How to turn 27 days of annual leave into 59 days of holiday in 2026 (and where to go)

Take off the right days and you can more than double your holidays in 2026 - Marco Bottigelli/Getty Images

It’s a familiar complaint. You have grand travel plans for the year, but don’t have the annual leave to make them a reality. Or rather, you do have the holiday, but with that summer wedding and the Christmas trip to the in-laws, it can’t all be used on your voyages around the world.

With some clever leave-taking, however, you can more than double your days off next year. We’ve worked out how to maximise your holiday allowance (including weekends and bank holidays in our calculations) to make your trips that bit longer. From a bumper Easter bank holiday to a long break over Christmas and New Year’s, here’s how to do it.

Easter

Take eight days off for a 16-day holiday

Holiday days: March 28 – April 12

Book eight days of leave over the Easter bank holidays and can double your time away – meaning there’s room for a bumper holiday.

Here’s how to do it: book off the week of Good Friday (Monday, March 30 to Thursday, April 2), then the week of Easter Monday to April 7-10. You’ll finish work on Friday, March 27 and won’t be back in the office until Monday, April 13.

With 16 days at your disposal over Easter, a long-haul trip to the Dominican Republic could be a real treat - Pola Damonte/Getty Images

With those 16 days off, you could start your summer early in somewhere like Morocco or the south of Spain, but given the length of time, a long-haul holiday might make more sense. In 2026, the Dominican Republic is opening up new destinations such as Miches – ideal for those looking to explore beyond its fly-and-flop classics. Or you could spend two weeks journeying through South Korea, which has recently added new routes to its rail network. April is perfect for catching the cherry blossom.

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Early May bank holiday

Take four days off for a nine-day holiday

Holiday days: May 2 – 10

For those who want to stay closer to home, the early May bank holiday offers a better chance of good weather. Take four days from Tuesday May 5 to Friday May 8, stitching together two weekends with the bank holiday, and you’ll have nine days to make the most of it.

Spend your time winding along the Amalfi Coast, soaking up spring heat in Crete (temperatures can reach 23C in May) or exploring the modernista architecture of Barcelona and Catalunya, which is celebrating the life and work of Antoni Gaudí throughout the year.

Escape to the sunshine with an early May holiday to Crete - Gatsi/iStockphoto

If you are thinking of crossing the Atlantic, May is one of the best times to hike Peru’s Inca Trail. Or, a trip to the US might be the ideal way to spend the time – especially as the country celebrates two anniversaries in 2026: the centenary of Route 66 and 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Late May bank holiday

Take four days off for a nine-day holiday

Holiday days: May 23 – 31

The bank holiday at end of May is a great time for families who want to get away before the busy summer holidays, as it overlaps with the half term break for many schools.

There’s plenty of choice, too: the new Universal Kids Resort, designed for younger children, will open in Frisco, Texas in May next year; Zimbabwe is opening up as a family adventure destination, or there’s the more budget-friendly option of a campsite holiday in France or Croatia.

The late May bank holiday coincides with the half term for some schools, giving families the perfect excuse for a longer break - Jordan Siemens/Getty Images

It’s also the perfect time for island-hopping around Greece, or, if you’re craving somewhere green, head to Costa Rica for an exceptional wildlife experience.

The bank holiday falls on Monday 25, so book off Tuesday May 26 to Friday 29 to get nine days out of office.

Plan your trip

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August bank holiday

Take four days off for a nine-day holiday

Holiday days: August 29 – September 6

The August bank holiday falls on the 31st in 2026, meaning most of your time off will be in early September – the perfect window for guaranteed sun in Europe without the school holiday crowds.

And an extended break, ideally with a glass of local wine, or a plate of sumptuous regional cuisine, will be the antidote to September’s end-of-summer feeling. Just book off Tuesday 1 to Friday 4 for a nine-day break that could be spent soaking up the sun on beaches in France, Turkey or Greece.

Consider using the August bank holiday to visit a lesser-visted destination, such as Uzbekistan - Stefan Cristian Cioata/Getty Images

If you are looking for somewhere less travelled, our travel experts can offer the destinations to visit before the crowds. Take central Asia, where countries such as Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan boast stunning architecture and dramatic landscape, or Jordan, whose ancient ruins, otherworldly deserts and captivating cities are best discovered on a road trip.

Christmas

Take seven days off for a 16-day holiday

Holiday days: December 19, 2026 – January 3, 2027

This really is the year to try for winter sun. As Christmas Day falls on a Friday, and Monday is a substitute bank holiday for Boxing Day, most of us will have a four-day weekend without even trying.

That said, book off Monday December 21 to Thursday 24, and then the Tuesday to Thursday of the following week (December 29-31), and you won’t be back in work until Monday January 4.

It’s a great stretch of time for skiing in the Alps or the Dolomites, or spending an extended amount of time somewhere warm, such as Cape Town, where temperatures soar into the 30s, or Mexico (which is milder, usually between 22C and 28C).

Plan your trip

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