4 days off for 1 PTO day
Iowa PTO planner 2027
Iowa has 10 holidays in 2027, every one of them on a weekday. Book 1 PTO day for November 11 to 14 and you are off for 4 days straight. The longest stretch with up to 10 PTO days: 10 days, December 25, 2026 to January 3, 2027, for 4 PTO days.
- Holidays 2027
- 10
- on weekdays
- 10
- bridge days
- 1
- off for 4 PTO days
- 10 days
Iowa in 2027 at a glance
These are the paid holidays Iowa gives its state employees in 2027, taken from the state's official schedule. Private employers set their own lists; most of them follow the federal core of New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, so this page plans both ways.
Iowa counts 10 holidays this year, which puts it at number 23 of the 24 states in our verified data (the average is 12.0). None of them falls on a weekend, so every one is a real day away from work.
All holidays 2027 in Iowa, one by one
Here is each day off in date order, what it marks, and the quickest way to turn it into a longer stretch.
- Friday, January 1: New Year's Day. New Year's Day opens the year with parades, college football bowl games and a quiet day at home. When it falls near a weekend, it extends the holiday season into a longer break. You get 3 free days in a row, January 1 to 3, with no leave needed.
- Monday, January 18: Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday. Honors the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the third Monday of January. Many people volunteer in a day of service, and the Monday creates the first long weekend of the year, popular for ski trips. You get 3 free days in a row, January 16 to 18, with no leave needed.
- Monday, May 31: Memorial Day. Memorial Day honors the men and women who died serving in the armed forces. It falls on the last Monday of May and unofficially opens summer: beaches, lake houses and road trips fill up. You get 3 free days in a row, May 29 to 31, with no leave needed.
- Monday, July 5: Independence Day. The Fourth of July celebrates the Declaration of Independence: parades, barbecues and fireworks. When it lands near a weekend, it creates one of the busiest summer travel stretches of the year. The date itself, Sunday, July 4, falls on a weekend, so the day off is Monday, July 5. You get 3 free days in a row, July 3 to 5, with no leave needed.
- Monday, September 6: Labor Day. Labor Day honors American workers on the first Monday of September and marks the unofficial end of summer. It is the last big long weekend for beaches, lakes and road trips before school is back in full swing. You get 3 free days in a row, September 4 to 6, with no leave needed.
- Thursday, November 11: Veterans Day. Veterans Day honors everyone who served in the U.S. armed forces, on November 11, the anniversary of the First World War armistice. Federal offices and many schools close; many businesses stay open. Take Friday, November 12 off and you have 4 days in a row, November 11 to 14.
- Thursday, November 25: Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November: turkey, family and football. It is the busiest travel weekend of the year in the United States, so book flights and drives early. That makes 4 days off in a row without using any leave, November 25 to 28.
- Friday, November 26: Friday after Thanksgiving. The Friday after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday. A day off for many state workers, it turns Thanksgiving into a four day weekend for family visits, holiday shopping and travel. You get 4 free days in a row, November 25 to 28, with no leave needed.
- Friday, December 24: Christmas Day. Christmas Day is a federal holiday: most shops close and families gather. The weeks around it are a peak time for flights and drives, so book early if you plan to travel. The date itself, Saturday, December 25, falls on a weekend, so the day off is Friday, December 24. You get 3 free days in a row, December 24 to 26, with no leave needed.
- Friday, December 31: New Year's Day. New Year's Day opens the year with parades, college football bowl games and a quiet day at home. When it falls near a weekend, it extends the holiday season into a longer break. The date itself, Saturday, January 1, falls on a weekend, so the day off is Friday, December 31. It sits in the middle of the week, so it works best as a single day off.
Where your PTO days go furthest in 2027
Each stretch below starts and ends on a free day, contains at least one holiday, and needs no more than 10 PTO days. They are ranked by how many days off each day of leave brings.
December 25, 2026 to January 3, 2027: 4 PTO days (December 28 to 31) around Christmas Day and New Year's Day give 10 days off, 2.5 days for every day used.
Around Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday, 4 PTO days on Tue January 19, Wed January 20, Thu January 21 and Fri January 22 unlock 9 days away, January 16 to 24.
