Jan 6, 2026
Google Ads Benchmarks for Travel 2025
8.73%
CTR
$2.12
CPC
5.75%
CVR
$73.70
CPL/CPA
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Year-Over-Year Change
Lowest CPC with strong CTR—efficient but competitive
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Travel enjoys the lowest Search CPC ($2.12) with strong 8.73% CTR—clicks are cheap and plentiful. The challenge is intense OTA competition (Expedia, Booking.com, Google's own travel products) and razor-thin margins. Branded search is essential since OTAs bid aggressively on competitor terms. The business model matters: direct bookings have much higher margins than OTA-intermediated bookings, making branded term protection critical even at higher CPCs.
Protect branded terms aggressively—OTAs bid on your hotel/airline name. Seasonal budget planning essential: peak booking periods need 2-3x normal spend. Focus on unique offerings OTAs can't match (exclusive packages, loyalty benefits). Track direct booking revenue versus OTA-intermediated to justify branded spend.
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Data Source
WordStream/LocaliQ
Data Year & Month
2025-03
Sample Size
16,446 US campaigns