Booking.com Ends Direct Affiliates – Here’s What Bloggers Can Do

If you’re a travel blogger or content creator, you might have recently received the dreaded “Termination of Partnership” email from Booking.com. Like many of us, I initially panicked. But after digging in, it turns out Booking.com isn’t cutting ties completely – they’re just moving their affiliate program to networks like Awin and CJ, depending on your region.

While that’s one path forward, there’s another solid option you might not have considered: Stay22. Here’s why I’m giving it a serious look.

What’s Going On With Booking.com?

In May 2025 it became clear that Booking.com is shutting down its direct affiliate program. And this became clear not from Booking.com directly – but from the many travel bloggers sharing the shocking termination news they received over email.

Here’s the email many bloggers already received:

“Important Notice: Termination of Partnership

Dear Partner,

At Booking.com, we are constantly evaluating our partnerships to align with our business priorities.

We have determined that our current strategic focus unfortunately does not support continuing our partnership.

This message serves as your 30-day written notice. After this period, we will exercise our legal right to terminate our Partner Agreement (Partner ID: XXX) for convenience on XX June 2025.”

And now, Booking.com is redirecting everyone to sign up through affiliate networks – CJ for Europe and Awin for everywhere else (as shown in their official notice). Here’s the official Booking.com message from their partnership page as of today (23 May 2025):

What does that mean for travel bloggers?

This change requires all current partners to reapply through these networks, update all tracking links, and agree to new terms and commission structures.

👉 Here’s a reddit thread on the topic where you can follow some news and updates from bloggers. 

👉 Here’s a topic on Travel Massive where you can follow more community comments. 

👉 Here’s another article with a break down of the situation going more into details.

What Are Your Options as a Travel Blogger at the Moment?

✅ Register to Awin or CJ
Reconnect with Booking.com through a third-party network they mention – Awin or CJ, and update all your links. Downside is manually updating all your links. Imagine if you have 100+ links already – does it mean you have to go through every single one and change it? This sounds horrid.

✅ Switch to Stay22
A way better alternative in my opinion is switching to Stay22 – also a third-party affiliate platform but the difference is it switches ALL your links automatically, with a quick 5-minute script setup. Stay22 aggregates options from multiple OTAs (including Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, Agoda and more) into one simple tool – and it switches between platforms depending on your reader’s location and intent. Stay22 has proofed to be highly successful among travel bloggers already so it’s a no-brainer. You can use my Stay22 referral code for a small bonus boost.

✅ Explore other direct affiliate programs
Platforms like Expedia, Agoda, or HotelsCombined also offer strong direct affiliate programs, often through the same networks. But the downside is you have to work with them separately, manually insert links and also – figure out which region prefers which platform and adjust accordingly. This also sounds like too much work.

✅ Build direct hotel relationships
Partnering directly with boutique hotels or hotel groups for custom affiliate deals or collaborations might be an option. Especially if you already notice that you’re bringing in multiple bookings to specific hotels or chains. This route can be rewarding but does require some legwork: you’ll need to build a personal relationship with the hotel’s marketing or partnership team, and the hotel must have its own affiliate or tracking system in place to make it work.

Why Consider Stay22?

I still think Stay22 is the best alternative affiliate platform specifically designed for travel creators. It’s not just another affiliate network – it’s built with bloggers in mind.

Here’s what makes it stand out:

• Simple Setup: It only takes 5 minutes to sign up, create your script and paste it in your website code (one time work). That converts all your links automatically and you start earning right away.
• Higher Revenue Potential with smart optimization: Stay22 automatically detects readers intent and location and shows them the best option for them, the best platform they’re more likely to book on. That can’t be done with manual work. For example, some readers might prefer using Expedia while others – Booking.com. Stay22 will show what your readers want to see. How? With lots of past users analysis and testing.
• Multiple OTA Options: Instead of relying on just one provider like Booking.com, Stay22 pulls in inventory from multiple platforms – including Booking.com, Expedia, and more – giving readers more choice and boosting chance of conversions.

Final Thoughts

The sudden shift from Booking.com is a reminder that affiliate income can change overnight. That’s why diversifying is more important than ever. If you’re feeling lost after the Booking.com email, don’t worry. This might be the perfect time to rethink your affiliate strategy and explore tools built for creators like you.