Around Memorial Day, 4 PTO days on Tue June 1, Wed June 2, Thu June 3 and Fri June 4 unlock 9 days away, May 29 to June 6.
November 11 to 14: 1 PTO day (November 12) around Veterans Day gives 4 days off, 4.0 days for every day used.
Around Thanksgiving Day and Friday after Thanksgiving, 3 PTO days on Mon November 22, Tue November 23 and Wed November 24 unlock 9 days away, November 20 to 28.
December 24, 2027 to January 2, 2028: 4 PTO days (December 27 to 30) around Christmas Day and New Year's Day give 10 days off, 2.5 days for every day used.
How far each PTO day goes in 2027
With 1 PTO day the longest run you can build is 4 days, November 11 to 14. Three days stretch to 9 days off (November 20 to 28). Five days, a typical week, become 11 days off around Thanksgiving Day and Friday after Thanksgiving, November 25 to December 5.
Ten days, the most this planner books in one go, give 18 days in a row, November 11 to 28. For nine days or more away you need 3 PTO days.
Many US employers offer around 10 to 15 PTO days a year. Spend four of them well and you can have two four-day weekends and one long week, without touching the rest.
The best stretches 2027 in Iowa
Every row is a run of weekends, holidays and PTO days. The highlighted row brings the most days off per day of leave.
| Dates | Result | Take off | Holidays | School holidays | Plan a trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Dec 25 to Sun, Jan 3 | 10 days offfor 4 PTO days, 2.5 days off per day of leave | Mon, Dec 28 · Tue, Dec 29 · Wed, Dec 30 · Thu, Dec 31 | Christmas Day, New Year's Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Jan 16 to Sun, Jan 24 | 9 days offfor 4 PTO days, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, Jan 19 · Wed, Jan 20 · Thu, Jan 21 · Fri, Jan 22 | Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, May 29 to Sun, Jun 6 | 9 days offfor 4 PTO days, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, Jun 1 · Wed, Jun 2 · Thu, Jun 3 · Fri, Jun 4 | Memorial Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Jul 3 to Sun, Jul 11 | 9 days offfor 4 PTO days, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, Jul 6 · Wed, Jul 7 · Thu, Jul 8 · Fri, Jul 9 | Independence Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Sep 4 to Sun, Sep 12 | 9 days offfor 4 PTO days, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, Sep 7 · Wed, Sep 8 · Thu, Sep 9 · Fri, Sep 10 | Labor Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Thu, Nov 11 to Sun, Nov 14 | 4 days offfor 1 PTO day, 4 days off per day of leave | Fri, Nov 12 | Veterans Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Nov 20 to Sun, Nov 28 | 9 days offfor 3 PTO days, 3 days off per day of leave | Mon, Nov 22 · Tue, Nov 23 · Wed, Nov 24 | Thanksgiving Day, Friday after Thanksgiving | none | Plan a trip |
| Fri, Dec 24 to Sun, Jan 2 | 10 days offfor 4 PTO days, 2.5 days off per day of leave | Mon, Dec 27 · Tue, Dec 28 · Wed, Dec 29 · Thu, Dec 30 | Christmas Day, New Year's Day | none | Plan a trip |
What 1 to 10 PTO days bring
For each budget, the longest run of days off in 2027.
1 PTO day
4 days
November 11 to November 14
Veterans Day
3 PTO days
9 days
November 20 to November 28
Thanksgiving Day, Friday after Thanksgiving
4 PTO days
10 days
December 24 to January 2
Christmas Day, New Year's Day
5 PTO days
11 days
November 25 to December 5
Thanksgiving Day, Friday after Thanksgiving
8 PTO days
16 days
November 13 to November 28
Thanksgiving Day, Friday after Thanksgiving
9 PTO days
18 days
November 11 to November 28
Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Friday after Thanksgiving
2027 calendar for Iowa
- Holiday
- PTO day in a stretch
- Weekend
- School holidays
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
If your employer gives the six core holidays
Working for a private company? Most give the six core holidays: New Year's Day (January 1), Memorial Day (May 31), Independence Day (July 5), Labor Day (September 6), Thanksgiving Day (November 25), Christmas Day (December 24) and New Year's Day (December 31). Iowa's other state holidays then are regular workdays for you.
