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Going back to work after the festive season is never easy – so why not start planning your next holiday right now?

Virgin Australia has just released its guide to maximising 2024 getaways, giving Aussies more time away while using up minimal annual leave.

Travellers could be jetting from Cairns to Tokyo for a 12-day holiday using just six days of annual leave or enjoying a 10-day trip to Bali using only four days of annual leave.

Key national holiday dates to nab extended time off in 2024:

January: Depart the evening of Friday January 19 and return on Sunday January 28 (nine-day break for only four days of annual leave)

Easter (March/April): Depart evening Thursday March 28 and return on Sunday April 7 (10-day break and for only four days of annual leave)

ANZAC Day Weekend (April): Depart the evening of Wednesday April 24 and return on Sunday May 5 (11-day break for only six days annual leave)

December: Depart the evening of Friday December 20 and return on Thursday January 2, 2025 (12-day holiday for only five days annual leave).

In March or April, Aussies could be relaxing the Balinese way or diving on the Great Barrier Reef.

Pack a sarong and rejuvenate for 10 days at a luxury retreat while optimising the annual leave balance by working during the day before taking an evening flight from Melbourne or Sydney to Bali.

Warm temperatures in April makes Cairns (where the Great Barrier Reef meets the Daintree Rainforest) the ideal domestic getaway.

Book a night flight to Cairns to get the most out of the holiday, ensuring a full day of snorkelling on the reef the first day of your trip.

Alternatively, take advantage of Virgin’s newly launched Cairns to Tokyo flight for a convenient and memorable 12-day holiday experience. Opt for the afternoon flight and touch down in Tokyo for the beginning of the cherry blossom season.

virginaustralia.com