Is there any way to avoid a hefty price tag during your holiday travels?

While you won't find many outright deals, there are several things you can do to save some money on your trip.

1. Book early. As flights begin to fill up prices for remaining seats will undoubtedly rise. Booking a few days before you travel is the worst possible thing you can do if you want to save money. It is far better to buy your ticket three weeks to a month in advance. If you can do it even earlier than that, the results might be even better.

2. Do not fly during peak times. Avoid weekends if possible. If you can, fly more than a few days before or after a holiday. The further out you are from peak flying times, the cheaper your ticket will be. This goes for the time of day as well. Early morning and overnight flights are generally cheaper than mid-day flights.

3. Use an online travel search engine to help you find the best deals. Lowfares.com or Kayak.com compare prices from various online travel agencies. Research to make sure you is getting the best deal.

4. Go directly to the sites of low-cost carriers like Southwest and AirTran. These airlines generally offer cheaper fares. However, they often only fly to secondary airports, like Chicago Midway, LA Burbank, and Dallas Love Field. The savings may be worth it, though.

5. Look seriously at alternatives. Bus and train ridership is up compared to last year. Budget bus companies like Megabus are much, much cheaper than flying. Amtrak is more expensive than the bus, but also more comfortable. For shorter trips, the bus or train is a viable option.