Dec 23, 2025 - Economy
How to maximize your vacation days in 2026
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Maximizing time off in 2026 is possible with a PTO strategy that turns scattered days off into longer breaks.
Why it matters: Many Americans feel guilty using vacation time, but research shows that unplugged time away from work (not just "quiet vacationing") is linked to better well-being and reduced burnout.
Here's how to get the most out of vacation days by combining them with federal holidays and weekends.
Around New Year's Day, take off:
- Friday, Jan. 2
(4-day break)
Around Martin Luther King Jr. Day, take off:
- Take Friday, Jan. 16, or Tuesday, Jan. 20
(4-day break)
Around Presidents Day, take off:
- Friday, Feb. 13, or Tuesday, Feb. 17
(4-day break)
Around Memorial Day, take off:
- Friday, May 22, or Tuesday, May 26
(4-day break)
Around Juneteenth, take off:
- Thursday, June 18
(4-day break)
Around the Fourth of July (observed July 3), take off:
- Thursday, July 2, or Monday, July 6
(4-day break)
Around Labor Day, take off:
- Take Friday, Sept. 4, or Tuesday, Sept. 8
(4-day break)
Around Indigenous Peoples Day/Columbus Day, take off:
- Friday, Oct. 9, or Tuesday, Oct. 13
(4-day break)
Around Veterans Day, take off:
- Take Monday, Nov. 9, and Tuesday, Nov. 10, plus Thursday, Nov. 12, and Friday, Nov. 13
(9-day break using just 4 PTO days)
Around Thanksgiving, take off:
- Friday, Nov. 27
(4-day break)
Around Christmas, take off:
- Thursday, Dec. 24, or Monday, Dec. 28
- Or adjust requests if Christmas Eve and/or the day after Christmas are holidays at your place of work.
(at least a 4-day break)
