How many long weekends are there in 2027?
These are the 2027 federal holidays on the days they are observed under 5 U.S.C. § 6103: a holiday on a Saturday moves to the Friday before, and one on a Sunday to the Monday after. New Year's Day 2028 falls on a Saturday, so it is observed on Friday, December 31, 2027.
| Holiday | Day off | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Friday, January 1 | 3 days; 4 with 1 PTO day |
| Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. | Monday, January 18 | 3 days; 4 with 1 PTO day |
| Washington's Birthday | Monday, February 15 | 3 days; 4 with 1 PTO day |
| Memorial Day | Monday, May 31 | 3 days; 4 with 1 PTO day |
| Juneteenth National Independence Day (observed) | Friday, June 18 | 3 days; 4 with 1 PTO day |
| Independence Day (observed) | Monday, July 5 | 3 days; 4 with 1 PTO day |
| Labor Day | Monday, September 6 | 3 days; 4 with 1 PTO day |
| Columbus Day | Monday, October 11 | 3 days; 4 with 1 PTO day |
| Veterans Day | Thursday, November 11 | Take Friday: 4 days |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thursday, November 25 | Take Friday: 4 days |
| Christmas Day (observed) | Friday, December 24 | 3 days; 4 with 1 PTO day |
| New Year's Day (observed) | Friday, December 31 | 3 days; 4 with 1 PTO day |
10 of them fall on a Monday or a Friday, so they are three-day weekends on their own. Veterans Day and Thanksgiving fall on a Thursday: take the Friday and you have four days.
How many days off can you get with your PTO?
Days off in a row you get in 2027 by spending your PTO next to holidays with our PTO planner, which fills the gaps that pay off most first and leaves whole weeks for you to place:
| PTO days | Days off with all 11 federal holidays | Days off with only 6 holidays |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 20 | 20 |
| 10 | 40 | 31 |
| 15 | 51 | 40 |
| 20 | 60 | 49 |
With 10 PTO days and all federal holidays, every PTO day becomes four days off: one day before or after each holiday. If you only get New Year's Day, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, you get 31.
The best breaks of 2027
Christmas and New Year's: Christmas is observed on Friday, December 24, and New Year's Day 2028 on Friday, December 31. Taking December 27 to 30 off gives you ten days in a row, from December 24 to January 2, for 4 PTO days.
Thanksgiving: it falls on Thursday, November 25. Take Friday the 26th and you have four days; add Monday to Wednesday before it and you have nine.
July 4: it falls on a Sunday and is observed on Monday, July 5. Take Tuesday to Friday and you have nine days, from July 3 to 11, for 4 PTO days.
Juneteenth: it falls on a Saturday and is observed on Friday, June 18. Take Thursday the 17th and you have four days.
What to keep in mind
No federal law requires private employers to give paid holidays or vacation, as the Department of Labor explains: your employer sets which holidays you get and when you can take PTO. Your employer may observe fewer holidays than the federal calendar, or not move a weekend holiday to a Friday or Monday.
Ask for PTO early for the busiest breaks, like Thanksgiving and the end of the year, and check your handbook for blackout dates.
Official sources
- 5 U.S.C. § 6103: federal holidays · federal holidays and the weekend rules
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management: federal holidays · 2027 federal holiday dates
- U.S. Department of Labor: Vacation Leave (the FLSA does not require paid vacations or holidays)