This is how you more than double your annual holiday in 2025

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The new year, 2025, is finally approaching and you might be starting to think about what holidays you’re tempted to book next year, whether it’s two weeks of sunbathing on a sandy Spanish beach or a week off for a stay that you just have to take. a break from work.

But before you hit the buy button on those flights from the UK, there are some special dates to keep in mind that will actually allow you to make the most of your annual holiday.

Instead of having 28 days off work spread out over the year, there’s a simple trick you can use to make your holiday pay feel like it stretches even further.

By combining public holidays, mixing in a weekend here and there with your allotted time off work, you’ll have a staggering 65 days to do whatever you want with a few annual leave days to spare.

This is how you can more than double your annual holiday to 65 days off next year.

16 days off at Easter

Book four days during 14.-17. April and another set of four over 22-25 and you will find that the number has doubled with 16 consecutive days off. Having these days off around bank holidays – Good Friday (April 18) and Easter Sunday (April 21) – and the three weekends in a row, gives you plenty of time to soak up some sun while holiday hotspots are still a little cooler . From April 12 until April 27, you can set your sights on Valencia in Spain or the Greek island of Rhodes.

18 days left in May

Now five months into the year, you might feel like it’s time to relax at home away from the office, or even book a vacation you might have normally saved for the summer months. Book four days from 6th to 9th May to pack yourself nine days of holiday by combining this with two weekends and the early May bank holiday on 5th May. Or if you want to extend your annual holiday even more in May, booking an additional four days during the 27-30 May give you an additional nine days off, taking advantage of May’s spring holiday on May 26. If you’re starting to crave some warm weather, flying to Seville or Bodrum will deliver temperatures in the high 20s.

9 summer days in August

Book four days from August 26 to 29 to have nine days away from the office by setting up your dates for the August 25 summer break and two weekends. Nine days away from the office leaves plenty of time to book a flight to Italy to explore the lakes or a week in Nice, France to soak up the European summer sun. Or if a break from the summer heat is what you need, a trip to the French Alps or even a train ride up to Scotland to cool off for a few days.

Double your Christmas

It’s easy to get 13 days off for just six days annual leave around Christmas time, as Christmas time offers three public holidays to rest before a new year begins. By booking off December 22nd to 24th and then December 29th to 31st, you’ll gain almost two weeks off work. This equates to Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, plus a few weekends to spend time with family and friends. But if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous in 2025, a quick Christmas trip to Malta or Morocco to soak up the winter sun might be something to consider.

Holidays 2024

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