Turning affiliate traffic into bookings for Lufthansa
How a data-driven overhaul of payouts and incentives lifted Lufthansa’s ROI by 149% and revenue by 125% through OctaAds Media’s affiliate network.
Lufthansa Airlines
Deutsche Lufthansa AG, founded in 1953 and headquartered in Cologne, is one of the world’s largest and oldest airlines. Operating a vast domestic and international network from its main hub at Frankfurt Airport, Lufthansa is a member of the Star Alliance and serves passengers and cargo across Economy, Premium Economy, Business, and First Class.
OctaAds Media
OctaAds Media is a digital marketing company helping advertisers grow online sales, boost engagement and conversions, and build a loyal audience with round-the-clock support. The team builds and manages high-impact advertising campaigns that maximize visibility, engagement, and return on investment across a wide affiliate network.
The challenge
Despite a strong brand presence, Lufthansa’s affiliate program was underperforming — a lower-than-desired conversion rate and suboptimal Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) meant online traffic wasn’t translating into actual bookings. The situation called for a comprehensive analysis and strategic intervention to make the affiliate program work harder.
What success needed to look like
- Bring payouts in line with what the affiliate market actually rewards
- Attract a broader, more active affiliate base
- Convert existing traffic into completed bookings, not just clicks
- Lift ROI and ROAS in a measurable, sustained way
The approach
OctaAds Media addressed the problem in three stages — understand the market, realign the incentives, and reward the performance that matters.
Market and demographic analysis
A thorough review of the airline affiliate sector surfaced current trends and performance benchmarks.
Demographic analysis by age group, city-wise distribution, and income group gave a clearer picture of Lufthansa’s target audience.
Adjustment of payouts
OctaAds Media recommended a strategic realignment of the payout structure to match industry standards.
The revised model, grounded in the market analysis, offered affiliates more competitive commissions.
Incentive programs
Bonus structures tied to promotional activity were introduced to further motivate affiliates.
Affiliates were encouraged to promote Lufthansa across multiple channels, with bonuses scaled to the performance of each campaign.
How it came together
From diagnosis to a network-wide shift in affiliate behavior.
Diagnose
Identify the conversion and ROAS gap in the existing affiliate program.
Analyze
Study market benchmarks and audience demographics.
Realign
Rebuild payouts and layer in performance bonuses.
Scale
Grow the affiliate base and compound the results.
The results
The revised payout structure and bonus programs attracted a more diverse affiliate base, strengthened Lufthansa’s position in a competitive market, and expanded its reach to new audiences.
Market hold and growth
A stronger affiliate foothold in a competitive landscape, backed by market and demographic insight.
Increased ROI and customer base
The adjusted payout model lifted ROI for both Lufthansa and its affiliates, while expanding reach to new audiences.
Enhanced ROAS
Bonus-driven promotions surged in volume, improving Return on Ad Spend across the affiliate network.
Why it worked
Three decisions made the difference between a stagnant affiliate program and a growing one.
Data before decisions
Payouts weren’t changed on instinct — they were rebuilt on market and demographic evidence, so every adjustment had a reason behind it.
Incentives tied to outcomes
Bonuses rewarded actual promotional performance, which pushed affiliates to invest more effort into the campaigns that moved the needle.
Built for the network, not one channel
Affiliates promoted Lufthansa across varied channels, spreading reach instead of concentrating risk in a single traffic source.
Through strategic adjustments and data-driven insight, the collaboration between OctaAds Media and Lufthansa addressed the challenge of low conversion rates head-on — resulting in significant growth in market share, ROI, and ROAS, and underscoring the value of adaptability in affiliate marketing.
Want results like this for your brand?
OctaAds Media builds and manages affiliate programs that turn traffic into revenue. Let’s look at what’s possible for yours.