For those who love a good holiday hack, Charlie, a travel enthusiast with a 9-5 job, has revealed a brilliant strategy to significantly extend annual leave in 2025. In a TikTok video that’s gone viral, he explains how you can convert 29 days of holiday entitlement into 64 days off work. He meticulously details the specific dates to book off for the most extended break, stating: “This is how you’re going to maximise your annual leave in 2025 – 29 days of annual leave can turn into 64 days off. ” His clever use of the calendar has already seen him visit six countries this year alone.
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In his breakdown shared by Birmingham Live, Charlie highlights how taking just Thursday, January 2 and Friday, January 3 as leave can result in a five-day break when combined with the weekend and New Year’s Day bank holiday. He also points to the Easter period as an optimal time, recommending eight days off on April 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, and 25 to enjoy an uninterrupted 16 days of rest thanks to the alignment with weekends and bank holidays. Outside of the usual holiday periods, savvy planners can look forward to extended breaks in August and Christmas 2025, thanks to a few well-placed bank holidays. By booking time off around weekends, you could really stretch out those precious days away from work. But before you start circling dates on your calendar, remember that not everyone can use Charlie’s viral holiday hack. It’s a hit on TikTok with over 7.5 million views, but it’s not for everyone, reports Yorkshire Live. The UK statutory minimum leave is 28 days for a standard five-day week, and not all jobs offer bank holidays or weekends off. Retail workers and NHS staff have chimed in on the conversation, sharing that phrases like “cries in retail” and “cries in NHS” sum up their feelings about missing out on this clever leave strategy. One user queried, “29 days of annual leave! Who gets a month off a year? ” leading Charlie to explain that British law gives workers 28 days off each year. Another holiday enthusiast on TikTok, who also tries to make the most of their annual leave like Charlie, exclaimed: “Twin! Where have you been? I try to always plan my days like this! ” Many users expressed gratitude for Charlie’s video. One gushed: “Be blessed. What a legend you are. Thank you.” Another added: “When people say ‘doing the Lord’s work’ this is what they mean.”
