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Americans get the fewest vacation days in the world, according to a recent study, averaging just 11 days a year. On top of that, half don’t even use all the time off they’re given, leaving many of us vacation deprived.

But there’s an easy way to change that and it’s all about using long weekends from federal holidays and combining them with a few paid time off days.

In 2025, six federal holidays fall on a Monday and the Fourth of July is on a Friday, which gives workers several 3-day weekends.
If you plan ahead, you can extend those long weekends into extended breaks throughout the year.

Here’s how to turn 16 days of PTO (paid time off) into 55 days of vacation in 2025:

For New Year's Day (Wednesday, January 1st)

Request PTO for Thursday, January 2nd and Friday, January 3rd
Consecutive Days Off: 5 days (January 1st to 5th)

For Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday (Monday, January 20th)

Request PTO for Friday, January 17th
Consecutive Days Off: 4 days (January 17th to 20th)

For Presidents Day (Monday, February 17th)

Request PTO for Friday, February 14th
Consecutive Days Off: 4 days (February 14th to 17th)

For Memorial Day (Monday, May 26th)

Request PTO for Friday, May 23rd
Consecutive Days Off: 4 days (May 23rd to 26th)

For Juneteenth National Independence Day (Thursday, June 19th)

Request PTO for Friday, June 20th
Consecutive Days Off: 4 days (June 19th to 22nd)

For Independence Day (Friday, July 4th)

Request PTO for Monday, July 7th
Consecutive Days Off: 4 days (July 4th to 7th)

For Labor Day (Monday, September 1st)

Request PTO for Friday, August 29th
Consecutive Days Off: 4 days (August 29th to September 1st)

For Indigenous Peoples Day/Columbus Day (Monday, October 13th)

Request PTO for Friday, October 10th
Consecutive Days Off: 4 days (October 10th to 13th)

For Veterans Day (Tuesday, November 11th)

Request PTO for Monday, November 10th
Consecutive Days Off: 4 days (November 8th to 11th)

For Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 27th)

Request PTO for Monday, November 24th; Tuesday, November 25th; Wednesday, November 26th and Friday, November 28th (unless you have Friday off already)
Consecutive Days Off: 9 days (November 22nd to 30th)

For Christmas Day (Thursday, December 25th)

Request PTO for Monday, December 22nd; Tuesday, December 23rd; Wednesday, December 24th (unless you get Christmas Eve off) and Friday, December 26th
Consecutive Days Off: 9 days (December 20th to 28th)

USA Today

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Bob Delmont