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Long weekends: get more days off out of your PTO

Pick a year and the planner works through the federal holidays, showing where one or two PTO days turn into a long stretch of days off.

Free and without an account; the planner runs right in your browser.

New Year's Day
Fri, Jan 01, 2027
no PTO needed3 days off in a row · A long weekend without using any PTO (Fri, Jan 01, 2027Sun, Jan 03, 2027)
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Mon, Jan 18, 2027
no PTO needed3 days off in a row · A long weekend without using any PTO (Sat, Jan 16, 2027Mon, Jan 18, 2027)
Washington's Birthday (Presidents' Day)
Mon, Feb 15, 2027
no PTO needed3 days off in a row · A long weekend without using any PTO (Sat, Feb 13, 2027Mon, Feb 15, 2027)
Memorial Day
Mon, May 31, 2027
no PTO needed3 days off in a row · A long weekend without using any PTO (Sat, May 29, 2027Mon, May 31, 2027)
Juneteenth
Sat, Jun 19, 2027
falls on a weekend, no bridge day
Independence Day
Sun, Jul 04, 2027
falls on a weekend, no bridge day
Labor Day
Mon, Sep 06, 2027
no PTO needed3 days off in a row · A long weekend without using any PTO (Sat, Sep 04, 2027Mon, Sep 06, 2027)
Columbus Day
Mon, Oct 11, 2027
no PTO needed3 days off in a row · A long weekend without using any PTO (Sat, Oct 09, 2027Mon, Oct 11, 2027)
Veterans Day
Thu, Nov 11, 2027
1 PTO day4 days off in a row · Take Friday off: Thursday through Sunday (Thu, Nov 11, 2027Sun, Nov 14, 2027)
Thanksgiving
Thu, Nov 25, 2027
1 PTO day4 days off in a row · Take Friday off: Thursday through Sunday (Thu, Nov 25, 2027Sun, Nov 28, 2027)
Christmas Day
Sat, Dec 25, 2027
falls on a weekend, no bridge day
🎄 Christmas and New Year

Bridge the days between the holidays: roughly 5 PTO days turn into about 14 consecutive days off. The exact layout depends on the weekdays, so this cluster deserves a close look.

Extra: long stretches off

Planning a real trip? These are the windows where 1 to 4 weeks in a row cost the fewest PTO days:

1 week off4 PTO days for 9 days in a row · Sat, Jan 16, 2027Sun, Jan 24, 2027
2 weeks off9 PTO days for 16 days in a row · Sat, Jan 09, 2027Sun, Jan 24, 2027
3 weeks off13 PTO days for 23 days in a row · Sat, Nov 06, 2027Sun, Nov 28, 2027
4 weeks off18 PTO days for 30 days in a row · Sat, Oct 30, 2027Sun, Nov 28, 2027
To be honest

The planner uses US federal holidays. Your employer may observe a different set; treat the result as a template and check your company calendar before requesting days.

What actually matters

Bridge days are the most efficient PTO instrument there is: a single day off between a holiday and a weekend turns two free days into four. Knowing the holiday layout early means you request the popular days before half the team files the same request. The catch: the math changes every year, because several federal holidays float to Mondays or fall mid-week.

Our planner does exactly that math: every federal holiday of the chosen year, and for each one the best combination of PTO days and consecutive days off, including the cluster around Christmas and New Year. You walk into planning season with a ready wish list instead of a calendar puzzle.

Frequently asked questions

Which long weekends give the best return?

Holidays on a Tuesday or Thursday: one PTO day yields four days off in a row. A mid-week holiday turns two PTO days into five. The planner calculates it per year.

Are the dates the same for everyone?

The planner uses US federal holidays. Your employer may observe a different subset or add days; treat the result as a template and check your company calendar.

How early should I request the days?

As early as your planning opens. The combinations around Thanksgiving, Independence Day and the year-end cluster are the first ones gone in most teams.

And if you want the whole trip planned: The typeatrip travel plan researches hotels, activities and prices live on the web, with a source and as-of date on every entry, from $3.49 per plan.

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