For many, the Holidays are a time to see something new and experience total relaxation. While seeing family and friends for home cooked meals is lovely and special, nothing beats leaving the dishes behind as you take off for new adventures. To make the most of your Holiday vacation you should plan well in advance, and we have some great Holiday travel tips on how to save you money on your airfare and destination.

Here are some helpful travel tips for the Holidays:

• Choose Destination Wisely

By considering different destinations for your Holiday vacation you might actually be able to save a lot of money. During the holiday period, top travel destinations like Washington D.C., Boston, Chicago and San Francisco have lower rates than many other choices. This will save you money that can be used for shopping, entertainment and fine dining.
For family vacations, Orlando is the top bargain destination over the holiday period, and you can snag a big one bedroom suite in many hotels for less than $100 a night. Orlando has the advantage of offering entertainment for all ages and also great shopping and dining.

• Save Money on Flights
  

To reduce the costs of your flights, you can choose those that depart early in the morning. During the wee hours the crowds haven’t yet started to build up, and many of these morning flights come to a cheaper price. It also helps to look at the different fees that the airlines charge. You might have to add fees for carry-on baggage, fees for confirming a seat and more. By comparing these extras you can pick the cheapest alternative. Don’t forget about Southwest. While they are not always included in the information on travel sites online, they do tend to offer some great deals for Holiday travel.
You can also consider a different airport. Secondary airports like Midway for Chicago, Burbank or Long Beach for Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale for Miami, usually have lower fares. Couple this with going out on Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day in the early morning hours, and you could be looking at significant savings on your Holiday travel expenses.

• Use Special Deals and Perks

In most cases you will benefit from booking at least 21 days in advance when you can find special deals and perks for your vacation plans. If you are looking to go to New York for the winter Holidays, you should take advantage of the rates going down during the 3rd and 4th week of December. So in this case it is only wise to avoid the rush.
Many airlines offer credit cards that can earn you some special perks and savings when you are flying. Look for these and cash in on bonus mileage and eliminated baggage fees. You can also save money on your hotel shopping by using Getaroom.com’s unpublished rate program. This program lets you save 10-20% (in some cases up to 50%) off the lowest online rate. Use this same program to get a deluxe suite in Las Vegas for under $100 a night.