2025 cost-per-thousand-impressions benchmarks across platforms
Travel CPM recovered strongly post-pandemic, growing 31% from 2022 to 2025. Q3 summer peak is the sharpest seasonal swing of any vertical — CPMs can be 70% above Q4 trough.
Typical Travel CPM falls between $6 and $16 depending on platform, targeting breadth, and campaign objective.
Average (blended): $10.20 (2025)
| # | Platform | CPM Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Google Search (equiv.) | $12–$20 | ⭐ Booking-intent queries |
| 2 | Meta | $8–$14 | Inspirational destination targeting |
| 3 | TikTok | $8–$13 | Travel discovery content |
| 4 | YouTube | $7–$12 | Destination showcase |
| 5 | Display | $4–$8 | Retargeting abandoned bookings |
| 6 | $25–$45 | Business travel only |
| Year | Average CPM |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $7.80 |
| 2023 | $8.90 |
| 2024 | $9.60 |
| 2025 | $10.20 |
| 2026E | $10.80 |
2026E = projected estimate.
Index 100 = annual average.
| Quarter | Index | Relative Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 86 | |
| Q2 | 110 | |
| Q3 | 128 | |
| Q4 | 76 |
Travel advertisers should lock in Q3 budgets early — programmatic CPMs can spike 20–30% in the 6 weeks before summer peak as inventory tightens.