Singapore Public Holidays in 2024: How To Make Full Use Of Your Annual Leave

Here’s the roundup on the upcoming 2024 public holidays and the 7 long weekends that you can look forward to. 

I’m not sure about you but something about long weekends leaves me feeling more refreshed. Maybe it’s the lack of Monday blues, or maybe a 4-day work week feels less daunting and more manageable.

Like how Singaporeans devour their delicious food, we also have an insatiable appetite for long weekends. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has released the complete lineup of public holidays for 2024, and guess what? There are a whopping seven long weekends waiting to be seized!

But hold on, 2023 is not over yet. We still have three public holidays left to savour this year. So, if you're in need of a quick refresher before diving into some last-minute plans, check out our 2023 Public Holiday guide.

If you're the type of person who loves to map out your holidays in advance and extract every ounce of fun from them. Our guide spills the beans on upcoming long weekends and how to strategically make use of them to unlock longer getaways.

Table of content

• Public Holidays in 2024
• Optimising your annual leave for longer weekends
• Things to do
  • Going for a getaway
  • Rest and relax
• Prudence is key

Public Holidays in 2024

*Monday is off-in-lieu 
Those highlighted in blue indicate long weekends. 

Optimising your annual leave

Based on MOM guidelines, each first year employee is entitled to seven days of annual leave, but this number is subjective to each company’s human resource policy. 

Companies typically offer around 14 to 16 days of annual leave, which might not seem like much but we’ve cracked the code to allow you to use 13 days of annual leave to get 40 days off work!

**This is only applicable if you have annual leave left in 2023.

With long weekends, the dates to take leave would be highly contested among the office so be sure to lock in plans early and speak with your team so that you do not leave the office completely empty. 

Things to do

Going for a weekend getaway

Just like the majority of Singaporeans, you're probably itching to explore overseas destinations now that the borders have reopened and we're back to the good old pre-pandemic days. The exciting news is that you have a whole year ahead of you to meticulously plan your travels. So, rally up your buddies and let the planning begin!

When it comes to travel, flights tend to eat up a significant chunk of your travel budget. With a generous one-year timeframe to organize your holidays, why not consider using credit cards to accumulate miles that can whisk you away to your dream destination without costing you a dime?

Not sure which credit card will give you the best miles per dollar? Check out the best air miles card to use and spend your way to a getaway!

Best Miles Credit Cards

Credit Card	Best for/Benefits	Details	Min. Annual Income
Citi PremierMiles Card Apply Now	- S$1 = 10 miles on Bookings at Kaligo - S$1 = 7 miles on Hotel Books at Agoda - S$1 = 2 miles on Overseas Spend   - S$1 = 1.2 miles on Local Spend   - 2 free airport lounge visits per year with Priority Pass - Complimentary Travel Insurance	- Miles awarded as Citi Miles, which never expire - S$27 per redemption - Annual fee: S$194.40 (First year free)	- Local/PR: S$30,000 - Foreigner: S$42,000
DBS Altitude Card Apply Now	- S$1 = 10 miles on Hotel Transactions at Kaligo - S$1 = 6 miles on Flight & Hotel Transactions at Expedia - S$1 = 3 miles on Online Flight & Hotel Transactions (capped at S$5,000 per month) - S$1 = 2 miles on Overseas Spend   - S$1 = 1.2 miles on Local Spend   - 2 free airport lounge visits per year with Priority Pass	- Miles awarded as DBS Points, which never expire - S$27 per redemption - Annual fee: S$194.40 (First year free)	- Local/PR: S$30,000 - Foreigner: S$45,000
Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card Apply Now	- S$1 = 3.2 miles on Dining, Petrol, Taxi Fares and Agoda Hotel Bookings - S$1 = 2 miles on Air Tickets, Travel Packages and Overseas Spend - S$1 = 0.4 miles on General Spending - Complimentary Travel Insurance	- Miles awarded as TREAT Points ,which is capped at 30,000 per month   - Min. S$300 monthly spend - Annual fee: S$180 (First 3 years free)	- Local/PR: S$30,000 - Malaysian Citizen: S$45,000 - Foreigner: S$60,000
UOB PRVI Miles Card Apply Now	- S$1 = 6 miles on Selected Online and Flight Bookings at Agoda, Expedia, and UOB Travel - S$1 = 3.2 miles on Overseas Spend - S$1 = 1.4 miles on Local Spend - Complimentary Travel Insurance	- Miles awarded as UNI$   - S$25 per redemption - Annual fee: S$259.20 (First year free)	- Local/PR: S$30,000 - Foreigner: S$40,000

 

When you're on the go, the last thing you need is to fret about potential injuries or falling ill. Safeguard yourself and enjoy peace of mind by securing travel insurance.

