How to Maximize Your PTO in 2025
Creating a healthy work-life balance that includes travel is essential for me in a demanding work environment. That is why I prioritize day trips, long weekends, and extended vacations at least once a month. As someone who travels while working full-time, I do this by maximizing vacation time.
According to Forbes, the average American worker gets 11 days of annual leave, increasing to 15 days of PTO after five years of service. The good news is you can utilize the power of federal holidays and take advantage of your vacation days to go on three-day weekend trips and other types of extended breaks.
If you’re wondering how your coworker always seems to be on PTO traveling to new destinations, in this post, I’ll share a PTO hack on how to maximize your vacation days in 2025.
Note that this strategic approach using the following holiday dates assumes you work a traditional Monday-Friday job in the US.
How to Maximize Vacation Days in 2025: Check Your Work Calendar
The first thing to do when learning how to maximize your vacation time next year is to look at your overall work schedule for the upcoming year. There are 11 National Public Holidays in the U.S. Combining these days with your PTO and weekends will allow you to maximize your PTO.
- New Year’s Day: Wednesday, January 1st, 2025
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Monday, January 20th, 2025
- Presidents’ Day: Monday, February 17th, 2025
- Memorial Day: Monday, May 26th, 2025
- Juneteenth: Thursday, June 19th, 2025
- Independence Day: Friday, July 4th, 2025
- Labor Day: Monday, September 1st, 2025
- Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Monday, October 13th, 2025
- Veteran’s Day: Tuesday, November 11th, 2025
- Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 27th, 2025
- Christmas Day: Thursday, December 25th, 20245
Below is an example of how to maximize your PTO in 2025 by combining vacation time with weekends and major holidays.
Depending on the company and/or industry, days like Good Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Veteran’s Day may or may not be included
You can play around with dates leading to the bank holidays or weekends based on your allotted time and job schedule to best suit your travel needs.
January (New Year’s Day & Martin Luther King Day)
- Wed, Jan 1: Take 2 PTO Days (Dec 30-31) or 4 PTO days (Dec 30-31 and Jan 2-3) for 9 days off (Dec 28-Jan5)
- Mon, Jan 20: Take 1 PTO day (Jan 17 or Jan 21) for 4 days off.
February (Presidents’ Day)
- Mon, Feb 17: Take 1 PTO day (Feb 14 or 18) for 4 days off
May (Memorial Day)
- Mon, May 26: Take 4 PTO days (May 27-30) for 9 days off (May 23-June 1)
June (Juneteenth)
- Thurs, June 19th: Take 1 PTO day (June 20) for 4 days, 4 PTO days (June 16-18, & June 20) for 9 days off (June 15-June 22)
July (Independence Day)
- Thurs, July 4: Take 5 PTO days (June 30- July 3) for 9 days off (June 27-July 6)
September (Labor Day)
- Mon, Sept 1: Take 1 PTO days (Aug 29) for 4 days off
October (Indigenous Peoples’ Day)
- Mon, Oct 13: Take 4 PTO days (14-17) for 9 days off (Oct 11-19)
November (Veteran’s Day & Thanksgiving)
- Tues, Nov 11: Take 1 PTO day (Nov 10) for 4 days off (Nov 8-11)
- Thurs, Nov 27: Take 1 PTO day (Nov 28) for 4 days off
December (Christmas)
- Thurs, Dec 25: Take 4 PTO days (Dec 22-24 and 26) for 9 days off of 5 PTO days (Dec 26, 29-31, and Jan 2) for 11 days off (Dec 25-Jan 1)
As you can see, turning those 10-15 days of vacation into a year filled with unforgettable experiences and much-needed relaxation is possible without taking business trips or sacrificing work commitments. Whether it be for a ski trip or island hopping to exotic beaches, I have learned how to maximize my PTO with careful planning for domestic and international trips to Atlanta, Toronto, Barcelona, Lisbon, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, and more.
With the rise of remote work, you can add extra days to your trip or work in different locations if you have a reliable internet connection and it is approved in your company’s remote work policy.
By combining long weekends and strategically planning time off, you can find time to create a well-balanced year of travel that includes professional growth and personal enjoyment. Using these effective tips to travel during shoulder season also gives you the advantage of lower travel costs and avoiding large crowds at specific travel destinations. Remember, your vacation days are for you to use, so invest them wisely.
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