OTA Commission Benchmarker
Compare your commission rate against industry ranges and see your total commission cost
Your Property
Industry Benchmarks
Booking.com
15–25%
Expedia / Hotels.com
15–25%
Airbnb (host fee)
3–5%
Agoda
12–20%
HRS (corporate)
10–18%
GDS (Sabre/Amadeus)
10–20%
Direct (cost of acquisition)
3–7%
Commission Impact
Room Nights Sold
840
30-day period
Gross Revenue
$151200
Commission Paid
$27216
$32.40 per room night
Net Revenue
$123984
Annual Commission Cost (est.)
$331128
Extrapolated from current period
Savings if you cut 2% commission
What are typical OTA commission rates for hotels?
OTA (Online Travel Agency) commissions are the largest controllable cost in most hotel distribution budgets. Booking.com and Expedia both charge 15–25%, with preferred and visibility programs typically pushing rates toward the upper end. Airbnb charges hosts only 3–5%, making it the cheapest major channel by commission — though its guest demographic and booking patterns differ significantly from traditional OTA bookers.
GDS channels (Sabre, Amadeus, Galileo) charge 10–20% but serve predominantly corporate and travel-agency-driven demand, which often comes with higher ADR and longer stay lengths. For properties targeting the corporate segment, GDS can be cost-effective despite the commission range.
Direct booking is not free. A realistic cost of acquisition for a direct booking is 3–7%, covering Google Ads, meta search fees (TripAdvisor, Google Hotel Ads), booking engine costs, and payment gateway fees. Even at 7%, direct is still 8–18 percentage points cheaper than a typical OTA booking. Every percentage point saved on commission goes directly to net revenue — with no corresponding increase in RevPAR needed.
How to negotiate lower OTA commissions
Commission rates are negotiable at most OTAs for properties generating consistent volume. The most effective levers are:
- Volume commitment — offer a room-night guarantee in exchange for a reduced rate tier.
- Rate parity agreement — commit to matching OTA rates in exchange for preferred partner status and lower fees.
- Early inventory release — give OTAs first-look access to new inventory in exchange for better placement.
- Direct cost benchmark — present your actual direct acquisition cost (marketing + gateway) as the competing offer.
- Competition leverage — actively listing on multiple OTAs gives you the ability to shift volume as a negotiating threat.
Properties at 20–30+ room nights/month through an OTA have real leverage. Below that threshold, the OTA has little incentive to reduce rates. Build volume first, then renegotiate. For more on channel mix strategy, see the OTA Commission Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average Booking.com commission rate?
Booking.com typically charges 15–25% commission on the room rate. Properties that join the Genius or Preferred programs often pay toward the higher end due to the additional discount or visibility spend required.
How does Expedia commission compare to Booking.com?
Expedia charges a similar 15–25% range. The main difference is the contracting model — Expedia uses both merchant model (Expedia collects payment) and agency model (hotel collects payment) arrangements, which affects cash flow and rate management.
What is a reasonable hotel direct booking cost?
A realistic cost of direct booking acquisition is 3–7% including Google Ads, meta search, booking engine, and payment gateway fees. This compares favorably to OTA commissions of 15–25%. Every percentage point you shift from OTA to direct increases net revenue significantly.
How much could a hotel save by reducing OTA commission 2%?
For a 40-room hotel at 70% occupancy with a $180 ADR, a 2% commission reduction saves approximately $37,000 per year. Use this benchmarker to calculate the exact figure for your property's numbers.
Should hotels reduce OTA dependence?
Generally yes, but not at the cost of occupancy. A diversified distribution mix with 40–60% direct bookings is the target for most independent properties. OTAs provide valuable billboard exposure — the goal is to capture that visibility while converting future guests to direct.