You Can Stretch 11 PTO Days Into 41 Days Off in 2026-Here's How

"As the calendar turns to 2026, so does the opportunity for new travel and experiences. Americans don't get a ton of paid time off, but maximizing those days is an art. A March U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis found the average American private sector worker receives 11 days of vacation time after being at their company for one year, 15 days after five years, and 18 days after 10 years."

"But through creative scheduling and planning their PTO around holidays, an employee with just 11 vacation days could unlock 41 days in 2026, according to Holiday Optimizer, a service that provides custom vacation calendars to maximize the number of days off. Workers with 15 vacation days could max out at 48 total days off, and workers with 18 PTO days could unlock 53."

"In 2026, there are 11 federal holidays, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, including: Jan. 1: New Year's Day Jan. 19: Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday Feb. 16: Washington's Birthday May 25: Memorial Day June 19: Juneteenth National Independence Day July 3: Independence Day Sept. 7: Labor Day Oct. 12: Columbus Day Nov. 11: Veterans Day Nov. 26: Thanksgiving Day Dec. 25: Christmas Day"

Average American private-sector workers receive about 11 vacation days after one year, 15 after five years, and 18 after ten years. Holiday Optimizer calculates that employees can expand those days by scheduling PTO around 11 federal holidays in 2026, enabling someone with 11 vacation days to obtain 41 days off, 15 days to reach 48 days, and 18 days to reach 53 days. The service lets users select their PTO allotment, country, and preferred trip styles such as long weekends, mini breaks, week-long trips, or extended vacations. Planning around holidays can increase travel costs because airfare often rises when many people take the same days off. Companies may also include religious or local observances as additional days off.

Read at Travel + Leisure