Some of the best trips happen on a whim. You spot a cheap fare on a Thursday, pack a bag and leave before overthinking it. But not every getaway has to be spontaneous. If you're the sort who likes to have plans in place, a quick look at the calendar can go a long way. Booking flights early usually means better fares, the best hotels haven't sold out yet and getting everyone's schedules to align becomes far less of a challenge. Between August and December, 2026 still has several long weekends that can be stretched with little or no annual leave.
22 August, Saturday: Weekend
23 August, Sunday: Weekend
24 August, Monday: Take one day of leave
25 August, Tuesday: Milad-un-Nabi
One day of leave is all it takes to turn this into a four-day break. If you're planning to travel, this is one of the busiest holiday periods of the month, so booking ahead is likely to save you both money and options.
28 August, Friday: Raksha Bandhan
29 August, Saturday: Weekend
30 August, Sunday: Weekend
This one requires no planning beyond the booking itself. With Friday falling on a public holiday, you've already got a three-day weekend to work with.
4 September, Friday: Janmashtami
5 September, Saturday: Weekend
6 September, Sunday: Weekend
A straightforward three-day weekend without having to use any leave. It's an easy excuse to get out of the city before the festive season begins in earnest.
12 September, Saturday: Vinayaka Chaturthi
13 September, Sunday: Weekend
14 September, Monday: Take one day of leave
Take Monday off and you've got another three-day break that works just as well for a short holiday as it does for slowing things down at home.
2 October, Friday: Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti
3 October, Saturday: Weekend
4 October, Sunday: Weekend
One of the easiest long weekends on the calendar with no leave required.
17 October, Saturday: Weekend
18 October, Sunday: Weekend
19 October, Monday: Take one day of leave
20 October, Tuesday: Dussehra
A single day of leave creates four uninterrupted days away from work, making this one of the strongest opportunities for a longer trip before the year winds down.
Guru Nanak's Birthday | Four-day weekend
21 November, Saturday: Weekend
22 November, Sunday: Weekend
23 November, Monday: Take one day of leave
24 November, Tuesday: Guru Nanak's Birthday
Another four-day break that only asks for one day of annual leave. If you're planning a holiday, this is another period where flights are likely to climb closer to the date.
25 December, Friday: Christmas
26 December, Saturday: Weekend
27 December, Sunday: Weekend
The final long weekend of the year arrives with Christmas. Whether you're heading away or staying close to home, it's an easy three-day break before the year comes to a close.