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Get the most out of your vacation days in 2025. Here’s how you can maximize your PTO.
If you want to make the most of your paid time off in 2025, planning ahead is key. With a little strategy, you can turn long weekends into full-fledged vacations and stretch your time off without burning through all your PTO at once.
Here’s how to do it:
How to Maximize Your PTO
Using your hard-earned PTO is important. Many companies have a “use it or lose it” PTO policy, meaning unused days won’t roll over or only a certain amount of hours carry over year to year. Keep track of your balance and schedule PTO ahead of time so you don’t miss out.
With a little planning, you can make the most of your PTO days and give yourself a much-needed break.
Guide to Planning Around Holidays in 2025
Ready to hack your PTO? One of the best ways to maximize PTO is to take advantage of federal holidays. By strategically adding vacation days around them, you can create extended breaks without using too much PTO.
Here’s a breakdown of key holidays and how to maximize them:
New Year’s Day (Wednesday, Jan. 1)
Take off Thursday and Friday (Jan. 2-3) to enjoy a 5-day break.
MLK Day (Monday, Jan. 20)
Take off Friday (Jan. 17) for a 4-day weekend.
Presidents’ Day (Monday, Feb. 17)
Same strategy: Take off Friday (Feb. 14) for another long weekend.
Memorial Day (Monday, May 26)
Take off Friday (May 23) for a 4-day weekend.
Juneteenth (Thursday, June 19)
Take off Friday (June 20) for a four-day weekend.
Fourth of July (Friday, July 4)
No extra PTO needed! Enjoy the 3-day weekend. You can also add on Thursday (July 3) and Monday (July 7) for 5-day holiday.
Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 1)
Take off Friday (Aug. 29) for another long weekend.
Indigenous Peoples Day (Monday, Oct. 13)
Request PTO on Friday (Oct. 10) and get a 4-day weekend.
Veterans Day (Tuesday, Nov. 11)
Block out your calendar on Monday (Nov. 10) for a 4-day weekend.
Thanksgiving (Thursday, Nov. 27)
Take off Wednesday and Friday (Nov. 26 and 28) for a 5-day break.
Christmas and New Year’s (Thursday, Dec. 25 and Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026)
Take Monday-Wednesday (Dec. 29-31) off for an 8-day vacation!
Stretch PTO With Long Weekends
If your goal is to take more frequent short trips or staycations rather than one big vacation, strategically using one PTO day before or after a weekend can give you several getaways throughout the year.
For example, if you take just one PTO day on:
- Take off the Friday before Memorial Day or Labor Day.
- Look ahead to potential downtimes at your job and take a Monday or Friday off for a 3-day weekend.
- Make the most of your favorite season. Plan ahead for a long weekend in August to enjoy the warm weather or January for a winter break.
You’ll get mini vacations without burning too many days.
Plan for Big Trips in Advance
If you want a longer vacation—maybe 10+ days in Europe or a week on a tropical beach—consider combining PTO with weekends and holidays.
A great example is:
- Take 5 PTO days between Christmas and New Year’s and get 10 days off straight.
- Use 4 PTO days around Thanksgiving for a full 9-day vacation.
Booking flights early and using travel rewards can also help you get more bang for your PTO buck.
By planning ahead, you can enjoy more vacations, avoid last-minute scheduling conflicts and make the most of your well-earned time off in 2025.
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