Travel has been chaotic and expensive in recent months. Fodors Travel says travelers experienced "a surge in demand, a lack of staff, inflation and the rising cost of gas, and a massively unprepared industry."

Experts say holiday travel will likely be much of the same. But with the right strategies, you can try to get good deals on your next getaway.

"Plan early and don't wait to book your flights," says Christina Bennett, head of communications at Priceline, part of Booking Holdings Inc., a leader in online travel deals, noting the company's data shows that September and October are the ideal times to book the best deals on airfare.

*Be Flexible

"While some holiday travelers have a set destination in mind because they want to visit family or friends, others may just want to get away and tour a new city or kick back and relax," says money-saving expert Andrea Woroch, who specializes in budget travel.

She suggests setting flight price alerts using sites like ScottsCheapFlights.com to see where you can go from your home airport for the best price.

No matter where you're headed, if possible, be flexible with travel dates -- traveling a few days earlier or later -- to avoid peak travel days and get better rates. Consider bundling airfare, hotel and rental cars, too, to save money.

"By packaging your bookings together, you can potentially save hundreds of dollars," says Bennett, explaining Priceline customers who book their flight and hotel together save an average of $240.

If you anticipate needing a rental car, book early for the best deals and selection. Still, you may have extra time for booking accommodations. Bennett says there are last-minute deals on hotels.

Woroch advises renting a home instead of staying at a hotel.

"If you're traveling with family, going in on a condo or home rental could cost you far less than booking separate hotel rooms," she says, noting you'll likely get more amenities such as a fully stocked kitchen, and you'll avoid additional fees like daily resort charges, parking, Wi-fi and more.

*Consider a Cruise

Not sure where you're headed but want to get away? Bennett suggests booking a cruise.

"Don't forget that on a cruise, you only have to unpack once while you get to see multiple destinations, all meals are included, and cruise lines go all out with holiday decor and activities," she says, noting Priceline's dedicated cruise page, cruises.priceline.com, has holiday cruise deals to Mexico, the Caribbean and other destinations starting at $50 a day.

*Gift Savvy

While holiday travel often means you'll be exchanging Christmas gifts at your destination, reconsider traveling with gifts. Here's why: Woroch explains checked or overweight bag fees can range from $30 to $150 per bag.

She suggests shopping online and shipping gifts directly to the recipient or to your final destination to avoid delivery fees. Another option is to pick up gifts at a retailer located at your final destination.

*Get Rewarded

Make your travel dollars work for you.

Woroch urges travelers to compare airlines' credit card or travel reward programs and to sign up for offers at sites like CardRates.com. She says now's a good time to get a new credit card ahead of your desired holiday travel because you could earn a big bonus of extra cash back to help pay for your trip, or you could earn enough miles to cover your roundtrip flight or at least one leg of the trip.

For example, Capital One VentureOne Rewards card offers 20,000 miles for free after you spend $500 in the first three months from account opening, and the Capital One Venture Rewards credit cards offers 60,000 miles once you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months. She says the cards also offer free perks such as free checked bags and no foreign exchange fees, and some offer travel credits or even complimentary hotel stays.

Another option is to use cash back portals to save more. Woroch says Sidekick from Coupon Cabin can automatically earn users cash back every time they book travel online, including 3% cash back at Hotels.com, 4% back at Holiday Inn Express, 4.25% back at Booking.com and 3.5% back for Hertz car rentals.

No matter how you try to save on holiday travel, don't forget to pack your patience, as this travel season is expected to be challenging.