 4% commission per sale, with rates varying based on rental duration and mileage. Higher commission tiers are available for top-performing affiliates, incentivizing strong performance.
Budget provides affiliates with a comprehensive dashboard offering real-time data on clicks, sales, and earnings, facilitating campaign optimization and performance tracking. It’s important to note that Budget requires affiliates to have an active website for application approval and currently partners only with affiliates based in the US and Canada.
- URL: Budget Rental Car affiliate program
- Commission rate: Up to 4% per sale
- Cookie duration: Unlisted
Alt text: Budget Car Rental website interface, promoting affordable car rental services and deals.
7. Avis Car Rental
Avis Car Rental pioneered airport car rentals and is now part of the Avis Budget Group, alongside Budget and Zipcar. Together, they form one of the world’s most recognizable car rental brands, operating approximately 5,500 locations across over 165 countries.
Avis aims to build customer trust through its best-price guarantee. If customers find a lower qualifying rate elsewhere, Avis commits to matching it and offering an additional 10% discount, reinforcing its value proposition.
Like Budget, Avis utilizes the Partnerize network for its car rental affiliate program. New affiliates can earn up to 4% commission per transaction, based on mileage and rental time, with higher rates for top performers. Avis allows affiliates to register multiple websites under a single account, provided each site has a unique URL. Currently, Avis accepts affiliate applications only from companies or individuals in the US and Canada. Partnerize provides technical support to help new affiliates quickly begin generating revenue.
- URL: Avis affiliate program
- Commission rate: Up to 4% per sale
- Cookie duration: Unlisted
8. Hertz
Hertz is a global leader in car rentals, operating over 10,000 locations, both at airports and in neighborhoods, across 145 countries and six continents. In addition to the Hertz brand, the company owns budget-focused rental companies Dollar and Thrifty, catering to a broad market spectrum.
Hertz fosters customer loyalty through its Hertz Gold Plus Rewards program, boasting over 11 million members globally and issuing millions of complimentary upgrades.
To join the Hertz rental car affiliate program, you need to register with CJ Affiliate. Once approved, affiliates earn a 3% commission on completed car rentals in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. However, the cookie duration is a short one day. CJ Affiliate reports a three-month EPC of $89.07 for the Hertz program.
Hertz equips affiliates with various promotional resources and tools, including newsletters with incentives, promotions, and banner advertisements.
- URL: Hertz affiliate program
- Commission rate: 3% on completed rentals in select markets
- Cookie duration: 1 day
Alt text: Hertz Car Rental official homepage, displaying car booking interface and brand promotions.
9. Thrifty
Thrifty Car Rental, a subsidiary of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, which is owned by Hertz, is a significant player in the car rental industry. Thrifty operates over 1,000 locations in 77 countries, including 472 in the US and Canada, focusing on budget-conscious travelers.
Their rewards program, Thrifty Blue Chip Rewards, offers members savings of up to 15% on bookings, attracting value-seeking customers.
Thrifty’s affiliate program is managed through Rakuten Advertising. It offers a standard 1% commission on consumed rentals with a 14-day cookie window.
- 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 rental comparison website that partners with major brands like Hertz, Avis, Enterprise, Europcar, National, Budget, Dollar, Buchbinder, and Peugeot. They aim to provide customers with the best rates across 20,000 pickup locations in over 180 countries.
Auto Europe offers free cancellations up to 48 hours before pickup and guarantees no hidden fees. They also provide a best-rate guarantee and 24/7 customer support, emphasizing customer satisfaction and service quality. To date, Auto Europe has served over eight million customers worldwide.
The Auto Europe affiliate program is available through the CJ Affiliate network. It offers a 5% commission on completed car rentals with a seven-day cookie duration.
- URL: AutoEurope affiliate program
- Commission rate: 5% commission on completed rentals
- Cookie duration: 7 days
Alt text: Auto Europe website homepage, showcasing car rental search tool and partner logos.
Choosing the Right Car Rental Affiliate Program
Selecting the best car rental affiliate program depends on various factors, including your audience, traffic sources, and marketing strategies. Consider these key aspects when making your decision:
- Commission Rate: While higher percentages are attractive, evaluate the average booking value and conversion rates to estimate potential earnings.
- Cookie Duration: Longer cookie durations provide more opportunities to earn commissions, especially for travel-related bookings that may involve longer decision-making processes.
- Brand Recognition: Partnering with well-known brands can enhance credibility and conversion rates.
- Program Support and Tools: Access to marketing materials, reporting dashboards, and dedicated support can significantly impact your affiliate success.
- Geographic Focus: Ensure the program aligns with your target audience’s geographic location for optimal relevance and conversion.
Conclusion: Are Car Rental Affiliate Programs a Smart Choice for You?
Car rental affiliate programs present compelling opportunities for generating substantial passive income. The potential for high commissions, with some programs offering up to 40% of their car rental profit, combined with the relatively high cost of car rentals – averaging around $695 for a week-long rental – means significant earning potential per transaction.
However, the car rental affiliate niche is fiercely competitive. Success requires strategic SEO practices and the development of a high-converting affiliate website to stand out among established rental companies and numerous other affiliates.
To gain a competitive edge in this lucrative market, continuous learning and adaptation are crucial. Exploring resources and training programs focused on affiliate marketing and SEO strategies can significantly enhance your success in the car rental affiliate space and beyond.
