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Whenever I start planning a vacation for myself, I usually press the pause button once I see how much it's going to cost. The flight might seem reasonable but the costs for things like hotels, rental cars, excursions, and travel insurance start to add up.

My excitement toward booking a solo trip fades once I see how much of a dent it'll put in my travel credit card. The holiday season is a good time to score deals, and I like to explore what discounts I can get for 2024 trips on Black Friday — and Travel Tuesday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving when travel deals are often available.

I spoke with two travel experts so I could learn how to spot a good deal and avoid a bad one during the holiday season. Here were their best tips.

One of the most popular travel deals that often pop up around the holiday season are full travel packages. These might include an overall discounted rate if you buy the flight, hotel, and rental car as part of a prepackaged offer. But Lindsay Myers, a travel expert, says that you might end up losing on big savings if you blindly buy one of these packages.

"Just because a package travel deal is advertised as the best deal offered, it might not be true," she says. "The price might be good, but do your research. There's a chance you can save even more if you book the car, hotel, and flight separately."

She recommends doing some investigation before buying a travel package. Look at the price of one-way flights and see if it is less money than buying a roundtrip fare. Plus, she says that during Black Friday sales, hotels often offer free nights if you book a longer stay (buy three nights and get the fourth free, for example).

"Head directly to the airline or hotel's website, or check other travel sites, and calculate how much the trip would cost without doing the package," she says. "You might save even more."

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When I'm in post-Thanksgiving shopping mode, I'm usually quick to scoop up deals, without looking around for better prices. If I see a low price on a hotel or flight, I instantly hit the buy now button.

Myers cautions me against that habit, because I might not end up with a good travel deal.

"Don't take the first price you see," she says. "Always cross reference. I go to my favorite travel search website, then always check on at least two more. You need to see what the going rate is and who has the best deals and options."

To set myself up for success, I bookmarked Trivago and Kayak as tools to help me make sure I'm getting the lowest price on travel packages, flights, rental cars, and hotel stays.

"Start looking now," Myers says. "This gives you the time and flexibility to compare deals as the weeks go on."

I often make the travel mistake of booking deals that are extra cheap but not smart for my itinerary. For example, I'll book a hotel 15 miles away from where I will be spending the majority of my time because it's 30% off.

Travel expert Nadia Podrabinek emphasizes the importance of making sure a travel deal offers value for the money and not just a reduced price tag.

"Consider factors like accommodation location, included amenities, and cancellation policies," she says. "For instance, a deal may seem cheap, but if it's miles away from the city center and transportation costs are high, it might not be so economical after all."