Vacation planning for 2026: How to cleverly double your days off!

Vacation planning for 2026: How to cleverly double your days off!

The year 2026 offers numerous opportunities for extended vacations for employees in Germany. With clever planning, 30 days of vacation can turn into up to 62 days off FR reported. In order to make the most of these opportunities, employees should apply for their vacation days early and coordinate with colleagues.

The main periods for long holidays are particularly attractive. At Easter from March 28th to April 12th there are a total of 16 days with only 8 days of vacation available. The same applies to the period over Christmas and New Year, from December 19th to January 3rd, 2027. The combination of Ascension Day and Pentecost from May 9th to 25th makes it possible to have a total of 17 days off with 9 days of vacation.

Important holiday combinations

An additional advantage for employees in certain federal states comes from the Corpus Christi holiday on June 4th. Anyone who takes vacation on Friday can enjoy a long weekend of four days. However, in some regions, such as Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony-Anhalt, there are unfavorable holiday placements that limit the possibility of using bridging days.

To further optimize your vacation planning, we recommend downloading a free bridging day calendar. This offers an overview of the holidays and the best holiday combinations. Smaller combinations, such as Labor Day on May 1st, also offer good options, as 4 days of vacation allow 9 days off.

Bridge days and their challenges

Vacation Guru emphasizes that bridging days that lie between a public holiday and the weekend should be specifically selected. However, there are fewer of these options for 2026, so workers should plan their available days strategically. Long weekends can be secured through clever use of bridge days.

These days are particularly important to allow for spontaneous breaks. However, the challenge remains that employers can reject vacation requests during times of high demand. It is also worth noting that in schools, bridge days are often used as flexible vacation days, which benefits teachers and students. In contrast, lectures at universities usually take place regularly, and bridge days are not automatically free.

In terms of public holidays, Bavaria leads with 13 public holidays, followed by Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg and Saarland, which each have 12 public holidays. Most other federal states have 10 or 11 public holidays. These numbers directly influence how employees can develop their vacation strategies.

To get the most out of holiday planning, thorough and early planning is essential, as is clear communication with employers and colleagues.