Turn 11 Vacation Days Into 44 in 2025 — Here’s How

It's an easier hack than you think.

By Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca

Stacey Leasca is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Be a Travel Writer, an online course for the next generation of travel journalists. Her photos, videos, and words have appeared in print or online for Travel + Leisure, Time, Los Angeles Times, Glamour, and many more. You'll usually find her in an airport. If you do see her there, please say hello. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on October 15, 2024

Close Friends taking their luggage out of a car on vacation together . Photo:

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It never feels like there's enough time in the year to take all the vacations you want — especially if you only get a few precious days off a year. But what if we told you there was a way to turn 11 days of paid time off into 44 days of vacation in 2025? Because there is. And it's an easier hack than you think. 

OK, so this trick won't magically make your boss grant you weeks on end of vacation time. However, it will allow you to maximize every public holiday to turn long weekends into even longer ones — and even a few full weeks off throughout the year. The only thing you need to do is put in for that PTO right now before any of your coworkers think of this trick first. 

Here's how it works month by month. 

January

In January, New Year's Day falls on a Wednesday. But rather than just take this single day off, also take off Dec. 30 (Monday) and Dec. 31 (Tuesday), which turns your weekend into a five-day break. (Bonus: if you already have these days off already, then take off Thursday and Friday to turn it into a full week.)

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is also in January, on Monday, Jan. 20. So, go ahead and take Jan. 21 (Tuesday) off for a four-day weekend. 

February

In February, vacation maximizers can take a few days off around President's Day, which is on Monday, Feb. 17. Take off the Friday before (Feb. 14) for a four-day break. 

May

Sadly, there are no major holidays that fall over March or April, so you'll have to wait until May to use a federal holiday for more time off. Memorial Day, which falls on Monday, May 26, is an ideal time to also take off the Friday before (May 23) for a four-day weekend. 

June

In June, vacation maximizers should look to Juneteenth, on the 19th, which falls on a Thursday. Take off the following day, June 20, for a full four-day break. 

July

Then, a few weeks later, ask for July 3 off, which is on a Thursday in 2025, so you can roll into the July 4 weekend early and get a four-day vacation. 

September

Work a little longer through August to get to Labor Day, which is on Sept. 1 in the coming year. Put in a request for Sept. 2 (Tuesday) for an extra-long weekend.

October

And in October, look to Indigenous People's Day for an extended break. It falls on Monday, Oct. 13, so try to snag Oct. 10 (Friday) off for a four-day break. 

November

November is prime time to take a few longer breaks, thanks to Veteran's Day on Tuesday, No. 11, which is an ideal time to also ask for Monday, Nov. 10, off for a four-day vacation. Then, if you don't already have the day after Thanksgiving off (Nov. 28) make sure to request this too. (And if you do already have it off, ask for either the Wednesday before or the Monday after for a five-day break.)

December

Then, the December holidays roll around, with Christmas on a Thursday in 2025. If you don't have Friday, Dec. 26, off yet, put in for it now. Or, if you do, ask for Dec. 24 or Dec. 29 off for another five-day break. And maybe you'll get lucky and have a really nice boss who will give you Dec. 30 and Dec. 31 off as a perk, too.