The Ultimate Guide to Capitalising on Your Annual Leave in 2018
Are you already thinking back longingly to the blissful time spent sun-tanning on the beach over the December holidays? Who says that you have to wait until the end of 2018 to book another cheap domestic flight in South Africa just to do it all over again?
With a bit of strategic planning (and ensuring that you’re one of the first to fill in and hand in the forms to HR!), you can easily make the most of your leave throughout the coming year. Here’s how.
March & April
How about a rejuvenating trip to the bushveld? Or perhaps book a cheap domestic flight to Durban and top up your tan (or what’s left of it) before the cooler weather hits?
Human Rights Day falls on a Wednesday this year on 21st of March. This means that if you take the Monday (19th), Tuesday (20th), Thursday (22nd) and Friday (23rd) off, (you could always throw in Friday the 16th as well), you’ll have a long holiday to look forward to much sooner than you probably expected to! In short, you’ll get 10 days off for the price of 5.
But, wait! There’s more. Easter follows pretty quickly thereafter and is a time that is about so much more than simply chowing down on all of that extra chocolate. It’s also a time to put your feet for 5 long days, while only applying for 1 day of leave! Apply for leave on Thursday, March 29th and / or Tuesday April 3rd and VOILA. This is all thanks to Good Friday (March 30th) and Family Day / Easter Monday (April 2nd) already creating a long weekend for all working South Africans.
April & May
With Freedom Day (April 27th) and Labour Day (May 1st) being so close together, there’s an opportunity to take some extra time off and enjoy another well-deserved midyear break. The great news is that, this year, if you play your leave cards right, you’ll be able to get 6 days off (Thursday the 26th of April Tuesday the 1st of May) and only lose 2 days of your annual leave. Simply apply for leave on Thursday the 26th and Monday the 30th of April.
August
In August, double up your time off by applying for leave on Wednesday 8th, Friday 10th and Monday 13th. Thanks to Women’s Day on Thursday 9th, you’ll get a total of 6 days off as a result and only lose 3 days of your annual leave.
September
Heritage Day takes place on the 24th of September, which is a Monday. If you put a leave request in for on Friday the 21st, you’ll enjoy a refreshing long weekend. Book yourself a cheap domestic flight to anywhere in South Africa and you’ll have a bit of a breather to get you through the last few weeks of the year before December rolls around again!
December & January
Are you ready to soak up every minute of a generous 20-day holiday? Even better, are you ready to savour every minute of a generous 20-day holiday while only using up 10 days of your annual leave? It’s 100% possible. Here’s how:
In 2018, the Day of Reconciliation (the 17th) falls on a Monday, Christmas Day (the 25th) falls on a Tuesday, Boxing Day (the 26th) on a Wednesday and New Year’s Day (January 1st) a Tuesday. The secret to getting 20 days off lies in applying for leave on the following other days in December and January 2019:
December
- Tuesday the 18th
- Wednesday the 19th
- Thursday the 20th
- Friday the 21st
- Monday the 24th
- Thursday the 27th
- Friday the 28th
- Monday the 31st
January
- Wednesday the 2nd of Jan
- Thursday the 3rd of Jan
Factor in the weekend of the 15th and the 16th of December, and it all equates to 20 days of R&R.
Now that you have decided exactly when you’ll be taking leave, it’s time to decide what to do with it, and where to go. It’s time to submit your 2018 leave forms and book those flights! Domestic Flights South Africa will assist you in finding and booking, the cheapest flights to a wide range of domestic destinations including Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. Visit our website now to view the current top 10 cheapest deals available and use our online search facility to browse alternative routes and options at your leisure. Get the best out of your annual leave (and your HR department)! You’ve earned it.