For many professionals working a traditional 9-to-5 job, one of the greatest challenges is finding ways how to travel more often by maximizing your leave days. With annual leave often restricted to 15–20 working days, it becomes essential to plan strategically in order to enjoy extended vacations without exhausting all allocated time off.
Below are some practical tips for optimizing leave days and incorporating more travel into a busy work schedule:
1. Use Weekends to Extend Vacations
Weekends are an excellent way to enhance and extend travel time without cutting into leave days. By including weekends in travel plans, travelers can enjoy two full additional days at their destination, which do not count against annual leave allowances—a win for any traveler.
Weekends also offer unique opportunities to experience local culture, as many destinations host food markets, festivals, and special events on these days. For example, combining a trip with weekends and a public holiday can create a longer, cost-effective getaway. A great illustration of this is a trip to Singapore and Bali in August, where an 11-day holiday required only four leave days, with the rest covered by weekends and a mid-week public holiday.
2. Schedule Travel Days on Weekdays
When booking flights for long-haul travel, consider selecting weekday departures. Weekday flights are often less expensive than weekend options, and booking an overnight flight is a practical way to optimize travel time. For instance, taking a Thursday evening flight allows travelers to arrive at their destination Friday morning, leaving the full weekend to explore.
When planning this approach, ensure ample time to reach the airport—ideally three hours before international flights. If necessary, consider taking a half-day off to avoid unnecessary stress. This strategy creates a seamless transition from work to vacation while conserving leave days.
3. Leverage Public Holidays
South Africa offers 12 public holidays annually, which can significantly extend travel opportunities when used strategically. While this number may be fewer than countries like India or China, where public holidays exceed 20 per year, South Africa’s public holidays are still a valuable resource for planning extended trips.
By reviewing the annual calendar early in the year, travelers can identify periods with multiple public holidays, often in March and December. Booking a week with public holidays and adding weekends can create a longer vacation without depleting all leave days. For those concerned about peak-season travel costs during these periods, consider leveraging public holidays during less busy seasons for more affordable options.
Plan Strategically to Travel More
With careful planning, it is possible to travel longer and more frequently without exhausting annual leave allowances. By combining weekends, public holidays, and weekday travel, professionals can create meaningful travel experiences throughout the year.
If you have additional tips for how to travel more often by maximizing your leave days or unique travel strategies, feel free to share them—we’d love to hear your ideas!
