Quick answer: In 2027 you can turn just 4 days of annual leave into a 9 to 10 day break around New Year (Friday 1 January), Waitangi Day (observed Monday 8 February), King’s Birthday (Monday 7 June), Matariki (Friday 25 June) and Labour Day (Monday 25 October). Easter (26 to 29 March) gives you 10 days off for 4 leave days, and you can stretch Easter all the way to Anzac Day for 32 days off using 19 leave days. Over Christmas, 3 days of leave gets you 9 days. Regional anniversary days vary by where you work, so it's worth checking with your employer before booking anything. 

Key takeaways for 2027

• Best value: New Year. Friday 1 January and Monday 4 January (the observed Day after New Year’s Day) are public holidays, so 4 leave days (5 to 8 January) give you a 10-day break.
• Five holidays fall on weekends in 2027: the Day after New Year’s Day, Waitangi Day, Anzac Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. If you don’t normally work weekends, they’re observed on Mon 4 Jan, Mon 8 Feb, Mon 26 Apr, Mon 27 Dec and Tue 28 Dec.
• Two winter long weekends: King’s Birthday on Monday 7 June and Matariki on Friday 25 June. Use 13 leave days to join them into a 23-day break.
• Regional anniversary days are extras. Your anniversary day depends on where you work, and some (Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough, Otago) make great bridges.

Trying to maximise annual leave in 2027 to swing more travel time? Aren’t we all! We’ve scanned the calendar so you can submit that leave request and start blocking out your calendar. 

How do you maximise annual leave in 2027?

The simplest trick is to bookend a public holiday with weekends. Request the working days between a holiday and the nearest weekend, and a few days of leave stretch into a week or more off. This is only a guide, as anniversary days differ by region, so check your local dates before locking in flights. 

Best time to book annual leave in January and February

The year kicks off with a gift. New Year’s Day is a Friday and the Day after New Year’s Day (Saturday 2 January) is observed on Monday 4 January, so you already have a 4-day weekend. Request Tuesday 5 to Friday 8 January and it becomes a 10-day break (Friday 1 to Sunday 10 January):

• Tuesday, January 5
• Wednesday, January 6
• Thursday, January 7
• Friday, January 8

Then come the anniversary days and Waitangi Day:

• Wellington (Monday 25 January): request Tuesday 26 to Friday 29 January for a 9-day break (Saturday 23 to Sunday 31 January).
• Auckland and Nelson (Monday 1 February) plus Waitangi Day (Monday 8 February): request Tuesday 2 to Friday 5 February for a 10-day break (Saturday 30 January to Monday 8 February).
• Everyone else, Waitangi Day: Waitangi Day (Saturday 6 February) is observed on Monday 8 February. Request Tuesday 9 to Friday 12 February for a 9-day break (Saturday 6 to Sunday 14 February), or add Monday 15 to Friday 19 February for a 16-day trip (Saturday 6 to Sunday 21 February).

January and February travel suggestions

Hit the slopes in Hokkaido, Japan

Looking for something adventurous? Skiing in Hokkaido is the perfect way to start the year on a high! With 10 days to play with, you’ll have a solid week after flying in and out to shred some powder and recharge in the onsens.

Don’t forget to take some Japanese Yen (JPY) with you!

Bum out in Phuket, Thailand

Dreaming of something more tropical? January is an exceptional time to visit, with the dry season in full swing, so you can enjoy sunny beach days in Phuket and pleasant humidity in Bangkok.

Thailand still relies heavily on cash, so be sure to grab some Thai Baht (THB) and a Cash Passport travel card before you go.