Travel Media Networks in the USA Are Growing. Why Is This Segment Gaining Attention?

The latest data overview from analytics company EMARKETER focuses exclusively on the U.S. market and maps how quickly this segment is growing, which types of companies are shaping it, and why it is becoming increasingly attractive to advertisers. While this does not represent a universal picture of the global market, it may indicate the direction this development could take in other regions as well.

In its report, EMARKETER works with its definition of commerce media, which includes digital advertising displayed within environments of companies directly involved in selling services or products. In the case of travel media, this includes advertising shown on websites, in apps, or within media networks of airlines, hotel chains, online travel agency platforms, or mobility services.

The data is based on a combination of market estimates, company financial results, interviews with market players, and EMARKETER’s own forecasts. All figures relate exclusively to the U.S. and use projections through 2026 and 2027.

Growth of Advertising Spend in Travel Media

According to EMARKETER estimates, advertising spend in travel media networks in the U.S. will exceed USD 2 billion in 2026. Compared to 2023, this represents a significant increase, with growth expected to continue in subsequent years, albeit at a slower pace.

This segment includes a wide range of players—from airlines with extensive loyalty programs, to hotel networks, to online travel agencies and transportation platforms. What they all have in common is that they are not traditional media companies, but businesses with a direct relationship with customers and access to their own first-party behavioral data.

Alongside their core business, travel companies are thus building an additional revenue stream, while offering advertisers access to audiences that are in an active decision-making phase.

How the Travel Segment Differs from Retail

The report repeatedly emphasises that travel media operates differently from retail media networks run by e-commerce platforms. The key difference lies in the nature of the purchase journey. While e-commerce often involves quick decisions and repeat purchases, travel is typically associated with longer planning cycles, higher spending, and multiple decision-making stages.

Consumers return to the same decision repeatedly—when choosing a destination, timing, transportation, accommodation, or ancillary services. This creates multiple touchpoints between users and the platforms that facilitate travel. These repeated interactions are the foundation of why travel media networks are considered an attractive advertising environment.

Advertising in the travel segment does not take place only at the point of purchase. It appears throughout planning, booking, and the trip itself—for example, in apps, on airport screens, or during transit. This is a fundamental difference from retail, where most advertising attention is concentrated around the purchase moment.

Major digital platforms are also taking note of this shift. Recently, for example, TikTok introduced Travel Ads—a format designed specifically for the travel segment, focusing on inspiration and planning rather than on the booking itself.

The Role of Loyalty Programs and First-Party Data

Loyalty programs play a crucial role in this segment. Airlines, hotel chains, and OTA platforms have been building them for decades, accumulating extensive data on customer behavior. This includes information on travel frequency, preferred destinations, and the types of services customers purchase.

Data from the Expedia Group Traveler Value Index shows that for most respondents, travel is the most attractive way to redeem loyalty points. This indicates that travel loyalty programs have not only financial but also strong emotional value. Advertisers therefore gain access to audiences that are actively engaged in planning significant expenditures.

Unlike retail, where loyalty programs often track purchase frequency and basket size, travel data captures a broader decision-making context. This type of signal is one of the main reasons why travel media in the U.S. is beginning to establish itself as a standalone advertising category.

U.S. Context vs. European Reality

However, these data apply exclusively to the U.S. and cannot be automatically transferred to the European environment. The U.S. market is far more concentrated, with a small number of large, nationwide players that have access to extensive first-party data. They also operate within a regulatory framework that differs from that of the European Union.

The European travel market is more fragmented—linguistically, legislatively, and in terms of player structure. This means that the same travel media network model may not develop at the same pace or scale in Europe.

At present, Europe does not have a comparable travel media network ecosystem operating at the scale seen in the U.S. At the same time, pressure to find new revenue models and better monetise first-party data is also evident among European travel companies. For this reason, it makes sense to monitor this development, even if it is currently unfolding primarily across the Atlantic.

EMARKETER’s data shows that within a specific segment and a large market, an advertising ecosystem is emerging based on long decision-making cycles, strong loyalty programs, and proprietary data.

The development of travel media networks in the U.S. illustrates one possible direction for how advertising may evolve in segments characterized by extended decision-making and repeated customer interactions. To what extent similar models will gain traction in Europe will depend on market structure, regulation, and the willingness of players to invest in their own media platforms.