TIME OFF The 2027 getaway plan / United States
Best days to take off
in 2027.
Your vacation balance is limited. Your weekends have potential. Here are the workdays to request around US holidays for longer breaks in 2027.
By Michael McCullough, developer of Time Off Bandit · Updated September 26, 2026
One PTO day. Four days away.
For a Monday holiday, take the Friday before it. For a Thursday holiday, take the Friday after it. In 2027, Juneteenth and Christmas fall on Saturdays, so the federal observance is on the preceding Friday. Independence Day falls on Sunday and is observed on Monday.
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Holiday (observed) | Request this day | Your four-day break |
|---|---|---|
| MLK Day · Jan 18 | Friday, Jan 15 | Jan 15–18 |
| Washington’s Birthday · Feb 15 | Friday, Feb 12 | Feb 12–15 |
| Memorial Day · May 31 | Friday, May 28 | May 28–31 |
| Juneteenth · Jun 18 | Thursday, Jun 17 | Jun 17–20 |
| Independence Day · Jul 5 | Friday, Jul 2 | Jul 2–5 |
| Labor Day · Sep 6 | Friday, Sep 3 | Sep 3–6 |
| Columbus Day · Oct 11 | Friday, Oct 8 | Oct 8–11 |
| Veterans Day · Nov 11 | Friday, Nov 12 | Nov 11–14 |
| Thanksgiving · Nov 25 | Friday, Nov 26 | Nov 25–28 |
| Christmas · Dec 24 | Thursday, Dec 23 | Dec 23–26 |
Holiday names and observed dates checked against the US Office of Personnel Management’s 2027 federal holiday calendar. Your employer may use different names, observe fewer holidays, or offer additional closures.
Four PTO days can make a 10-day Christmas break.
Request December 27, 28, 29, and 30, 2027. If your workplace observes Christmas on Friday, December 24, and New Year’s Day 2028 on Friday, December 31, you can be off from December 24, 2027 through January 2, 2028: ten consecutive days for four PTO days.
The Friday observance for New Year’s Day 2028 falls in the previous calendar year. Check both holiday calendars and whether your employer has a year-end shutdown. Don’t subtract PTO for a day your company already gives you off.
Build a plan you can actually take.
- Add your company’s holidays first. Include closures and the observed dates your employer uses, not just the dates printed on a general calendar.
- Set a realistic PTO budget. Subtract trips already booked, keep a cushion for unexpected needs, and check any quarterly or year-end expiration dates.
- Choose the breaks that matter. A four-day weekend can be enough for a nearby escape. Save a larger block for a trip where travel takes a full day.
- Get the dates approved. Popular holiday weeks can fill up. Check team coverage before paying for travel.
What if I don’t get federal holidays off?
Use the same approach with your actual days off. If Thanksgiving is a normal workday, the four-day break in the table costs two PTO days instead of one. If your company closes on Friday too, it costs zero. A rotating shift schedule needs its own calculation.