The best time to book annual leave in 2026
The Scotland year planner for 2026 is a free list of the bank holidays in Scotland. It shows the days of annual leave that turn each one into a proper break. Pick where you work.
Best value in 2026
Christmas & New Year
Fri 25 Dec – Sun 3 Jan 2027
3 days of annual leave gets you 10 days away.
- Friday 25 December, Christmas Day
- Saturday 26 December, weekend
- Sunday 27 December, weekend
- Monday 28 December, St. Stephen's Day
- Tuesday 29 December, leave
- Wednesday 30 December, leave
- Thursday 31 December, leave
- Friday 1 January, New Year's Day
- Saturday 2 January, 2 January
- Sunday 3 January, weekend
Book off: Tue 29 – Thu 31 Dec
Every good window in 2026
Each one puts your annual leave next to a weekend and one of the bank holidays. You get at least twice as many days away as you book. In date order, for Scotland.
- 9days
St Andrew's Day
Sat 28 Nov – Sun 6 Dec
4 days of annual leave · 2.3× your annual leave
Book off Tue 1 – Fri 4 Dec
Plan a trip for these dates - 10days
Christmas & New Year
Fri 25 Dec – Sun 3 Jan 2027
3 days of annual leave · 3.3× your annual leave
Book off Tue 29 – Thu 31 Dec
Plan a trip for these dates
- Annual leave to book
- Holiday
- Weekend
Long weekends that cost nothing
Weekends next to bank holidays in 2026: three or four days away without booking any annual leave.
- St Andrew's Day · Sat 28 Nov · 3 days
- Christmas · Fri 25 Dec · 4 days
2026 at a glance
Every day of 2026 in Scotland: the bank holidays, and the days of annual leave that each window above asks you to book.
Bank holidays in Scotland, 2026
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | |
| 2 January | |
| Good Friday | |
| Early May bank holiday | |
| Spring bank holiday | |
| World Cup bank holiday | |
| Summer bank holiday | |
| Saint Andrew's Day | |
| Christmas Day | |
| St. Stephen's Day |
Already used some annual leave? Plan around what you have left.
Tell Be Outside your allowance and how many days you have left. We start you at 25 days, a common starting point in the UK, and plan around trips you have already booked. Then turn a window into a trip, or start from a plan someone else has published.
Questions
When is the best time to book annual leave in 2026?
In Scotland, Christmas & New Year is the best value in 2026. 3 days of annual leave (Tue 29 – Thu 31 Dec) gives you 10 days away, Fri 25 Dec – Sun 3 Jan 2027. The other bank holidays each turn 4 days of annual leave into as many as 9 days off.
How do you work out the windows?
We look at every run of 6 to 16 days around weekends and public holidays. For each one, we count the working days you'd need to book. We keep the runs that give you at least twice as many days away as days of leave. Where two overlap, only the better one is kept.
What if I have already used some of my annual leave?
Tell Be Outside your allowance and how many days you have left. The year planner plans around trips you have already booked, only suggests dates from tomorrow on, and shows the annual leave you have left as you plan.
Which countries does the year planner cover?
It covers 26 countries. In Europe: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom. In the Americas: Canada and United States. In Asia-Pacific: Australia and New Zealand. Each has its own regions where their holidays differ. Inside Be Outside, the planner uses the holidays where you work. That can be a different country from where you live.
Bank holidays from Nager.Date. Check substitute days with your employer.