How to maximise your annual leave in 2024

If you’ve already Googled ‘public holidays 2024’ or researched the best travel deals for 2024, you’re not alone. It’s never too early to start planning some well-deserved holidays, away from the 9-5 slog. And planning your 2024 holiday early means you can get first dibs on the best days to take off in 2024 to maximise your annual leave and double your days off.

Thanks to the schedule of the 2024 Australian public holidays, there are a few calendar sweet spots that will help you maximise your time off while minimising the amount of annual leave you have to spend. By following those holiday hacks, you can plan a 2024 cruise without worrying about using too much of your annual leave allowance. So - what are the magic dates that will give you double the days away without bankrupting your leave balance?

What are the public holidays in 2024?

There are a total of seven national public holidays in Australia during 2024:

  • Monday, 1 January 2024 - New Year’s Day
  • Friday, 26 January 2024 - Australia Day
  • Friday, 29 March 2024 - Good Friday
  • Monday, 1 April 2024 - Easter Monday
  • Thursday, 25 April 2024 - Anzac Day
  • Wednesday, 25 December 2024 - Christmas Day
  • Thursday, 26 December 2024 - Boxing Day

Then there are the various state-based public holidays that sweeten the pot!

Score a one-week January holiday

There are two opportunities for you to have a full week of holiday with only 4 days of annual leave in January 2024.

New Years Day

  • Monday, 1 January 2024: New Year's Day public holiday
  • Tuesday, 2 January 2024: Annual Leave
  • Wednesday, 3 January 2024: Annual Leave
  • Thursday, 4 January 2024: Annual Leave
  • Friday, 5 January 2024: Annual Leave
  • Saturday, 6 January 2024: Weekend
  • Sunday, 7 January 2024: Weekend

Australia Day

  • Saturday, 20 January 2024: Weekend
  • Sunday, 21 January 2024: Weekend
  • Monday, 22 January 2024: Annual Leave
  • Tuesday, 23 January 2024: Annual Leave
  • Wednesday, 24 January 2024: Annual Leave
  • Thursday, 25 January 2024: Annual Leave
  • Friday, 26 January 2024: Australia Day public holiday
  • Saturday, 27 January 2024: Weekend
  • Sunday, 28 January 2024: Weekend

Get 10 days off for Easter 2024

With Good Friday closing out the month of March, you could be on holiday from Friday, 29 March with a return date of Monday, 8 April 2024 by only booking 4 days of annual leave.

  • Friday, 29 March 2024: Good Friday public holiday
  • Saturday, 30 March 2024: Weekend
  • Sunday, 31 March 2024: Easter Sunday (weekend)
  • Monday, 1 April 2024: Easter Monday public holiday
  • Tuesday, 2 April 2024: Annual Leave
  • Wednesday, 3 April 2024: Annual Leave
  • Thursday, 4 April 2024: Annual Leave
  • Friday, 5 April 2024: Annual Leave
  • Saturday, 6 April 2024: Weekend
  • Sunday, 7 April 2024: Weekend

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Enjoy an extra-long Anzac Day weekend

Anzac Day 2024 falls on a Thursday. With only one day of annual leave on Friday, 26 April, you can enjoy a four-day weekend from Thursday, 25 April to Sunday, 28 April 2024.

  • Thursday, 25 April 2024: ANZAC Day public holiday
  • Friday, 26 April 2024: Annual Leave
  • Saturday, 27 April 2024: Weekend
  • Sunday, 28 April 2024: Weekend

Get the King's Birthday week off

For a week off work, book four days of annual leave between Tuesday, 13 June to Friday, 16 June 2024.

  • Saturday, 8 June 2024: Weekend
  • Sunday, 9 June 2024: Weekend
  • Monday, 10 June 2024: King's Birthday public holiday
  • Tuesday, 11 June 2024: Annual Leave
  • Wednesday, 12 June 2024: Annual Leave
  • Thursday, 13 June 2024: Annual Leave
  • Friday, 14 June 2024: Annual Leave
  • Saturday, 15 June 2024: Weekend
  • Sunday, 16 June 2024: Weekend

Spend Labour Day week away

For another week away from work, book in four days of annual leave between Tuesday, 8 October to Friday, 11 October 2024.

  • Saturday, 5 October 2024: Weekend
  • Sunday, 6 October 2024: Weekend
  • Monday, 7 October 2024: Labour Day public holiday
  • Tuesday, 8 October 2024: Annual Leave
  • Wednesday, 9 October 2024: Annual Leave
  • Thursday, 10 October 2024: Annual Leave
  • Friday, 11 October 2024: Annual Leave
  • Saturday, 12 October 2024: Weekend
  • Sunday, 13 October 2024: Weekend

Score 14 days off for Christmas and New Years 2024

It’s the holiday we’re all waiting to book. For only five days of annual leave, you can score a massive 14-day holiday from Monday, 23 December 2024 to Sunday, 5 January 2025.

  • Monday, 23 December 2024: Annual Leave
  • Tuesday, 24 December 2024: Annual Leave
  • Wednesday, 25 December 2024: Christmas Day public holiday
  • Thursday, 26 December 2024: Boxing Day public holiday
  • Friday, 27 December 2024: Annual Leave
  • Saturday, 28 December 2024: Weekend
  • Sunday, 29 December 2024: Weekend
  • Monday, 30 December 2024: Annual Leave
  • Tuesday, 31 December 2024: Annual Leave
  • Wednesday, 1 January 2025: New Year's Day public holiday
  • Thursday, 2 January 2025: Annual Leave
  • Friday, 3 January 2025: Annual Leave
  • Saturday, 4 January 2025: Weekend
  • Sunday, 5 January 2025: Weekend

What will you do with all of this time off? Book a cruise, of course!

Experience it all aboard a P&O cruise

Kick back or kick things up a notch with our wide range of cruise activities. No matter how you like to holiday, our selection of amazing onboard activities has something for everyone. Find your favourite onboard activity or mix things up every day for a varied holiday experience you won’t find anywhere on land.

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