Wish you had more holidays? Well, turns out you do (with some help from yours truly)
Same allowance, more time off
Think you have 28 days off in 2026? Think again. By planning smarter, you could almost double your time off in 2026 by booking annual leave in between long weekends and bank holidays (so not having the holidays is no longer an excuse for putting off that dream trip!)
Here are the days you'll want to take off in 2026:
Getting more paid-time off in 2026
Statutory annual leave in the UK is 28 days for most full-time employees working five days a week, (although this might be more or less depending on your employer and the conditions of your employment). That's about 5.6 weeks of paid leave, which could be enough for a far-flung adventure, but let's face it, who wants to spend all their holidays on just one trip a year, even if it is a trip-of-a-lifetime.
The thing is, though, when you add in a bank holiday or two around your annual leave, your travel plans could be much further than you realise, and you could even keep some of your annual leave in your back pocket for a cheeky day off here and there to extend your weekends too.
So, we've done the heavy lifting for you. Here's how you can combine paid and statutory leave in 2026.
UK bank holidays in 2026
Below, you’ll see a list of all the UK bank holidays, split by country, and the dates they fall on in 2026 to help you optimise your annual leave and plan your trips with ease:Use Skyscanner Price Alerts to find the best deals on flights
The best bank holiday trips to go in 2026
What’s previously been popular during these holidays and when to book in 2026
Based on the most popular destinations that UK travellers visited during their holidays last year, we’ve pulled together some ideas below to help simultaneously inspire your 2026 trips and to help you make the most of your holiday allowance:
Take 8 days off to get a 16-day Easter holiday break
From Rajasthan’s palaces to the temples of Chiang Rai, an Easter break in India or Thailand offers a two-week holiday rich in flavour, culture and colour. April's warmth is ideal for exploring Jaipur or Udaipur just as the vibrancy of the Holi festival has settled, while Thailand’s build-up to the Songkran water-festival brings a celebratory buzz to Bangkok and Chiang Mai. With the extra time off (thanks to a well-planned Easter break), and average prices (based on 2025 bookings) at £569 for India and £766 for Thailand, it’s the perfect moment to discover these far-flung gems.
Take 4 days off and get 9 days holiday for May Day Bank Holiday
The sun-kissed plazas of Seville and the Aegean coves of Bodrum offer a perfect early-summer escape before temperatures begin to soar in May. May is ideal for exploring the historic quarters, beach towns and beautiful whitewashed villages of Andalusia, while the southwest coast of Türkiye enters its most beautiful season, characterised by calm seas, blooming bougainvillea and thinner crowds than in peak summer. And with average prices (based on 2025 bookings) at £122 for Spain and £176 for Türkiye, it’s the perfect moment to enjoy some of the best cuisine and culture of the Mediterranean.
Take 4 days off to get a 9-day August bank holiday
From California’s oceanfront cities to Canada’s mountain-backed lakes, an August Bank Holiday break in North America offers nine days of late-summer adventure with just four days of annual leave. Explore highlights of the US' west-coast, such as San Francisco’s waterfront neighbourhoods, Oregon’s dramatic coastline or iconic national parks. Or choose cool mornings in the Rockies, lakefront trails around Banff and Jasper, and vibrant city breaks in Vancouver or Toronto. With average prices (based on 2025 bookings) at £685 for the US and £637 for Canada, you're guaranteed an epic end-of-summer escape, whichever one you pick.
FAQs
More ideas for 2026 travel
Destinations reflect some of the top 10 most popular destinations where travellers booked in 2025. Flight prices are based on fares booked for the equivalent holiday window the previous year. These flights were purchased within 365 days of departure, using data up to 2 December 2025.
