How to Maximise Annual Leave in 2025
A new year is here, which means two things:
- You’re going to set a New Year’s resolution that you’ll get very excited about, follow for 3 weeks, and then toss aside like Aunt Mary’s Christmas cake, and
- you have more annual leave to plan
So, how will you use it? Will you blow it all at once on a holiday in the sun or use it wisely? If it’s the latter—and it should be!—there are some ways you can plot your annual leave to stretch it out and make it seem a lot longer.
Turn 4 days into 9 (Three Times!)
If you plan your annual leave around Bank Holidays you can turn 4 days into 9. On a Bank Holiday weekend, you’ll leave work on Friday night and will be out of the office from Saturday to Tuesday because of the Bank Holiday. Add four days of annual leave (Tuesday to Friday) to the mix, along with the following weekend, and that’s 9 days for the price of 4.
You’re limited to what you can do in 4 days, but 9 days is more than enough to enjoy a family holiday, a couples’ retreat by the beach, or even an extended city break. It also means you can delay your holiday until after the Bank Holiday, thus avoiding the chaos of travelling at the same time as everyone else.
There are three key travel dates where you can do this in 2025:
Easter Monday: April 21st Take off Tuesday, April 22nd to Friday, April 25th
Early May Bank Holiday: May 5th Take off Tuesday, May 6th to Friday, May 9th
Summer Bank Holiday: August 25th Take off Tuesday, August 26th to Friday, August 29th
*The above work for those in England and Wales, not those in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
An Easter Blow-Out
Good Friday falls on April 18th, 2025, and Easter Monday is April 21st, 2025, giving you a ready-made 4-day weekend. It’s a perfect excuse for a short break or some family time without dipping into your annual leave. But remember—millions will have the same idea, so expect higher prices and packed transport.Instead of squeezing everything into 4 hectic days, why not go big? Book off the week before and the week after to turn 8 days of annual leave into a massive 16-day break.
Here's how:
Book annual leave from Monday 14th April to Thursday 17th April
And again from Tuesday 22nd April to Friday 25th April
That’s 16 consecutive days off, from Saturday 12th April to Sunday 27th April, using just 8 days of leave.
You could fit in two holidays—or just unwind at home for more than two weeks!
What are the Cheapest Destinations to Use Limited Annual Leave?
You might have bought yourself some extra days, but that doesn’t automatically mean you’ll have the money to splash out on airport parking, flights, hotels, and attractions. So, if you’re looking to save some money while you use your annual leave, here are some low-cost holiday destinations:
- Krakow/Warsaw, Poland—You can get to cities like Warsaw and Krakow from most major UK airports, and tickets are usually very cheap. They are also cheap cities in general, unlike destinations like Oslo, Reykjavik, Stockholm, and Paris, which cost very little to visit but require you to re-mortgage your home if you want food and accommodation.
- Berlin, Germany—A surprisingly cheap destination. Many attractions are free and the food is some of the cheapest of all major European cities. Flights are available from numerous airports across the country (including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, and Birmingham) and can usually be picked up for less than £50.
- Budapest, Hungary—You can plan a holiday in Hungary for very little. Flights are cheap, accommodation isn’t too expensive, and you won’t pay more for food or attractions either. Budapest is also a very beautiful city with a lot to offer.
- Lisbon, Portugal—A beautiful city that won’t cost the earth. It’s one of the best value destinations in Europe and you can get there for less than £50 per person from several UK airports.
- Albania—You can go pretty much anywhere in Albania, as it’s a very cheap country on the whole. Flights aren’t too common, so you might be out of luck if you don’t live near a major city (you can fly direct from London, Manchester, and Edinburgh), but food, drink, and accommodation are cheap here.
- Sofia, Bulgaria: A gorgeous and underrated European city that won’t cost the earth. You can fly to Sofia direct from Manchester, London, Edinburgh, Liverpool, and Bristol for less than £100 in April and March, and that £100 will probably be one of the most expensive parts of the holiday.
If you’re prepared to venture further afield, you can also enjoy a budget holiday in destinations like Jamaica, Hong Kong, Belize, India, Peru, Bolivia, and Bali. Food and attractions are often very cheap in these locations. The problem is that you will pay a lot more for travel and if you stick with the tourist resorts, you may also be stung for accommodation. So, do your research and prepare to step off the beaten track, assuming it’s safe to do so in the country you visit.
Get More From Your Annual Leave in 2025
As you can see, a little careful planning is all it takes to stretch those days and create several big holiday periods for yourself in 2025. So, start booking those train tickets and plane tickets, start planning those road trips, and get ready for a 2025 full of budget city breaks, weekends by the sea, and cosy cabin adventures.
And remember, if you need to book cheap airport parking for any of those trips, we’ll be right here!