Match holiday planner: school holidays, long weekends and family costs

Which big matches fall in the school holidays, which ones need the fewest days of leave, and what tickets or the whole trip cost for your family. Uses South Africa's official 2026 and 2027 school calendars and public holidays.

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How it works

Leave days are weekdays that aren't public holidays. Local matches count match days only; the European trips count the travel dates in our cost plans.
Days away adds the weekends and public holidays that touch the trip. "Stretch it" suggests up to 3 extra days off when each one buys at least 2 more days away.
School holidays come from the Department of Basic Education's gazetted 2026 and 2027 calendars, which are the same in every province. "I work in education" counts school holidays as time off (educators' dates where they differ).
Family costs: children's tickets are counted at the adult price unless a junior price is confirmed. On the Europe trips, child flights are about 75% and babies about 10% of the adult fare, and a family of up to four with young children shares one family room (about 1.4× a standard room). All estimates.
Pets: kennel and cattery prices of R180 to R365 a night for dogs and R160 to R220 for cats, from 2026 Gauteng price lists.
Public holidays come from the free Nager.Date API. Nothing you enter here leaves your browser.