Work Smarter, Travel More: Turn 18 PTO Days Into 55 Days Off
- Jennelle Mendes
- Feb 10
- 2 min read
While we may be hired by companies and clock in 40+ hours a week, they don’t own our time. One of my core mantras? Make work, work for you. And my favorite way to do that? Hacking my PTO.
Yes, you heard me right. With a little strategy, you can turn 18 vacation days into 55 days off—without quitting your job or pulling a mysterious ‘out of office’ disappearance. Let’s talk about how.
How to Maximize Your PTO in 2025
By planning around federal holidays, you can stack PTO days and score long weekends and extended breaks with minimal effort. Here’s the blueprint:
Month | Take Off | Days Off | PTO Used | Where to Go |
January (New Year's + MLK Weekend) | Jan 2-3, Jan 17 | Jan 1-5, Jan 17-20 | 3 | Caribbean getaway (St. Lucia, Barbados) |
February (Presidents' Day) | Feb 14 | Feb 14-17 | 1 | Mexico City or Lisbon for mild weather |
May (Memorial Day Week) | May 27-30 | May 24 - June 1 | 4 | Greek Islands (shoulder season!) |
June (Juneteenth Weekend) | June 20 | June 19-22 | 1 | Costa Rica for adventure without the crowds |
July (Fourth of July Weekend) | No PTO needed | July 4-6 | 0 | Stay local or hit up a last-minute flight deal |
September (Labor Day Week) | Sept 2-5 | Aug 30 - Sept 7 | 4 | South of France or Bali before peak crowds hit |
November (Veterans Day + Thanksgiving) | Nov 10, Nov 24-26 | Nov 9-11, Nov 22-30 | 4 | Japan for fall foliage or Argentina for spring wine season |
December (Christmas Break) | Dec 26 | Dec 25-28 | 1 | Dubai or Thailand for warm winter sun |
TOTAL | 18 PTO Days | 55 Days Off |
Why This Works
You’re stacking PTO with paid holidays, giving you extra days off without burning through your leave.
You get multiple long weekends (hello, mini getaways) and several extended trips.
You’re avoiding peak travel seasons, which means fewer crowds and better flight deals (most of the time).
Pro Tips to Stretch Your Time Off Even Further
Book flights wisely: Fly out the evening before your PTO starts to maximize your vacation.
Leverage remote work (if possible): Extend your trip by working a day or two remotely before flying home.
Use credit card points & flight deals: Look out for shoulder season discounts and mileage redemptions.
Final Thoughts
You work hard—you deserve a vacation (or five). By hacking your PTO, you can jet-set without burning through all your vacation days. Whether it’s a quick Caribbean escape or a European adventure, 2025 is the year to make work, work for you.
Where are you headed first? 🚀
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