how much commission can i make on a full buyout?

On a private full property buyout, travel advisors and event planners typically earn between 10% and 15% commission on the total base lodging and rental fee, scaling up to 20% on negotiated net contracts.

Full property buyouts involve committing an entire boutique retreat or multi-villa estate for private gatherings, retreats, or brand launches. Booking complete takeovers creates high gross booking values where total earnings hinge directly on net versus gross rate terms and which service line items are commissionable.

If you only do one thing: Secure a written agreement confirming whether your 10% to 15% commission applies to the entire package or strictly to the base accommodation subtotal before taxes and guest services.

• Standard agency commission bands: Licensed luxury travel agencies earn 10% standard commission on published base lodging rates, with select luxury partner programs and preferred planners negotiating 12% to 15%.
• Gross booking value baselines: A private buyout for an intimate estate accommodating 10 to 16 guests typically ranges from $3,000 to $10,000 per night, yielding $2,100 to $10,500 in total commission on a standard seven-night stay.
• Net rate markup models: Independent retreat planners frequently request net wholesale rates discounted 15% to 20% below retail rates, allowing them to bundle custom programming, movement sessions, and hosting fees into one packaged price.
• Food and beverage exclusions: Ancillary revenues such as private chef meal plans, wellness services, and beverage packages are often non-commissionable or capped at 5% to 10% depending on the property's catering structure.
• Excursion and transfer commissions: Local ground transport, boat charters, and guided excursions typically yield a separate 10% commission when booked through destination management operators or host properties.

• Watch out for: Mandatory taxes (such as Costa Rica's 13% value-added tax) and resort service fees, which properties routinely subtract from the invoice total before calculating your commission payout.
• Watch out for: Group cancellation terms that forfeit your commission if a buyout client cancels outside the non-refundable window without an advisor protection clause.
• Watch out for: Guest attrition policies where dropping room counts below the required property threshold converts the reservation from a full buyout rate to standard room pricing.

Request the property’s written trade and buyout policy before issuing quotes to your client, ensuring every commissionable line item and payment schedule is documented in writing.