You can make 18 PTO days into 55 days of longer breaks in 2026

• Americans receive fewer paid vacation days than workers in most other industrialized nations.
• Strategically requesting paid time off around federal holidays can maximize vacation time.
• Planning ahead and submitting PTO requests early can help secure desired dates for longer breaks.

Americans are famously bad at taking time off from work, and are also generally known for having the fewest paid vacation days of most industrialized countries.

"Americans, unfortunately, take the gold medal for the least amount of [paid time off] used. While the average worker receives about 12 paid days off a year, more than half don’t use all of it, according to Expedia surveys," Melanie Fish, vice president of global public relations for Expedia Group, told USA TODAY in a statement. "My advice to Americans is simple: plan ahead. Don't hoard your PTO for one big trip. Instead, book a few three- to four-day escapes that align with school and office closures. Submit those PTO requests early in the year to secure the most in-demand dates and actually enjoy the time you’ve earned."

It takes a little strategizing, but you can stretch your days off into plenty of longer breaks if you game the calendar properly.

By pairing days off requests with existing federal holidays, you should be able to get some more substantial breaks, especially when those holidays butt up against a weekend.

Here are the federal holidays in 2026 and how you can extend them into longer work breaks.

When are the three-day weekends in 2026?

• Monday, Jan. 19: Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.
• Monday, Feb. 16: Washington's Birthday
• Monday, May 25: Memorial Day
• Friday, June 19: Juneteenth National Independence Day
• Friday, July 3: Independence Day (observed)
• Monday, Sept. 7: Labor Day
• Monday, Oct. 12: Columbus Day
• Friday, Dec. 25: Christmas Day

When are the other federal holidays in 2026?

• Thursday, Jan. 1: New Year's Day
• Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day
• Thursday, Nov. 26: Thanksgiving

How to turn federal holidays into longer vacations

If you request your PTO wisely, you can easily turn a three-day weekend or a midweek federal holiday into a longer break with minimal impact on your vacation day bank.

Here's how you can make 18 PTO days into 55 days of longer breaks:

For New Year's Day (Thursday, Jan. 1)

• Request PTO for Friday, Jan. 2
• Consecutive Days Off: 4 days (Jan. 1-4)

For Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. (Monday, Jan. 19)

• Request PTO for Friday, Jan. 16
• Consecutive Days Off: 4 days (Jan. 16–19)

For Presidents Day (Monday, Feb. 16)

• Request PTO for Friday, Feb. 13
• Consecutive Days Off: 4 days (Feb. 13-16)

For Memorial Day (Monday, May 25)

• Request PTO for Friday, May 22
• Consecutive Days Off: 4 days (May 22–25)

For Juneteenth (Friday, June 19)

• Request PTO for Monday, June 22
• Consecutive Days Off: 4 days (June 19–22)

For Independence Day (Observed July 3 in 2026)

• Request PTO for Monday, July 6
• Consecutive Days Off: 4 days (July 3-6)

For Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 7)

• Request PTO for Friday, Sept. 4
• Consecutive Days Off: 4 days (Sept. 4-7)

For Columbus Day (Monday, Oct. 12)

• Request PTO for Friday, Oct. 9
• Consecutive Days Off: 4 days (Oct. 9-12)

For Veterans Day (Wednesday, Nov. 11)

• Request PTO for Monday, Nov. 9, and Tuesday, Nov. 10; or Thursday, Nov. 12, and Friday, Nov. 13
• Consecutive Days Off: 5 days (Nov. 7-11 or Nov. 11-15)

For Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, Nov. 26)

• Request PTO for Monday, Nov. 23; Tuesday, Nov. 24, Wednesday, Nov. 25, and Friday, Nov. 27 (unless you have Friday off already)
• Consecutive Days Off: 9 days (Nov. 21–29)

For Christmas Day (Friday, Dec. 25)

• Request PTO for Monday, Dec. 21; Tuesday, Dec. 22; Wednesday, Dec. 23, and Thursday, Dec. 24 (unless you get Christmas Eve off already)
• Consecutive Days Off: 9 days (Dec. 19-27)

How to find good holiday travel deals

Flexibility is key when booking holiday travel, so taking an extra day or two off around federal holidays may help you secure lower airfare prices.

Shopping around, doing your research, and being willing to take early-morning flights are all helpful strategies for securing good prices. Being a little flexible with your dates will help, too.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at [email protected].