How to make the most of your PTO and vacation time this year
The start of 2026 means many employees will see their PTO balances roll over for the year. With a little strategic planning and travel knowledge, you can take your vacation days even further.
A popular strategy, sometimes referred to as “PTO-maxxing” on social media, involves tying vacation days into holidays and weekends to maximize your free time. By some estimates, you can take around 40 days off this year using just 10 to 15 days of PTO.
Of course, PTO-maxxing may not work within everyone’s schedule, team’s needs, and employer policies. But you can place it strategically every day.
There are 11 federal holidays in the US this year, and many of them fall on a Monday. If you request leave before the Friday or after the Tuesday, you suddenly have a 4-day getaway using only one day of PTO. Likewise, for holidays that fall on a Friday, requesting a Thursday on the previous or following Monday means a 4-day holiday.
If you plan to travel, the extra day can save you some money.
“If you can put together a 3-day weekend, that gives you a little bit of an advantage because you’re not flying on the exact day everyone else is flying,” says Tom Carpenter, co-owner of travel agency Huckleberry Travel.
For larger holidays like Thanksgiving, when many people travel to be with family, you can request leave from Monday through Wednesday and through Friday if your employer hasn’t already designated it as a company holiday. Due to the two weekends either side of Thanksgiving week, you get 9 days off for 4 days of PTO use.
For those who travel frequently for business, consider adding PTO to a business trip if possible, because your company has already covered your travel and you’re already at that destination, Carpenter says.
Travel tips
As you maximize your PTO, you’ll also want to keep in mind some tips for growing your money.
Pay attention to events occurring at the time and place you’ll be traveling that may affect hotel and home rental availability, pricing, and crowds. (Unless you’re specifically going to the Winter Olympics, February might be a bad time to visit Milan.)
Carpenter says the best time frame to book flights is 1.5 to 4 months later because earlier doesn’t offer any benefits and then prices will start to increase. As for flying, he adds that Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays tend to be cheaper than other days.
For shorter getaways, look for direct flights from your airport so you can minimize your transit time and spend more time on the ground at your destination.
Wherever you go, plan ahead.
“If you’re looking at a holiday weekend where a lot of people will be traveling, that inventory will sell out sooner than a random midweek trip,” Carpenter says. “There’s no such thing as a last minute deal.”
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