Travel is one thing that has fallen to the bottom of the list for most consumers during the recession. Business travel has dropped off as well. People are finding ways to avoid travel, so they can save money.

That has created more reason than ever to focus on the best way to get travel deals this holiday season. Not only is demand down, but airlines, hotels and transportation companies have removed excess supply to manage their businesses efficiently. This is a point where bargain hunters can spring into action and save money while still being able to enjoy travel.

Let’s first look at how to best evaluate the way to travel. For the sake of simplicity, I will break this down into a driving vs. flying scenario (no disrespect to trains, buses or other modes of transportation).

When factoring in driving to the airport, going through security, waiting to board, and possible flight delays, I suggest considering driving if the total drive time will be less than five hours. From an expense standpoint, the current cost for fuel and the savings on not getting a rental car can end up less than a plane ticket. If it’s a longer flight, time and expense savings need to be evaluated. Be sure to check on discount air providers and to use travel or deal Web sites to compare airlines in order to spend the least amount possible.

When looking at airfares either online or in printed materials, be sure to look at the fine print. Often fares are listed as “one way, round trip required, taxes and fees apply.” Before you know it, that fare that looked like $54 at first glance ends up being $132 round-trip.

Next, not everyone is looking to visit friends and family during the holidays. Some people like to get away from it all to go skiing or enjoy the “offseason” at a sun-filled resort. Great deals on all-inclusive trips are easy to find online and in the travel section of the newspaper. It’s important to understand what is included in an “all-inclusive” package — you don’t want to end up breaking your budget for things you thought were covered but aren’t.

Finally, be willing to invest a little time to find the best deals out there. Many Web sites devoted to travel are updated regularly with coupons and lists of deals, and some have suggested packages with ways to save the most.

Some sites help you save more depending on how many elements you need in the travel package (such as flight and hotel, flight, car and hotel, etc.). Go directly to preferred vendors for hotels, cars and airlines and see if they offer deals not listed on travel aggregators. If time is not on your side, I suggest finding a good travel agent that you can trust to find you the best deals every time.

At the end of the day, like most bargain hunting, you will land the best deals and make the best decisions when you have the most information. Safe travels to you this holiday season.

“King of Koupons” Kevin Strawbridge is president of DealTaker.com, an online shopping Web site owned by Media General that collects and shares online coupons and deals. E-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or follow @dealtaker on Twitter.