Revealed: How to Get 62 Days Off From 25 Days of Annual Leave

With Q4 ramping up and thoughts already turning to next year's plans, Holiday Extras has revealed how Brits can make the most of their annual leave in 2027, turning the average allowance into 62 days off.

Short on time? Let us summarise this release for you.

The trick is to use bank holidays and weekends to extend your breaks, rather than spending annual leave on the days in between. Holiday Extras, the UK market leader in holiday extras such as airport parking, lounges, hotels and more, has highlighted the key dates to book off to maximise time away from the desk.

The 2027 leave hack at a glance

Christmas & New Year 2026/27: 10 days off using 3 days of annual leave
Easter: 10 days off using 4 days of annual leave
May bank holidays: 18 days off using 8 days of annual leave
Summer bank holiday: 9 days off using 4 days of annual leave
Christmas & New Year 2027/28: 10 days off using 3 days of annual leave
Late October: 5 days off using the remaining 3 days of annual leave

Total: 62 days off using 25 days of annual leave.

December/January: start the year with a 10 day break

With most annual leave allowances resetting in the new year, now is the perfect time to start planning. Just three days of annual leave can be turned into a 10 day festive break, making those precious holiday days go even further.

Bank holidays: Friday 25th December 2026 (Christmas Day), Monday 28th December 2026 (Boxing Day substitute), Friday 1st January 2027 (New Year's Day)
Book off: 29th to 31st December 2026 (3 days)
Total time off: 10 days, from Friday 25th December to Sunday 3rd January

April: Easter, without booking the whole fortnight

Easter is another easy win. For four days of annual leave, you can create a 10 day break, handy for anyone looking to make the most of the school holidays without using up their entire allowance.

Bank holidays: Friday 26th March (Good Friday), Monday 29th March (Easter Monday)
Book off: 30th March to 2nd April (4 days)
Total time off: 10 days, from Friday 26th March to Sunday 4th April

May: double bank holidays, double the fun

May is a leave maximiser's dream, with two bank holidays just four weeks apart. It's an opportunity to get 18 days off for 8 days of annual leave. It's also a handy time of year to travel: the summer crowds have yet to arrive in many destinations, so it's a good opportunity for a shoulder season escape.

Bank holidays: Monday 3rd May (Early May bank holiday), Monday 31st May (Spring bank holiday)
Book off: 4th to 7th May and 1st to 4th June (8 days)
Total time off: 18 days across two nine day breaks

August/September: make the most of the summer bank holiday

If you have the flexibility to avoid travelling during the summer holidays, tacking on 4 days after the bank holiday is a perfect way to stretch your annual leave further, all while avoiding peak prices and packed resorts and enjoying optimal weather conditions if travelling within Europe.

Bank holiday: Monday 30th August (Summer Bank Holiday)
Book off: 31st August to 3rd September (4 days)
Total time off: 9 days, from Saturday 28th August to Sunday 5th September

December/January: finish the year with another 10 day break

The festive season signs the year off beautifully, with another opportunity to turn three days of annual leave into 10 days away from work.

Bank holidays: Monday 27th December (Christmas Day substitute), Tuesday 28th December (Boxing Day substitute), Monday 3rd January 2028 (New Year's Day substitute)
Book off: 29th to 31st December 2027 (3 days)
Total time off: 10 days, from Saturday 25th December to Monday 3rd January

After making the most of bank holidays throughout the year, there are three days of annual leave left to use, a perfect opportunity for a late autumn break or to use throughout the year as needed.

To help people find the best opportunities for their own allowance, Holiday Extras has created Leave Unlocked. The tool allows users to enter their annual leave allowance and see their optimised 2027 dates for taking time off in seconds.

ENDS

About Holiday Extras

About Holiday Extras
Holiday Extras is the European market leader in airport parking, airport hotels, worldwide airport lounges, destination car hire, airport transfers and holiday insurance. Established in 1983, Holiday Extras helps more than 11 million travellers have a better holiday every year. Flextras ensures it is easy and free to cancel or change bookings. The company has been listed eleven times in The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For.