From leave stacking, to working abroad and advanced planning, discover how Brits in full time employment are fitting in time to travel
Craving a getaway now that work is back in full swing? Travel insurance experts at Confused.com have uncovered how savvy Brits plan holidays around their annual leave to maximise travel time.
British travellers capitalise on bank holidays
Many Brits who get bank holidays off in addition to annual leave plan breaks strategically around them. ‘Bank holiday hacks’ or ‘leave stacking’ means booking annual leave on the days around the bank holidays to have longer off using less leave. Tutorials on when to take annual leave to secure longer periods off are shared widely online, from national news sites to social media platforms like TikTok. Almost three in five (59%) travellers have thought about utilising ‘bank holiday hacks’ and half (50%) are already planning to follow them in 2025.
Travellers book annual leave far in advance of trips
Many Brits are also forward thinking, planning trips in advance and getting their time off booked early in the year. Over half (56%) of those surveyed have already booked leave for later in the year, with 10 days being booked off on average. The majority of Brits request their leave 2-3 months before a holiday (47%) and a third (33%) book as far as 7-12 months before.
Below are their motivations for booking annual leave early:
| Reason | % of holidaymakers |
| To ensure I can get the time off, prior to booking the holiday | 53% |
| To avoid conflict with other team members’ annual leave | 49% |
| To save money | 35% |
| Company policy | 29% |
| To allow my company time to arrange my cover | 28% |
Workers admit to sneaking in getaways outside of annual leave
The survey revealed that many Brits are willing to bend the rules to squeeze in a holiday. Almost two thirds (65%) of respondents are not offered time to work from abroad, meaning their travel is restricted to annual leave. Despite this, a third (33%) admitted to combatting restrictions by secretly going on holiday outside of their annual leave, without informing their employer. Top reasons for doing so were uncertainty around their company’s work from abroad policy (43%), being denied annual leave (35%) and even knowing they are not entitled to work from abroad (23%). If you’re not entitled to work abroad, it’s not recommended to do so as by breaking your employment contract you could get in trouble with your company and even face losing your job.
Those who are allowed to work abroad (24%) plan to use on average 18 days to do so in 2025. This extends the amount of time they can be away without having to use annual leave.
Confused.com travel insurance expert, Alvaro Iturmendi shares tips on making the most of paid time off for travel:
- “Understand what leave you are entitled to: Ensure you are clear on how many annual leave days you receive annually, so you can plan your travel accordingly. It’s a good idea to do this early in the year, roughly plotting when you will use the days. This way, you can work around any work or personal commitments as well. Don’t forget to look into additional benefits your company may offer that could provide extra travel days. For example, bonus days off for birthdays / wellness, or work from abroad schemes.
- “Book as far in advance as possible: Booking annual leave in advance ensures you secure the desired days off. Booking the holiday itself in advance will offer flexibility through increased choices and give you plenty of time to plan. Early booking usually also helps avoid increased costs. The optimal timeframe for booking international flights is 60 days before the holiday – doing this can save up to 10% on average[1]. Securing travel insurance ahead of time is important too, as it not only covers incidents while you’re away, but can also protect you from unexpected cancellation. You’ll have more time to explore different options, find the right policy for your needs and ensure you’re covered if something goes wrong.
- “Strategically plan your travel time: Carefully planning when you go away can extend your leave and save you money. Booking days off around bank holidays can optimize your time off, so you have longer breaks while using less leave. If you want to cut costs, travel outside of peak times. If you can, travel outside of school holidays or festive occasions (e.g. Christmas, Easter). You’re likely to find better deals for lower prices on accommodation, flights and even activities.”