With those six, your best stretch is November 25 to 28: 1 PTO day for 4 days off. The table above uses the full state list; the difference shows how much an employer's holiday policy is worth.
Season by season in Iowa
Winter: New Year's Day on January 1, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday on January 18, Christmas Day on December 24 and New Year's Day on December 31. The pick of the season is December 25, 2026 to January 3, 2027 with 4 PTO days for 10 days off.
Spring: Memorial Day on May 31. The pick of the season is May 29 to June 6 with 4 PTO days for 9 days off.
Summer: Independence Day on July 5. The pick of the season is July 3 to 11 with 4 PTO days for 9 days off.
Fall: Labor Day on September 6, Veterans Day on November 11, Thanksgiving Day on November 25 and Friday after Thanksgiving on November 26. The pick of the season is November 11 to 14 with 1 PTO day for 4 days off.
How Iowa stacks up
Indiana has the most with 15 holidays in 2027, Wyoming the fewest with 10. Iowa sits in between with 10.
WyomingiPhoto: Vasiliymeshko · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
IndianaiPhoto: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsIts best stretch, November 11 to 14, returns 4.0 days off per day of leave. No other state in our data does better this year.
WyomingiPhoto: Vasiliymeshko · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsIndianaiPhoto: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsLong weekend ideas from Iowa
Iowans head to the Iowa Great Lakes around Okoboji in summer, the bluffs of the Mississippi along the Driftless Area in fall, and Des Moines for a city weekend. The Amana Colonies make a cozy winter escape.
MississippiiPhoto: Photograph by Mike Peel ( www.mikepeel.net ). · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Des MoinesiPhoto: Dsmspence · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsYour strongest stretches this year fall in December, January and May, so pick the trip that suits that season, and book early: everyone else in Iowa has the same days off.
MississippiiPhoto: Photograph by Mike Peel ( www.mikepeel.net ). · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsDes MoinesiPhoto: Dsmspence · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
PTO Planner 2027 for Iowa as a PDF
Every stretch, holiday and school break in IA on one printable page. Plus The Sunday Getaway every week and a note whenever a long weekend is worth it.
Where to on the long weekends?
For the six strongest stretches: places with the right climate that month, flights from ATL.
November 11 to November 14: 1 PTO day, 4 days off
Short flight in November, flights from ATL
- Plan a trip for these daysSee Austin
iPhoto: Fraganda · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsHavana84 °F by day · Sea 82 °F · Flight about 2 h, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Havana
iPhoto: Der-wuppertaler · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsNassau79 °F by day · Sea 79 °F · Flight about 1 h 58, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Nassau
November 20 to November 28: 3 PTO days, 9 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in November, flights from ATL
iPhoto: Jason Boldero · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTurks and Caicos Islands82 °F by day · Sea 82 °F · Flight about 2 h 39, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Turks and Caicos Islands
iPhoto: Fred Hsu ( Wikipedia:User:Fred Hsu on en.wikipedia ) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsUnited States Virgin Islands83 °F by day · Sea 83 °F · Flight about 3 h 33, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee United States Virgin Islands
iPhoto: A.Miskovsky · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsPunta Cana83 °F by day · Sea 83 °F · Flight about 3 h 15, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Punta Cana
December 25 to January 3: 4 PTO days, 10 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in December, flights from ATL
- iPhoto: Jason Boldero · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTurks and Caicos Islands80 °F by day · Sea 80 °F · Flight about 2 h 39, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Turks and Caicos Islands
- iPhoto: Fred Hsu ( Wikipedia:User:Fred Hsu on en.wikipedia ) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsUnited States Virgin Islands81 °F by day · Sea 81 °F · Flight about 3 h 33, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee United States Virgin Islands
- iPhoto: A.Miskovsky · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsPunta Cana81 °F by day · Sea 81 °F · Flight about 3 h 15, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Punta Cana
December 24 to January 2: 4 PTO days, 10 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in December, flights from ATL
- iPhoto: Jason Boldero · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTurks and Caicos Islands80 °F by day · Sea 80 °F · Flight about 2 h 39, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Turks and Caicos Islands
