I wasn't sure if I was going to create a calendar again this year, but then I thought, "I need this for myself!"
So I'm sharing the same tools that I use.
If you're already familiar with this, I'll keep it short.
Grab the link below for the free calendar.
Another year, another opportunity to make the most of your limited time off!
If you're like most Americans, you're working with about three weeks of PTO while your
European counterparts enjoy nearly five. The struggle is real. 😞
But here's the good news: with smart planning, you can still take amazing trips without burning through all your vacation days.
The secret?
Combining public holidays, weekends, and strategic PTO days to create longer breaks.
This approach lets you maximize your time away from the office while minimizing the vacation days you actually use.
I've mapped out the entire 2026 calendar to find the sweet spots. Here are the optimal PTO days to request that will give you the biggest bang for your buck:
- January 2
- January 16
- February 13
- May 22
- June 22
- July 6
- September 4
- October 9
- November 27
- December 28
Want to make planning even easier? I've created a ready-to-use calendar for you.
It shows every public holiday and the best PTO days to maximize your travel opportunities.
Now go book those flights and start planning your adventures!
Keep traveling,
Andrew
Would you rather take one epic two-week trip or spread that time across 3–4 shorter getaways?