SingSaver's Best Price Travel Campaign: All successful applicants of participating Travel Insurance products will receive 1x draw chance to enter our weekly lucky draw where 1 lucky winner will stand to have their flight ticket reimbursed (up to a maximum of $2,000). Valid till 31 July 2023. T&Cs apply.

Travel Insurance	Premium for Individual Cover	Covid-19 Coverage	Promotion
Allianz Travel Insurance Apply Now	from S$34.10 (for 1 week in Asean)	Yes	Use promo code AzSSV to get a 45% discount (Exclusive to SingSaver) and up to $60 via PayNow. Valid till 30 June 2023. T&Cs apply
MSIG Travel Easy Apply Now	from S$34.10 (for 1 week in Asean)	Yes	Score an Airalo eSIM with 1GB data and receive it within 4 working days when you apply now! Valid till 15 June 2023. T&Cs apply.   Enjoy 40% off your Single Trip premium and 20% off your Annual Trip premium. Plus, receive up to S$38 via PayNow when you apply. Valid till 31 July 2023. T&Cs apply.
Etiqa (TIQ) Travel Insurance Apply Now	from S$39 (for 1 week in Asean)	Yes	Single Trip: Use promo code TIQSINGSAVER to enjoy 40% off when you apply. Annual Trip: Use the promo code TIQSINGSAVER to enjoy a 60% discount and S$20 cashback on your COVID-19 add-on. Valid till 18 June 2023. T&Cs apply.
Starr TraveLead Travel Insurance Apply Now	from S$11.05 (for 1 week in Asean)	Yes	Use the promo code SSVTL35 to enjoy up to S$48 via PayNow, a 35% discount, plus an exclusive Agoda promo code. Valid till 30 June 2023. T&Cs apply.
FWD Travel Insurance Apply Now	from S$22.50 (for 1 week in Asean)	Yes	Score an Airalo eSIM with 1GB data and receive it before you travel! Valid till 2 July 2023. T&Cs apply.   Use the promo code TRAVEL25 to get 25% off on Single Trip and Annual Trip plans. Valid till 12 June 2023. T&Cs apply.
AIG Travel Guard® Direct  Apply Now	from S$30 (for 1 week in Asean)	Yes	Score an Airalo eSIM with 1GB data and receive it within 4 working days when you apply now! Valid till 16 June 2023. T&Cs apply.   Single Trip: Use promo code SSFLASHSALE to get 10% off and up to $50 Dairy Farm eVoucher (fulfillment by AIG). Valid till 30 June 2023. T&Cs apply.

Find the Best Travel Insurance for You

Where to go

So you have decided to head overseas but you are not quite sure where to go just yet. Depending on which long weekend you plan to take advantage of, it could mean the difference between a short JB getaway or a week over in Hanoi. 

Check out our 10 most affordable holiday destinations guide and get picking!

Rest and relax

Long weekends offer a fantastic chance to hit the brakes and slow down the pace of life. Not everyone is bitten by the travel bug, so if jet-setting isn't your cup of tea for those extended weekends, fret not! There are plenty of other options to explore. You could dive into a new hobby that tickles your fancy or head over to Sentosa for some well-deserved relaxation.

Amidst the responsibilities at work and home, it's crucial to pause and reset. Take a moment to indulge in activities that bring you pure bliss and focus on what truly brings you happiness!

If redeeming your hard-earned miles for flights doesn't float your boat, there is a nifty alternative for you. You can put those miles to even better use by redeeming them for your significant purchases. Check out these five other ingenious ways to redeem them right here.

Prudence is key

While it can be tempting to lock yourself into travel plans early to get the best deal, it is important to also be aware of the financial implications from travelling. You might save S$200 on your flight but you could end up spending S$1000 on your whole trip. 

Indulgence from time to time, especially when well-deserved, is important but financial health is equally important. 

Get the most bang for your buck by being smart with your credit card usage. Whether its cashback or miles, credit cards can be a fantastic tool to unlock rewards without extra expenditure! 

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