The best time to book annual leave in 2027
The Scotland year planner for 2027 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 2027
Christmas & New Year
Sat 25 Dec – Tue 4 Jan 2028
3 days of annual leave gets you 11 days away.
- Saturday 25 December, weekend
- Sunday 26 December, weekend
- Monday 27 December, Christmas Day
- Tuesday 28 December, St. Stephen's Day
- Wednesday 29 December, leave
- Thursday 30 December, leave
- Friday 31 December, leave
- Saturday 1 January, weekend
- Sunday 2 January, weekend
- Monday 3 January, New Year's Day
- Tuesday 4 January, 2 January
Book off: Wed 29 – Fri 31 Dec
Every good window in 2027
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.
- 10days
New Year
Fri 1 Jan – Sun 10 Jan
5 days of annual leave · 2× your annual leave
Book off Mon 4 – Fri 8 Jan
Plan a trip for these dates - 9days
Easter
Sat 20 Mar – Sun 28 Mar
4 days of annual leave · 2.3× your annual leave
Book off Mon 22 – Thu 25 Mar
Plan a trip for these dates - 9days
Early May
Sat 1 May – Sun 9 May
4 days of annual leave · 2.3× your annual leave
Book off Tue 4 – Fri 7 May
Plan a trip for these dates - 9days
Late May
Sat 29 May – Sun 6 Jun
4 days of annual leave · 2.3× your annual leave
Book off Tue 1 – Fri 4 Jun
Plan a trip for these dates - 9days
August bank holiday
Sat 31 Jul – Sun 8 Aug
4 days of annual leave · 2.3× your annual leave
Book off Tue 3 – Fri 6 Aug
Plan a trip for these dates - 9days
St Andrew's Day
Sat 27 Nov – Sun 5 Dec
4 days of annual leave · 2.3× your annual leave
Book off Mon 29 Nov, Wed 1 – Fri 3 Dec
Plan a trip for these dates - 11days
Christmas & New Year
Sat 25 Dec – Tue 4 Jan 2028
3 days of annual leave · 3.7× your annual leave
Book off Wed 29 – Fri 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 2027: three or four days away without booking any annual leave.
- New Year · Fri 1 Jan · 3 days
- Easter · Fri 26 Mar · 3 days
- Early May · Sat 1 May · 3 days
- Late May · Sat 29 May · 3 days
- August bank holiday · Sat 31 Jul · 3 days
- Christmas · Sat 25 Dec · 4 days
2027 at a glance
Every day of 2027 in Scotland: the bank holidays, and the days of annual leave that each window above asks you to book.
Bank holidays in Scotland, 2027
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | |
| 2 January | |
| Good Friday | |
| Early May bank holiday | |
| Spring 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 2027?
In Scotland, Christmas & New Year is the best value in 2027. 3 days of annual leave (Wed 29 – Fri 31 Dec) gives you 11 days away, Sat 25 Dec – Tue 4 Jan 2028. 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.