- iPhoto: Fred Hsu ( Wikipedia:User:Fred Hsu on en.wikipedia ) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsUnited States Virgin Islands81 °F by day · Sea 81 °F · Flight about 3 h 33, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee United States Virgin Islands
- iPhoto: A.Miskovsky · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsPunta Cana81 °F by day · Sea 81 °F · Flight about 3 h 15, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Punta Cana
January 16 to January 24: 4 PTO days, 9 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in January, flights from ATL
- iPhoto: Fred Hsu ( Wikipedia:User:Fred Hsu on en.wikipedia ) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsUnited States Virgin Islands80 °F by day · Sea 80 °F · Flight about 3 h 33, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee United States Virgin Islands
- iPhoto: Jason Boldero · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTurks and Caicos Islands78 °F by day · Sea 78 °F · Flight about 2 h 39, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Turks and Caicos Islands
- iPhoto: A.Miskovsky · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsPunta Cana80 °F by day · Sea 80 °F · Flight about 3 h 15, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Punta Cana
May 29 to June 6: 4 PTO days, 9 days off
Beach in June, flights from ATL
- iPhoto: Jason Boldero · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTurks and Caicos Islands83 °F by day · Sea 82 °F · Flight about 2 h 39, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Turks and Caicos Islands
New Orleans87 °F by day · Sea 84 °F · Flight about 1 h 25, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee New Orleans- iPhoto: A.Miskovsky · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsPunta Cana83 °F by day · Sea 82 °F · Flight about 3 h 15, nonstopPlan a trip for these daysSee Punta Cana
Holidays 2027 in Iowa
| Date | Weekday | Holiday | Applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Friday | New Year's Day | nationwide |
| January 18 | Monday | Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday | nationwide |
| May 31 | Monday | Memorial Day | nationwide |
| July 5 | Monday | Independence Day | nationwide |
| September 6 | Monday | Labor Day | nationwide |
| November 11 | Thursday | Veterans Day | nationwide |
| November 25 | Thursday | Thanksgiving Day | nationwide |
| November 26 | Friday | Friday after Thanksgiving | statewide |
| December 24 | Friday | Christmas Day | nationwide |
| December 31 | Friday | New Year's Day | nationwide |
Iowa in other years
2026 and 2028 are planned as well, each with its own dates and stretches.
Holiday dates move every year: fixed-date days change their weekday, and Easter moves between late March and late April, which is why the best stretches are never the same twice.
Where these dates come from
Every date on this page comes from the official source for Iowa: Iowa Code s. 1C.2 Paid holidays and OPM federal holidays, read directly and compared day by day with an independent second source. A year appears once its official list is published, and we never fill a gap with another state's dates.
The planner treats weekends and full holidays as free days and works out where your PTO days turn into the longest time off. Days kept in part of Iowa or as observances are shown but never counted. Last checked on October 1, 2026.
PTO Planner 2027 in IA: frequently asked questions
How many holidays does Iowa have in 2027?
10 holidays: New Year's Day on January 1, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday on January 18, Memorial Day on May 31, Independence Day on July 5, Labor Day on September 6, Veterans Day on November 11, Thanksgiving Day on November 25, Friday after Thanksgiving on November 26, Christmas Day on December 24 and New Year's Day on December 31.
What is the best long weekend in Iowa in 2027?
November 11 to 14: 1 PTO day gives 4 days off around Veterans Day.
How many PTO days do I need for nine days off in 2027?
3 PTO days: take November 22 to 24 off and you are off November 20 to 28.
Is the day after Thanksgiving a holiday in Iowa in 2027?
Yes. Friday after Thanksgiving is a full day off on Friday, November 26.
Is Juneteenth a holiday in Iowa in 2027?
No. Juneteenth is not on Iowa's official list for 2027, so it is a regular workday unless your employer gives it.
Do private employers in Iowa have to give state holidays?
No. State holidays apply to state offices and many public employers. Private employers decide their own paid holidays, and most give the six core days listed above.
2027 in the other states
How the PTO Planner works
Holidays: the public holidays from the official list in IA, checked date by date. The planner counts only days off for the whole region.
Stretches: start and end on a day off, include at least one holiday and at most 10 PTO days. Ranked by days off per day of leave; Saturday and Sunday count as free.
School breaks: officially published dates only, checked every month. Trip ideas: the month's climate and flights from the region's main airport.
