The smartest way to book annual leave to maximise time off

Are you tired of feeling like you need a vacation just to recover from planning your time off? Fear not, because you’ve stumbled upon the holy grail of holiday hacks!

Want more holiday for less leave? Sorted. We’ve found the best ways to stretch your time off, because you deserve a break that’s actually brilliant.

Whether you’re daydreaming about sandy shores, country escapes, or urban adventures, we’ve got the insider scoop on how to outsmart the work calendar and maximise your time off without breaking a sweat. Say goodbye to the days of frantically counting your remaining leave hours and hello to a world where every holiday request is a piece of cake.

Assuming you’re blessed with 27 glorious days of leave, bank holidays are the cherry on top, and weekends are your sacred work-free zones, we’ve mapped out a plan for you to relish a whopping 62 days away from the grind. Grab that trusty diary, and let’s make some magic happen. Unlock the secret to scoring maximum time off with this genius annual leave booking strategy!

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England and Wales

30th, 31st of March, 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th of April

8 days annual leave

This year, Easter falls between the 3rd and 6th April. The two bank holidays mean we’re all guaranteed a four-day weekend. But if you’re a clever cookie and book off the 30th-2nd and 7th-10th, you’ll secure yourself a whopping sixteen consecutive days off work in exchange for only eight days of annual leave. That’s more than two weeks away from the office!

5th, 6th, 7th, 8th of May

26th, 27th, 28th, 29th of May

8 days annual leave

May is the prime month to book time off since there are two bank holidays and it’s on the cusp of summer before the price of everything has skyrocketed. Take four days’ holiday alongside both of the public bank holidays to fit in a total of nine days off – twice over! You’ll have a lengthy break at the start of May, then again at the end, with only 2 weeks of work between – doesn’t sound too bad, does it?

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th of September

4 days annual leave

Looking to squeeze in a bit more time off whilst the sun’s still got his hat on? The summer bank holiday on the 31st of August is the time to do it. By taking annual leave from 1st-4th September, you’ll have nine days off in total. And you’re going to need it as, after August, there isn’t another bank holiday until Christmas!

21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 29th, 30th, 31st of December

7 days annual leave

In 2026, Christmas Day falls on a Friday and Boxing Day on a Saturday. Strategically booking your time off around the bank holidays will get you a whopping sixteen days off for only seven days of annual leave, if you include New Year’s Day weekend 2027.

Need the holiday hacks to fit with the Scottish public holidays? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Check out the dates for Scotland below.

Scotland

30th, 31st of March, 1st, 2nd of April

4 days annual leave = 10 total days off

 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th of May

8 days annual leave = 16 total days off

5th, 6th, 7th, 8th of August

4 days annual leave = 9 total days off

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 29th, 30th, 31st of December

11 days annual leave = 20 total days off

So you’ve hacked your annual leave – now what?

Better get a Travelodge