Are you dreaming of an adventure-packed year ahead without breaking the bank on annual leave? Look no further! We’ve cracked the code on how to get the most holiday in 2026, allowing you to revel in 52 days of travel bliss while only using up 27 days of your precious annual leave. If you’ve read my post about How to Get More Holiday at Work, you’ll know that the best way is to time your annual leave carefully and use bank holidays to pad the days out. So, say goodbye to the ordinary and embrace a year filled with extraordinary escapades. Get ready to unlock the secret to the ultimate work-life balance and get the most holiday in 2026 and beyond!
🗓️ January (New Year)
- Need to book off: 2nd to 5th January (4 days)
- Length of holiday: 9 days – from Saturday 31st December until Sunday 8th January
🐣 March/April (Easter Weekend)
- Need to book off: 29th March – 1st April (4 days)
- Length of holiday: 9 days – from Saturday 25th March until Sunday 2nd April
🌼 May (Early May Bank Holiday)
- Need to book off: 2nd to 5th May (4 days)
- Length of holiday: 9 days – from Saturday 29th April until Sunday 7th May
🌸 May (Spring Bank Holiday)
- Need to book off: 26th to 29th May (4 days)
- Length of holiday: 9 days – from Saturday 23rd May until Sunday 31st May
☀️ August (Summer Bank Holiday)
- Need to book off: 29th August – 1st September (4 days)
- Length of holiday: 9 days – from Saturday 26th August until Sunday 3rd September
🎄 December (Christmas)
- Need to book off: 22nd to 24th December (3 days)
- Length of holiday: 9 days – from Saturday 20th December until Sunday 28th December
So, there you have it! 2026 might seem a little while away, but it’s so important to get in early with your holiday requests so that the good dates don’t all get taken. I am well aware that 27 days is still quite a big number, so you can play around with the dates as you see fit and maybe swap a couple of the 9-day holidays for long weekend city breaks instead to bring the numbers down. Ultimately, this is just a guide for how to get the most holiday in 2026, so book whatever works for you.
If you want to have a look, you can always check the Government website here for updates on UK bank holiday dates now and in future.
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