Planning your annual leave carefully can transform a standard year of work into one filled with extended breaks and unforgettable holidays. By aligning your leave with the bank holidays in 2026, you can create long stretches of time off without using up your entire allowance. Here is how to make the most of it.
Know your bank holidays
For England and Wales in 2026, the bank holidays fall on the following dates:
1 January, New Year’s Day
3 April, Good Friday
6 April, Easter Monday
4 May, Early May Bank Holiday
25 May, Spring Bank Holiday
31 August, Summer Bank Holiday
25 December, Christmas Day
28 December, Boxing Day substitute
These dates are your anchors. By booking your annual leave around them, you can extend weekends into long breaks that feel like proper holidays.
Create long breaks with Easter
Easter is one of the best opportunities to stretch your leave. If you take four days off from 30 March to 2 April, you will benefit from the Good Friday and Easter Monday bank holidays. This gives you ten days off in total, from Saturday 28 March through to Monday 6 April.
If you add another four days from 7 April to 10 April, the result is a remarkable 16 day break while using only eight days of leave. This is the perfect chance to plan a longer trip or even a once in a lifetime adventure.
Make the most of May
May offers two opportunities for nine day breaks.
The first comes with the Early May Bank Holiday. By booking Tuesday 5 May to Friday 8 May, you can enjoy nine consecutive days off from Saturday 2 May to Sunday 10 May.
Later in the month, the Spring Bank Holiday on 25 May offers the same opportunity. Take leave from Tuesday 26 May to Friday 29 May and once again you create a nine day holiday from Saturday 23 May to Sunday 31 May. Both options use only four days of leave each.
Enjoy a late summer escape
The Summer Bank Holiday on 31 August falls on a Monday, making it another chance to turn a short break into something more substantial. Book leave from Tuesday 1 September to Friday 4 September. Combined with the bank holiday and weekends, you enjoy nine days off in total from Saturday 29 August to Sunday 6 September. This is a perfect time for a late summer escape before the autumn begins.
End the year with a long festive break
Christmas in 2026 is particularly well placed for maximising leave. Christmas Day falls on a Friday, with Boxing Day observed on Monday 28 December. If you book 21 to 24 December and 29 to 31 December, you will use seven days of leave. This creates a 16 day festive holiday running from Saturday 19 December through to Sunday 3 January. It is an excellent opportunity to enjoy time with family and friends or plan a longer winter getaway.
The bigger picture
By using these opportunities, you can turn the standard annual leave allowance into significantly more time away from work. If you plan carefully, you can double the length of your holidays across the year without using any more than your entitlement.
Tips for success
Book your leave as early as possible, as these dates are popular and colleagues are likely to have the same idea. Discuss with your manager how bank holidays are treated within your allowance to make sure everything is clear. Think about travel costs too, as peak holiday times may be more expensive. Finally, keep a few days of annual leave in reserve so that you have flexibility later in the year.
Final thoughts
Maximising your annual leave is about being strategic rather than using more days. With a little forward planning, 2026 can be a year filled with longer breaks, better rest and more memorable adventures. By stacking your leave around the bank holidays, you create opportunities for holidays that truly recharge and inspire.
