In the UK, the national minimum annual leave entitlement is 20 days + bank holidays which really isn’t all that given that we are renowned for being workaholics, usually getting the work-life balance totally wrong.
Last year, I wrote a travel hack post showing you how you could double your annual leave by being savvy with the dates you book off work. It was such a hit that I decided to do it again – this time a 2020 version.
Below I will show you which dates you need to book off and what you can do with those dates to make the most of your leave.
You may be surprised by how far you can get by just juggling a few dates around!
Another option if you are planning an extended trip and happen to work shifts, is that you could offer to work all the bank holidays. You will then get 8 days of annual leave in lieu meaning you can get an extra 2 weeks off with only 2 days of your leave allowance.
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No time to read it now? Or not ready to book your leave? No worries, Pin it for later!
What you can expect from this article…
- 1 How to double your annual leave entitlement…
- 1.1 January Annual Leave
- 1.2 April Annual Leave
- 1.3 May Annual Leave
- 1.4 August/September Annual Leave
- 1.5 December Annual Leave
How to double your annual leave entitlement…
January Annual Leave
National Holiday: 1st January
Book these dates: 30-31st December + 2nd-3rd Jan
Annual leave trade-off: 9 days holiday with 4 days annual leave
Trips you could take with these specific dates
- Jordan – Explore Petra and Wadi Rum
- Sailing Cuba – South Coast Explorer
- Northern Thailand Hilltribes and villages
April Annual Leave
National Holiday: 10th and 13th April
Book these dates: 6-9th + 14-17th April
Annual leave trade-off: 16 days holiday with 8 days leave
Trips you could take with these specific dates
- Classic Peru inc the Inca Trail – read my trip review here.
- Cape and Dunes – Namibia to Capetown camping and safari
May Annual Leave
National Holiday: 8th and 25th May
Book these dates: 4th-7th May
Annual leave trade-off: 9 days holiday for 4 days leave
Trips you could take with these specific dates
- San Francisco to LA Adventure
- Morocco Kasbahs and Desert tour
- Sailing Croatia – Split to Dubrovnik
Book these dates: 26-29th May
Annual leave trade-off: 9 days holiday for 4 days leave
Trips you could take with these specific dates
Or if you want a longer trip…
Book these dates: 4-7th + 11-22nd + 26th-29th May
Annual leave trade-off: 30 days holiday for 18 days leave
Trips you could take with these specific dates
- Australia Encompassed – Sand Islands and sunsets
- Southern Africa Overland, Capetown, Falls and Kruger
- Ultimate China on a shoestring
August/September Annual Leave
National Holiday: 31st August
Book these dates: 1-4th Sept
Annual leave trade-off: 9 days holiday for 4 days leave
Trips you could take with these specific dates
- Mt Kilimanjaro Trek – Machame Route
- USA Road trip Atlantic Cast from NYC to Florida
December Annual Leave
National Holiday: 25th and 28th December
Book these dates: 21-24th+ 29th-31st December
Annual leave trade-off: 16 days holiday with 7 days leave
Trips you could take with these specific dates
- Sri Lanka encompassed – read my full review of this trip here.
- Mayan Discovery: Guatemala and Belize
- End of the earth – Chile and Argentina
Hopefully, you’ve gotten some inspiration for your 2020 adventures! What’s your travel plans for next year? Tell me in the comments. And don’t forget to pin this to your Pinterest boards so you can come back to it later!
