Avis Affiliate Program: How To Make Money With It

Ever wondered if you could earn money every time someone books a rental car? The Avis affiliate program lets you do exactly that. With operations in 165 countries and over 5,700 locations worldwide, Avis offers affiliates a 4% commission on every completed reservation. In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to turn this global brand into a consistent revenue stream.

Quick Program Stats

💰 Commission: 4% per completed reservation
🍪 Cookie Duration: 30 days
💳 Payment Methods: PayPal, Wire Transfer (location-based)
🌍 Availability: 165 countries
📍 Locations: 5,700+ worldwide
⏱️ Approval Time: Typically 1-3 business days

Why the Avis Affiliate Program Actually Makes Sense

Here’s the thing about car rental affiliate programs—they’re not sexy, but they’re consistent.

Unlike trendy products that come and go, people need rental cars. Business travelers need them. Families on vacation need them. Someone whose car just broke down definitely needs one.

The math is straightforward. A typical Avis rental runs anywhere from $200 to $800 depending on duration and vehicle type. At 4% commission, that’s $8 to $32 per booking. Get 10 bookings a month, and you’re looking at $80 to $320 in passive income from a single affiliate program.

But here’s where it gets interesting. Avis isn’t just competing on price—they’re a premium brand with solid recognition. That brand trust translates to better conversion rates when you’re promoting them. People know Avis, they trust Avis, and they’re more likely to complete a booking when they land on a familiar website.

The 30-day cookie window gives you breathing room too. Someone researching a trip in three weeks can click your link today and you’ll still get credited when they finally book.

Understanding the Commission Structure

Let’s break down what you’re actually earning with this program.

Avis pays 4% on completed reservations. Not clicks. Not sign-ups. Completed reservations. That means the customer has to actually pick up the car for you to get paid.

This is important because it changes your promotion strategy. You’re not just driving clicks—you’re driving qualified traffic that’s ready to book. Someone casually browsing rental car options probably won’t convert. Someone searching “cheap rental car near Orlando airport next Tuesday” absolutely will.

The revenue share model means your earnings scale with the booking value. Economy car for three days? Lower commission. Full-size SUV for two weeks? Much better payday. This creates natural incentive to target longer-term rentals and premium vehicle searches.

One thing I appreciate about Avis is their incentive structure beyond base commissions. They run periodic promotions and bonuses for affiliates hitting certain milestones. Keep an eye on your affiliate dashboard for these—they can significantly boost your effective commission rate during promotional periods.

Who Should Promote Avis (And Who Shouldn’t)

This program works exceptionally well if you’re in the travel content space.

Travel bloggers writing destination guides can naturally weave in rental car recommendations. Someone reading your “Ultimate Guide to Road Tripping Through Iceland” is exactly the person who needs a rental car. That’s a warm lead served on a silver platter.

Local city guides and tourism websites have a massive advantage here. If you rank for “things to do in Austin” or “best beaches in California,” adding rental car options is an obvious value-add that can monetize that traffic.

Deal and coupon sites perform well too. People searching for “Avis coupon code” or “rental car deals” have high purchase intent. They’re literally ready to book and just want to save a few bucks.

Where this program struggles is cold traffic. Running Facebook ads directly to Avis? Tough sell. People don’t wake up thinking “today I’m going to rent a car from Avis specifically.” They have a need first, then they search for solutions.

If your audience isn’t travel-related, you’re forcing the connection. A fitness blog trying to promote Avis would feel awkward and convert poorly. Stay in your lane and promote where it makes contextual sense.

Step-by-Step Strategy to Start Earning

Getting approved is the easy part. Head to the Avis affiliate program page (usually through networks like TradeDoubler or Commission Junction depending on your region) and submit your application. They typically approve within 1-3 business days as long as you have an established website or platform.

Once you’re in, grab your affiliate links and get strategic about placement.

The highest-converting content format for rental car affiliate programs is location-specific guides. Create content around airports and tourist destinations. “Best Rental Car Options at LAX” or “How to Get Around Maui Without a Tour Group” naturally positions Avis as a solution.

Another winning angle is comparison content. People love seeing options side-by-side. Write pieces comparing Avis to Enterprise, Budget, or Hertz. Be honest in your assessment—if Avis wins on certain factors like location availability or premium vehicles, highlight that. If they’re slightly pricier, acknowledge it but emphasize the value proposition.

Seasonal content works incredibly well in the travel space. Spring break destination guides, summer road trip itineraries, winter ski resort access—these all create natural opportunities to recommend rental cars. Write these pieces months in advance and watch them generate affiliate revenue year after year.

For paid traffic, focus on long-tail keywords with commercial intent. “Rent convertible Miami Beach” or “SUV rental Denver airport” indicates someone ready to book. These searches may have lower volume, but the conversion rates make them profitable.

Email sequences for travel newsletters should include rental car options when relevant. If you’re sending a “Summer Travel Deals” roundup, Avis belongs there. If you have a list of road trip enthusiasts, they need rental car recommendations multiple times per year.

Traffic Sources That Actually Convert

Organic search is your best friend with this program. Google processes billions of travel-related searches monthly, and a significant percentage include rental car intent.

