Americans, hear me out! Statistically, you are among the world’s worst vacation-takers. Not because you don’t enjoy vacations, but because many of you leave unused PTO days on the table.
The good news is that the US and the UK are among the few countries that adjust the date of a public holiday if it falls on a weekend. For example, if a public holiday falls on a Saturday, it is usually moved to Friday. That’s not common around the world.
But even with this system, many Americans still don’t use all of their paid vacation days. Let’s change that. Capitalism can wait.
What can you do to optimize your vacation in 2027? Below is the list of US federal holidays in 2027.
| Date | Holiday | Day |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year’s Day | Friday |
| January 18 | Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. | Monday |
| February 15 | Washington’s Birthday (Presidents Day) | Monday |
| May 31 | Memorial Day | Monday |
| June 18 | Juneteenth National Independence Day (observed) | Friday |
| July 5 | Independence Day (observed) | Monday |
| September 6 | Labor Day | Monday |
| October 11 | Columbus Day | Monday |
| November 11 | Veterans Day | Thursday |
| November 25 | Thanksgiving Day | Thursday |
| December 24 | Christmas Day (observed) | Friday |
To start with, you can create bridge holidays around the public holidays that fall on Thursdays. In 2027, these are Veterans Day and Thanksgiving Day. Simply take Friday off and, voila, you have a four-day mini vacation.
To enjoy even longer vacations, combine your PTO with holidays that fall on Mondays or Fridays. This way, you can easily extend your breaks by adding just a few vacation days before or after the long weekend.
With all that, considering that the average American employee receives only 11 days of paid vacation per year, it’s definitely worth optimizing every single one. LongVacation.eu planner can help you make the most of them.
Best long-weekend windows in 2027
The 2027 federal calendar rewards a few specific moves:
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Thursday holidays are the best bridge deals. Veterans Day (Thursday, 11 November) and Thanksgiving (Thursday, 25 November) each need just one PTO day — take the Friday after and you get a four-day weekend (11–14 November and 25–28 November) for a single vacation day。
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Monday holidays already give you a three-day weekend for free. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (18 January), Presidents Day (15 February), Memorial Day (31 May), Independence Day observed (5 July), Labor Day (6 September)and Columbus Day (11 October) each land on Monday; add the Friday before and each becomes a four-day break用
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Friday holidays need no bridge day at all. New Year’s Day (1 January), Juneteenth observed (18 June)and Christmas observed (24 December) fall on Friday, giving a three-day weekend without spending any PTO — perfect for short resets between bigger trips。
If you tend to leave days unused, see our guide on why that costs you — and how to fix it, or the health-and-money case for taking your breaks。
Frequently asked questions
What if a federal holiday falls on a weekend?
The US observes weekend holidays on the nearest weekday — usually the preceding Friday or following Monday. In 2027, that affects Juneteenth (observed Friday, 18 June), Independence Day (observed Monday, 5 July)and Christmas (observed Friday, 24 December). The planner uses these official observed dates, so the suggestions match the real non-working days for that year。
How many PTO days do Americans average?
Around 11 days of paid vacation per year — but there is no federal minimum, so actual allowances vary a lot by employer, tenure, and industry. That makes every single day count, which is exactly why bridging around federal holidays matters: you can turn a small allowance into several real breaks instead of a few isolated days. Set your actual allowance in the planner rather than the default 25 if your employer gives less。
Can I combine state holidays?
Federal holidays are just the baseline: state and local holidays vary widely across the US, and many states observe dates like the day after Thanksgiving or local commemorations. Add your state’s dates as custom free days in the planner, so the suggestions reflect your real calendar and not just the federal one他