Because we all deserve some well-earned time off.

There’s always that one colleague who is organised enough to book their leave to align with the state’s holidays, leaving the rest of the office envious of their lovely two-week break where minimal leave was used.

For this very reason, we’re writing this article now to ensure you don’t miss out next year and that you capitalise on leave maximisation – the art of strategically using your annual leave days around weekends and public holidays to give you the longest break possible.

An analysis by Corporate Traveller shows Western Australians can score the most time off with minimal leave used, stretching 31 days of annual leave into a whopping 71 days off.

Tom Walley, global managing director of Corporate Traveller, says thoughtful timing will pay off tenfold in 2026. “Public holidays in 2026 are well spaced for extended getaways. By locking in leave requests now, employees can secure the best fares and accommodation, and employers can plan resourcing well in advance. Everybody wins."

Let’s take a look…

Victoria

Victorians can nab up to 60 days off by using 20 days of annual leave with 13 public holidays and weekends. The best time to take advantage is over the Christmas/New Year period where you could get 16 days off in a row by using seven days of leave, or over Easter when you can get 16 days off by taking eight days of leave.

Queensland

Savvy Queenslanders can lock in 58 days off by using 25 days of leave alongside 12 public holidays and weekends. Using seven days of annual leave results in 16 days off in a row over Christmas/New Year’s. And four days of annual leave scores you 10 consecutive days off over Easter. The other option is to use four days of annual leave around Ekka Day in August to get 10 days off in a row.

Western Australia

Western Australians due for an extended holiday (hello Euro summer) can lock in an incredible 71 days off by using 31 days of leave alongside 11 state-wide public holidays and weekends. Taking seven days of annual leave around the Christmas/New Year period offers 16 consecutive days off. Or by using four days of annual leave around Easter, you can get 10 days off in a row – a fantastic time to head north to swim with whale sharks.

South Australia

South Australians who smartly plan ahead are up for to 62 days off when using 27 annual leave days, thanks to 13 public holidays. For a solid break, you can use four days of annual leave for 10 days off in a row over Easter. Or by using seven days of annual leave for 16 consecutive days off. over Christmas/New Years.

Tasmania

Tasmanians can get 50 days off by using 19 days of annual leave, thanks to 11 official state-wide public holidays, plus either Royal Hobart Regatta Day in the south or Recreation Day in the rest of the state, along with an extra day off for public servants (7 April). You can get up to 16 days off by using seven annual leave days over the Christmas/New Year period or up to 11 days off by using four days of leave (or five with Easter Tuesday) over the Easter period.

New South Wales

NSW has 11 state-wide public holidays. By using 23 leave days over Christmas/New Year, employees can lock in 53 consecutive days off if they use 23 leave days. You could also treat yourself a 10-day break by using just four days of your annual leave around the Easter break, from Saturday 28 March to Monday 6 April.

Australian Capital Territory

If you’re in the ACT, 55 days off could be on the cards if you take 23 days of annual leave, thanks to 13 public holidays, including two extra long weekends (Canberra Day, Monday 9 March, and Reconciliation Day, Monday 1 June). To maximise leave, use seven days of annual leave for 16 days off over Christmas/New Year. And four days of leave over Easter gives you 10 days off in total. 

Northern Territory

50 days off are available to the Top End crowd if they take 19 days of annual leave, thanks to 11 official public holidays in 2026. Using seven days of annual leave over Christmas/New Year  results in 16 consecutive days off, while using four days of annual leave over Easter will give you a 10-day break.