Target informational keywords that lead to commercial outcomes. Someone searching “driving distance from San Francisco to Yosemite” is planning a trip that requires a car. Create that content, rank for it, and naturally include Avis as your recommended rental option.

Airport-specific content is particularly lucrative. Every major airport has people searching for rental car options. Create comprehensive guides for major airports covering everything from terminal locations to shuttle information to rental company comparisons. These pages can rank for years and consistently generate commissions.

Google Ads can work but requires careful budget management. Focus on geo-targeted campaigns around major airports and tourist destinations. Bid on branded terms like “Avis promo code” or comparison keywords like “Avis vs Enterprise.” Avoid broad terms like “rental car”—too competitive and too expensive.

Pinterest deserves attention for travel affiliates. Create travel planning boards with rental car tips, road trip itineraries, and destination guides. Pin consistently and link back to your content. The long lifespan of Pinterest pins means content can generate clicks months or years after posting.

YouTube content around travel planning and destination guides can work well too. Walking viewers through the process of booking a rental car, explaining insurance options, or showing the actual rental process at specific locations builds trust and drives conversions.

What You Need to Know About the Challenges

Let’s talk about the stuff most affiliate review sites won’t mention.

Avis customer service is hit-or-miss depending on location. A bad rental experience at one location can sour someone on the entire brand, and by extension, your recommendation. You can’t control this, but be aware it happens.

The completion requirement means you only get paid when someone actually picks up the car. Cancellations and no-shows hurt your bottom line. This is why driving qualified, high-intent traffic matters so much. Someone casually browsing won’t complete the booking.

You’ll need separate program accounts if you’re operating in multiple regions or through different affiliate networks. Avis works with TradeDoubler in some regions and Commission Junction in others. This creates administrative overhead and fragments your reporting.

The 4% commission rate is lower than some competing programs. Enterprise, for example, has offered higher rates in certain markets. If your audience doesn’t have strong brand preference, you might earn more promoting alternatives.

Brand loyalty in rental cars is weaker than other industries. Someone who rents from Avis once might choose Enterprise next time based purely on price or location. This makes building recurring commission streams harder than in niches with stronger brand loyalty.

Maximizing Your Revenue Per Booking

Focus on promoting longer rental periods. A weekend rental might earn you twelve bucks. A two-week vacation rental could generate fifty dollars or more from a single conversion.

Target premium vehicle categories when it makes sense for your content. Someone searching for “luxury car rental Miami” is probably booking an upgrade anyway. Your commission on a $100/day luxury sedan is significantly better than on a $30/day economy car.

Create content around business travel and corporate rentals. Business travelers typically book higher-tier vehicles and longer periods. Content targeting “best rental car for business travel” or guides for specific corporate travel destinations can drive higher-value conversions.

Leverage the 30-day cookie window strategically. Content targeting early-stage trip planning can capture the click weeks before the actual booking. Write planning guides for destinations with long booking windows—international trips, holiday travel, major events.

Build an email list and create pre-trip sequences. If someone downloads your “Ultimate Costa Rica Travel Guide,” follow up with rental car tips as their trip approaches. The combination of value-driven content and timely promotion drives conversions.

Real Talk: Is This Program Worth Your Time?

Here’s my honest assessment after breaking down the Avis affiliate program.

If you’re already in the travel content space, absolutely yes. This is easy money for content you’re probably creating anyway. A few strategically placed affiliate links on existing high-traffic pages can generate consistent monthly income with zero additional effort.

For beginners trying to break into affiliate marketing, car rentals might not be the sexiest entry point, but they’re practical. The conversion process is straightforward—no subscription boxes or complicated funnels. Someone needs a car, they book a car, you get paid. Simple.

The commission rate isn’t amazing, but the conversion rate and average order value make up for it. You’re not fighting for $2 commissions on impulse purchases. You’re earning $15-40 on considered purchases with high booking values.

The global presence of Avis is a genuine advantage. If you create content for international audiences, you can monetize traffic from virtually anywhere. Most affiliate programs are US-focused; Avis works in 165 countries.

The biggest limitation is niche compatibility. If you’re not in travel or location-based content, forcing this program into your strategy won’t work. Promote what makes sense for your audience.

Getting Started Today

If you’ve made it this far, you know whether this program fits your content strategy.

The application process is straightforward—join through the Avis affiliate program on their network of choice for your region. Get approved, grab your links, and start integrating them into relevant content.

Start with your highest-traffic travel content. If you have existing destination guides, airport guides, or road trip content, add Avis recommendations today. These pages already have traffic—now they’ll have revenue too.

Create a content calendar for location-specific rental car content. Target one major airport or destination per week. Build a portfolio of these pages and watch them compound into consistent affiliate income.

Test different promotion angles. Compare Avis to competitors. Create airport-specific guides. Write seasonal travel content. See what resonates with your audience and drives conversions.

Track everything. Monitor which pages drive bookings, which traffic sources convert, and which types of content generate the most revenue. Double down on what works.

The Avis affiliate program won’t make you rich overnight, but it can become a reliable income stream for travel content creators willing to put in the work. Start small, test strategically, and scale what converts.

Join the Avis affiliate program here and start turning your travel content into revenue.