List: Take these dates off to maximize your vacation time in 2025

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American workers get fewer vacation days than any other country in the developed world, yet nearly half of workers who get paid time off from their employer don’t end up taking all the days they’re offered.

According to Expedia, Americans receive, on average, 12 days off a year — "the fewest of any country surveyed." The 2024 Expedia report found that American workers take an average of 11 days off each year, and compared to the rest of the world, Americans are nearly twice as likely to go a year or more between vacations.

People surveyed by Expedia said the top reason why they didn’t take all their paid time off was "life is too busy to plan or go on vacation." But paid time off is important: it’s a benefit your employer expects you to use as part of your overall compensation, experts say, and it helps to prevent burnout on the job.

The Dos and Don’ts of PTO

According to the career website Monster’s YouTube channel, here are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to paid time off, or PTO.

Do:

Use all of your PTO: "Your PTO is a benefit calculated into your overall compensation, so don’t let it go to waste," Monster says. "If you struggle to use up all of your PTO, be sure to schedule all of your days off at the beginning of the year, that way you can ensure every bit is used.
Plan ahead and make sure the appropriate people are made aware of your impending absence. "You’re certainly entitled to this time off, but it doesn’t mean you can disappear out of nowhere," Monster says.

Don’t

Work while using PTO: "It’s considered paid time off for a reason. Do not take phone calls or check your email while you’re using PTO. If you do … this would be considered remote work instead," Monster says.
Be unrealistic about the dates of your time off: If your job has a major meeting or big event, "don’t expect to take significant PTO around that time. "It’s inconvenient, but it’s the reality for some jobs," Monster says.

FILE - 2025 calendar photo illustration (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

Take these dates off to maximize PTO

As first noted by Axios, you can take the following days off to maximize your vacation time in 2025:

January: If you get Martin Luther King Jr. Day off, you can take off Friday, Jan. 17 or Tuesday, Jan. 21 for a four-day break.

February: If you get Presidents Day off, you can take Friday, Feb. 14 or Tuesday, Feb. 18 off for a four-day break.

May: If you get Memorial Day off, you can take Friday, May 23 or Tuesday, May 27 off for a four-day break.

June: If you get Juneteenth off, you can take Friday, June 20 off for a four-day break.

July: If you get July 4th off, you can take Thursday, July 3 or Monday, July 7 off for a four-day break.

October: If you’re off for Indigenous Peoples Day or Columbus Day, you can take Friday, Oct. 10 or Tuesday, Oct. 14 off for a four-day break.

November: If you’re off on Veterans Day, you can take Monday, Nov. 10 off for a four-day break.

For Thanksgiving, you can take off Friday, Nov. 28 for a four-day break. If you already have Black Friday off, you can take Wednesday, Nov. 26 or Monday, Dec. 1 off for a five-day break.

December: If you are off on Christmas, you can take off Friday, Dec. 26 for a four-day break. If you also are off on Christmas Eve, you’ll have a five-day break.

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