With a bit of planning, you can hack your way to more holidays by being smart about your annual leave. Our guide walks you through how to make the most of public holidays, long weekends, and smartly placed leave days. So whether you’re dreaming of lying on a beach with a cocktail in hand or doing a week-long hike in the hills, these tips will help you maximise your annual leave in 2026. Explore our calendar below to start mapping your time off.
Annual leave day: 2nd January 2026
Total time off: 1st Jan to 4th Jan
Book 1 day, get 4 days off
Kicking off the year with a mini break is an easy win. By taking just one annual leave day after New Year’s Day, you can turn the public holiday into a four-day break ideal for recovering from the festive season or squeezing in a short getaway.
Annual leave days: 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th
Total time off: 24th January to 1st February
Australia Day is one of the best opportunities of the year to maximise your leave. With four days of leave, you can enjoy over a week off during peak summer, perfect for beach holidays or interstate travel.
Annual leave days: 7th,8th,9th,10th April
Total time off: 3rd April to 12th April
Easter is always a favourite for leave maximisation. Thanks to Good Friday and Easter Monday, a small amount of leave unlocks one of the longest breaks of the year.
Annual leave days: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th June
Total time off: 6th June to 14th June
This mid-year public holiday is perfect for a winter escape or a proper rest break before the second half of the year kicks in.
The King’s Birthday public holiday falls on Monday 8 June in most states and territories (except QLD and WA).
Annual leave days: 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th October
Total time off: 3rd October to 11th October
In NSW, SA, and the ACT, Labour Day falls on Monday 5 October.
Labour Day is a great chance to enjoy a spring break before the end-of-year rush. Booking leave around this holiday gives you plenty of time to recharge or travel.
Annual leave days: 29th, 30th, 31st December, 2nd January
Total time off: 25th December to 2nd January
The end-of-year period is the biggest opportunity to stretch your annual leave. With offices already slowing down, this is the perfect time to take an extended break without using much leave.
Need some help planning on where to go with all that extra leave? These travel guides will be sure to get your travel juices flowing. Why not also check out The 1Cover Travel Hub as your go-to destination for everything you need before you fly, sail, or hit the road.
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We love travel, so of course we think it makes perfect sense to stretch your annual leave as far as it can go. With a little foresight, you can transform just a few days of annual leave into long breaks. By placing your leave days just before or after key public holidays, you can turn your weekends into extended escapes and carve out full weeks away without depleting your entire allowance.
Whether you’re dreaming of a summer holiday, or a winter wonderland, make your annual leave work harder for you in 2026.
Want to know where Aussies travelled in 2025? Check out our 2025 Travel Wrap Up here.
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