Orlagh Claire

How to Slow Travel the World

How to Maximise Your Vacation Days in 2026 and Get 56 Days Off

This blog post is all about how to maximise your vacation days in 2026.

maximise your vacation days

For those working 9-5 jobs in the UK, the standard 25 days of annual leave can often feel restrictive, especially if you love travelling.

The reality is that between deadlines, meetings, and workplace responsibilities, it’s rare to find large chunks of time where you can truly switch off and explore somewhere new.

But what if I told you that with some strategic planning, you could more than double your time off, and maximise your vacation days in 2026?

By carefully aligning your annual leave with UK bank holidays and weekends, you can stretch those 25 days into a massive 56 days off, giving yourself more time to travel without needing extra holiday days.

Make sure to check out my travel YouTube channel to get inspired for your next holiday!

RELATED travel blog posts to read:

This blog post is all about how to maximise your vacation days in 2026.

How to Get 56 Days Off and Maximise Your Vacation Days in 2026

The trick is booking time off at the right moments, ensuring that you use your annual leave on days that extend pre-existing public holidays.

This means that instead of just taking a long weekend here and there, you can get extended breaks of 9, 10, or even 14 consecutive days at a time.

The key to success? Planning ahead and booking these dates early. If your workplace requires leave approval, the sooner you submit your request, the better.

Once your annual leave is locked in, not only do you guarantee yourself these long breaks, but you also give yourself the chance to plan bigger and better trips.

If you’re based outside the UK, this method still applies. While the exact dates will differ, the principle remains the same. Strategically booking around your country’s public holidays and weekends allows you to maximise your time off.

Let’s break down exactly how you can maximise your vacation days into 56 days off, including some incredible travel destinations to make the most of each extended break.

Why You Need to Plan Your Annual Leave as Early as Possible

One of the biggest mistakes people make when booking their holidays is waiting too long to request time off.

By the time most people think about taking leave, half the office has already booked the best dates, and flights and accommodation have skyrocketed in price.

If you want to maximise your vacation days in 2026, you need to plan and book your annual leave as early as possible.

Getting your leave requests in before others not only increases your chances of approval, but it also allows you to take advantage of cheaper flights and accommodation.

Many airlines operate on dynamic pricing, meaning the earlier you book, the lower the cost. This is particularly important if you plan to travel during peak seasons such as Easter, summer, or Christmas, where demand is high.

Planning early also gives you time to find the best accommodation, book any necessary visas, and organise travel itineraries.

Now, let’s get into exactly how to maximise your vacation days in 2026.

January: Start the Year with a Winter Escape

The new year starts with a bank holiday on Thursday, 1st January. Making it the perfect opportunity for a short getaway.

If you take just one day off—Friday 2nd January—you get four consecutive days off from 1st to 4th January.

This is a great time to either recover from New Year’s Eve celebrations. Or to kickstart the year with a holiday.

For those craving winter sun, destinations like the Canary Islands, Dubai, and Marrakech are ideal. Offering warm temperatures and shorter flight times from the UK.

On the other hand, if you prefer the winter wonderland experience, embarking on a Lapland tour package, heading to Iceland, or even the Austrian Alps for a snowy retreat could be perfect.

Four days may not be enough for a long-haul adventure, but it’s the perfect amount of time for a European getaway.

Days off: 4
Days used: 1

April: The Ultimate Spring Break – 10 Days Off

April is one of the best months to take extended leave. Good Friday (3rd April) and Easter Monday (6th April) are public holidays.

If you take off Monday 30th March to Thursday 2nd April, you’ll get a huge 10-day break while only using 4 leave days.

With 10 days off, this is the perfect time to take a long-haul trip. Japan is a dream destination in April thanks to cherry blossom season. Transforming cities like Kyoto and Tokyo into stunning pink landscapes.

If you’re looking for beaches and warm weather, Bali, Thailand, or also the Maldives are all incredible choices.

For those wanting something more adventurous, exploring South America, whether it’s hiking in Patagonia, visiting Machu Picchu, or soaking in Buenos Aires, would be an unforgettable way to spend this long break.

Days off: 10
Days used: 4

May: Two Long Bank Holiday Breaks for Easy Getaways

May presents two golden opportunities for long breaks.

The first is the Early May Bank Holiday on Monday, 4th May. And the second is the Spring Bank Holiday on Monday, 25th May.

So by booking Tuesday 5th to Friday 8th May, and Tuesday 26th to Friday 29th May, you’ll get two separate 9-day breaks using just 8 days of annual leave.

But for short-haul trips, Europe in May is perfect. Cities like Lisbon, Paris, Rome, and Athens are warm but not yet overcrowded with summer tourists.

If you want something different, a road trip through Scotland or Ireland could also be a fantastic option.

Days off: 18
Days used: 8

August: A Perfect Summer Holiday Without Wasting Too Many Leave Days

The August Bank Holiday falls on Monday, 31st August, making it an excellent opportunity for another 9-day break.

Booking Tuesday 1st to Friday 4th September gives you 9 consecutive days off while only using 4 annual leave days.

Since late August and early September is peak European summer, this is a great time to visit the Greek Islands, Croatia, or the Amalfi Coast.

But if you’re after something more adventurous, you could head to Canada for a summer road trip through the Rocky Mountains or even explore Iceland’s incredible landscapes.

Days off: 9
Days used: 4

December: A Festive Holiday Break Without Wasting Too Much Leave

Christmas falls on a Friday in 2026. Making it an ideal opportunity to take a festive break without using too many holiday days.

So if you take off Monday 21st – Thursday 24th December (4 days), as well as Tuesday 29th – Thursday 31st (3 days), you’ll get 14 days off in total thanks to Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and the surrounding weekends.

And only use 7 days annual leave while doing so!

By my calculations, so far this year you’d only have used 24 days of annual leave, so you even have room for an extra day to make it 15 days off!

This is the perfect time to experience magical Christmas markets in cities like Vienna, Munich, and Prague.

Like us, you could take those two weeks and experience the most magical Christmas in New York City.

Or, if you’d rather escape the cold, consider a tropical Christmas in Thailand or Australia.

Days off: 14
Days used: 7

Maximise Your Vacation Days and Make 2026 Your Most Travel-Packed Year Yet

By planning your leave strategically, you can maximise your vacation days in 2026 without using extra holiday days.

This strategy allows you to take multiple trips throughout the year, while still having enough leave left for personal time or unexpected events.

If you haven’t already, get your holiday requests in early before your colleagues do.

The sooner you lock in your dates, the more likely you are to get approval, and also the cheaper your flights and hotels will be.

So maximise your vacation days, and with a little forward planning, 2026 could be your most travel-packed year yet.

Now, the only question is, where will you go first?

RELATED Maximise Your Vacation Days blog posts to read:

Orlagh Claire New York

By Orlagh Shanks

Orlagh Shanks is the Editor of Orlagh Claire, an award-winning travel and lifestyle blog.
After working in the PR & Influencer Marketing industry, Orlagh quit her job to travel Asia for 12 months and moved to Sydney, Australia where she is now a full-time travel blogger and content creator sharing travel tips and recommendations for all 30 of the countries she’s visited so far.

Pin
Share
0 Shares

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sign Up to Never Miss A Blog Post