Your number of days of paid leave can sound like a lot in theory, but when you actually sit down to plan all the trips you’d like to take, that number feels like a lot less. Your bucket list is probably filled with destinations and adventures you’d like to have, but when are you going to find the time to take them? Plus, it would be nice to have a few days off to just rest as well!
Well, we’re to help. We’ve looked at all the bank holidays in 2024 and created a plan to maximise your paid leave so that you have the time to take proper trips. We’ll make sure that you don’t run out of paid leave just yet. So here are all of the upcoming bank holidays in 2024 and how you can use them to your advantage.
Easter Bank Holiday
This year, Easter falls from the 31st of March to the 1st of April. This means that you already have Friday to Monday off, which is four days that don’t use up your holiday time. However, if you’re looking for a more extended getaway, perhaps a road trip in Scotland, then you can take one extra day around this and enjoy five days for your trip. So right away, you’ve got five days of holiday from one official day of leave.
Early May Bank Holiday
If you’re looking for a time to travel when the roads aren’t as busy as during Easter, the 2024 May Bank Holiday is ideal for a trip. The 6th of May is a bank holiday which gives you Monday off. So celebrate May Day by heading into nature for a little getaway. Since it’s coupled on the weekend, you’ve already got three days off work. By taking off Friday the 3rd of May or Tuesday the 7th of May, you’ve got a four-day weekend to take a motorhome holiday. This would require just one day of your paid leave. Or you can take both days to get away properly!
Spring Bank Holiday
May saves the day, as in 2024 the Spring Bank Holiday falls in the same month as the Early May Bank Holiday. Monday the 27th of May is a national bank holiday, which also means that if you take off Friday the 26th of May or Tuesday the 28th of May, you get to enjoy a four-day weekend.
Summer Bank Holiday
This is one of our favourite days off as it comes right at the end of summer. You think that the holiday time is over, the sunshine will soon be gone, and you don’t have much to look forward to until Christmas. Then out of nowhere… a day off!
The August Bank Holiday falls on the 26th of August 2024. This gives you a three-day weekend, which is enough time for a staycation camping trip! But I’d recommend either taking Friday the 23rd of August or Tuesday the 27th as paid leave. This will give you a nice long period to rest after summer. Those days will also be less busy on the roads than the bank holiday itself.
Suppose you have the flexibility to travel outside of school holidays, aim to take your days off on this week after the August Bank Holiday. Many people are restricted to travelling in the peak season, so employers often appreciate when people take their time off outside of this period. It might win you some brownie points!
Christmas Time
In 2024, Christmas Day falls on a Wednesday and Boxing Day on a Thursday. This means that if you take off Friday the 27th, you can stretch the Christmas celebrations pretty much until New Year's. You could take a five-day trip to see your family and loved ones. Or take it even further by taking off Monday the 30th and Tuesday the 31st, and you won't have to get back to work until Thursday the 2nd, by which time it's pretty much the weekend again. This will give you grand total of 8 days off. With that kind of time, you could even jet off somewhere sunny for Christmas or go skiing with a motorhome.
And there you have it! Depending on which bank holidays you use, you should still end up with at least two weeks of paid leave to use whenever you’d like. So what will you do with all of this time off?
