The 2024 bridge calendar, here's when you're most likely to find award tickets

It is already time to project into 2024, considering not only the commitments and responsibilities, but also the the opportunity to plan vacations in advance. A key element to consider is the calendar of holidays, which offers many interesting possibilities for the New Year. Surprisingly, with only 5 days off, it is possible to enjoy as many as 24 days of vacation.

Exploiting the calendar in your favor

One thing to know, if you want to travel during the "commanded" holidays is that many of the bridges are specific to the Italian calendar. For example, April 25 is not a holiday in France or England, just as November 1 is not a national holiday in Germany.

This means that there will not be as much demand for premium tickets on those typically hot dates in Italy, opening up the possibility of more chances for redemption.

TFC Answers. Booking an award ticket: everything you need to know to fly without paying

The 2024 bridge calendar

Let us analyze the situation. The New Year, as far as public holidays are concerned, got off to a decent start: New Year's Day fell on a Monday and Epiphany (Jan. 6) fell on a Saturday, so no chance of extending the relaxation period. Then we move on to Easter and Easter Monday (March 31 and April 1, respectively), but again it is a Sunday and a Monday.

Liberation Day (April 25), however, offers an interesting opportunity., being on a Thursday. By adding a day off on Friday, you can get 4 vacation days linked to the weekend.

May 1, which falls on a Wednesday, can be extended earlier or later (Monday and Tuesday or Thursday and Friday) to create a long weekend. Republic Day (June 2) is a Sunday, so it requires some creativity to make the most of the occasion. Ferragosto (August 15), which falls on a Thursday, offers another possibility similar to April 25: by taking a day off on Friday, you can get 4 days off.

All Saints' Day (Nov. 1) falls on a Friday, already connected to the weekend (3 days total), while Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8) unfortunately falls on a Sunday.

However, an interesting opportunity arises at Christmas time., which falls on a Wednesday, followed by Boxing Day (Dec. 26), on a Thursday. By taking a day off on the 27th (Friday) and linking it to the weekend, you can enjoy as many as 5 days of relaxation. Alternatively, by taking Dec. 23 and 24 (Monday and Tuesday), 27 (Friday) and Dec. 30 and 31 (Monday and Tuesday), you can extend the break until the New Year's holiday. In this case, you can use 5 days off to get 12 days of relaxation, an opportunity that is certainly tempting, also considering the holiday season.

A very important piece of advice

Before booking a trip, it is always a good idea to check the holidays planned in the country of destination (or to particular events), I happened to End up in Las Vegas on Superbowl weekend., with room prices literally skyrocketing.

Or I happened to be in Thailand at the "worst" time, that is, between the end of July and the beginning of August. Those days focus on the King's birthday and an important religious festival, resulting in no alcohol sales and no nightlife, a kind of covid-era curfew.

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