As we move closer to 2025, Corporate Traveller, the renowned SME division of Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), has unveiled game-changing strategies for maximizing your time off, combining public holidays with annual leave. These expertly curated hacks can help employees more than double their holidays, leveraging long weekends and key public holiday dates. With precise planning, Australians can enjoy up to 57 days off in 2025—without burning excessive annual leave. For businesses, this strategic approach to “bleisure” (business + leisure) trips offers tremendous potential to boost morale and productivity while ensuring minimal disruption to workflow.
The Numbers: How You Can Convert 20 Days into Over 50 Days Off
By analyzing public holiday placements across Australian states and territories, Corporate Traveller has identified that employees can significantly extend their leave thanks to a carefully structured combination of public holidays and minimal annual leave.
Victoria leads the way, offering employees the opportunity to convert 21 days of annual leave into a staggering 57 days off. The ACT follows closely, allowing workers to stretch 20 days into 56 days of holiday. In Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory, employees can convert 20 days of leave into 53 days of freedom. NSW, however, trails the list, with workers able to turn their 20 days of leave into just 50 days off—still a sizable opportunity.
Tom Walley, Global Managing Director for Corporate Traveller, highlights the immense potential for Australians to take advantage of these holiday hacks. “Next year’s alignment of public holidays is a win-win for both employees and businesses,” he notes. “Strategically leveraging public holidays alongside annual leave not only enables employees to enjoy extended time away from the office but also ensures minimal business disruption.”
2025: A Year to Maximize ‘Bleisure’
2025 offers employees a treasure trove of opportunities to transform business trips into mini vacations. With many Monday public holidays and well-positioned long weekends, savvy travellers can blend business and leisure, extending work-related trips into enjoyable escapes.
Walley explains, “Australia is a global leader in bleisure travel. The increasing availability of direct flights to key international destinations like New Zealand, Bali, and Japan will allow business travelers to tack on leisure days to their work trips, enhancing work-life balance.”
Critical Dates for Strategic Holiday Planning in 2025
Corporate Traveller’s expert analysis provides essential dates for employees to consider when planning their time off. Here are the top holiday hacks for 2025:
- Christmas & New Year’s Break: 16 Days Off for the Price of 7
- Combine seven days of annual leave with the public holidays on 25 December, 26 December, and 1 January to enjoy a 16-day break from 21 December 2024 to 6 January 2025.
- To avoid the busiest travel days, consider flying on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or New Year’s Day—these are historically quieter days, according to Corporate Traveller’s booking data.
- Australia Day: 9 Days Off for 4 Days of Leave
- With Australia Day falling on Monday, 27 January, employees can take four days of annual leave from 28 to 31 January to secure a nine-day break from 25 January to 2 February.
- Easter & ANZAC Day: Double Your Break
- Good Friday is on 18 April, Easter Monday is on 21 April, and ANZAC Day is on 25 April. By booking seven days of annual leave from 14-17 April and 22-24 April, you can enjoy a 16-day break spanning 12-27 April.
- King’s Birthday: 9 Days Off for 4 Days of Leave
- The King’s Birthday holiday falls on different dates depending on the state. For instance, in Queensland, it’s on 6 October, while Western Australia observes it on 29 September. You can turn this into a nine-day break by taking four days off, which is ideal for a refreshing escape.
- Labour Day: Another 9-Day Getaway
- Labour Day occurs on different Mondays across six states and the ACT. For example, Victoria observes it on 10 March and Queensland on 5 May. You can turn these long weekends into a nine-day vacation by taking four days of annual leave.
State-by-State Breakdown: Maximize Your Time Off
Corporate Traveller’s report reveals which states are best positioned to maximize public holiday opportunities.
- Victoria: Victorians can transform 21 days of leave into 57 days off, thanks to holidays like the Melbourne Cup Day and the AFL Grand Final, giving employees two four-day breaks.
- ACT: ACT workers can enjoy 56 days off by leveraging holidays such as Canberra Day on 10 March and Reconciliation Day on 2 June.
- Western Australia: Western Australia Day on 2 June allows employees to stretch their leave, securing an additional long weekend with no annual leave required.
- South Australia & Tasmania: South Australians can enjoy a bonus holiday with Adelaide Cup Day on 10 March. Tasmanians are gifted long weekends around Eight Hours Day and Royal Hobart Regatta.
Corporate Travel Trends: Brisbane Set to Overtake Sydney This Christmas
Historically, Sydney has been Australia’s busiest airport for corporate travellers during the holiday season. However, according to Corporate Traveller’s data, Brisbane is set to overtake Sydney as the most trafficked city for corporate travel over Christmas in 2024.
Regarding international travel, Japan, Canada, and Thailand top the list of favourite destinations for business travellers during the holiday season, followed by New Zealand, Singapore, and Spain.
Conclusion: Plan to Maximize Your Leave in 2025
The time to act is for those planning to make the most of their annual leave. By carefully coordinating public holidays with minimal leave days, employees can unlock significant time away from work without sacrificing productivity. Corporate Traveller’s expert hacks provide a framework for a more balanced work-life integration and offer businesses the chance to support their employees’ well-being through strategic travel planning.
To learn more about stretching your holidays and optimising bleisure travel, visit Corporate Traveller’s comprehensive holiday guide here.
Written by: Yves Thomas
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