SouthWest

Southwest Airlines Affiliate Program: Overview

Southwest is a popular budget airline with strong brand advocates and a stellar reward system. The Southwest Vacations affiliate program is an extension of the Southwest brand presenting affiliate opportunities for travel bloggers and those operating in the travel niche space.

The Southwest Vacations affiliate program combines the stellar flight packages with vacations to over 100 destinations around the globe. Travelers can expect an all-inclusive travel package including flight, hotel, car rental, show tickets, passes, tours, and more.

Commissions for the Southwest offers start at 2% per sale. Average sales are over $1300 creating a $26 commission per referral. The program uses a 30-day cookie and offers support through their dedicated affiliate management team, access to newsletters and offers, and extensive A/B testing updates.

The Southwest affiliate program is available through the Commission Junction and Impact Radius affiliate networks for easy management and affiliate payouts.

The Southwest Program: Pros and Cons

As an affiliate for Southwest, you have two opportunities to earn through this wildly popular brand. An affiliate can earn through flight promotions with general travel programs like Priceline or Expedia. But, also earn through direct referrals to the vacation packages provided exclusively through Southwest.

What are the pros and cons of using this program?

Pros:

• Southwest is a beloved brand with highly dedicated advocates
• The all-in-one promotions offer big commissions
• Performance-based incentives for successful affiliates

Cons:

• Limited operations with fewer options depending on the targeted audience
• Hard push for all-in-one packages versus a-la-carte options
• Generally low commission rate (2%) with check-based payouts

Southwest Offers and Promotions: What We Think

Southwest is a disruptor to the flight industry. Their budget travel solutions and limited placement allow the company to refine and offer stellar service without stretching too thin. This has created a passionate, vocal customer base easily influencing those seeking flight options.

The Southwest affiliate program is barebones. The commission and payout structure for vacation packages aren’t too great. But, does even out because of the average sale of $1300+. Unfortunately, the limited scope of what’s offered will leave many travel affiliates wanting more.

In all, the Southwest program is a great match for those operating in the U.S. regions where the airline is better known. We think the program is best reserved for those niched down where Southwest is a typical topic. Their brand and price create an attractive offer to new and infrequent travelers. This creates a great monetization opportunity if your audience is refined and regional.