5 Secrets to Travel More While Working Full Time

Let's face it—working a full-time job with limited PTO can make it feel impossible to fit in all the travel you dream about. But here’s the thing: it doesn’t have to be that way! Believe it or not, we’ve been able to travel 45+ days a year using fewer than 20 PTO days, all while holding down full-time jobs. How do we do it? These 5 simple strategies have allowed us to explore new places without burning through our precious PTO. Let’s dive in!

1. Plan Weekend Trips (No PTO Needed)

Weekend trips are one of the easiest ways to travel more without touching your PTO. If you’re like us and love spontaneous adventures, this is a game changer. A quick weekend getaway, whether it’s a road trip or a short flight, can feel just as refreshing as a longer vacation. You’re only away for a couple of days, but that’s enough time to recharge. Choose spots within a few hours’ drive or flight so you can maximize the weekend fun. These mini trips add up over the year!

2. Travel Over Company Holidays & Office Closures

Your company’s holidays and office closures are basically free vacation days! Anytime the office is closed, use it to your advantage and plan a trip. This is how we squeeze in extra travel time without touching PTO. Whether it’s Memorial Day, Labor Day, or that sweet week between Christmas and New Year’s, these are golden opportunities to explore without dipping into your PTO bank. Who doesn’t love free travel days?

3. Book 9-Day Vacations Over Double Weekends Using Only 5 PTO Days

This is probably our favorite hack for stretching those vacation days! By booking trips over two weekends, you can enjoy a full 9-day vacation while only using 5 PTO days. For example, leave on a Friday after work and come back the following Sunday. That’s two weekends and a full week of travel! If you’re able to overlap your trip with a company holiday, you’ll use even fewer PTO days. We’ve used this trick countless times to get more travel time without depleting our PTO stash.

4. Book Late Flights or Drive at Night After Work

Who says you need to burn a PTO day just to travel to your destination? One of our favorite strategies is to book late flights or drive after work so we can arrive at our destination and wake up ready to explore the next day. You don’t waste a full PTO day on travel, and you still get a jumpstart on your trip. Sure, it might mean a late night or an early morning, but the extra time at your destination is totally worth it.

5. Work Remote Days at the Beginning or End of a Trip (If Possible)

For those of us with remote work flexibility, this is a travel hack that’s become even more valuable in recent years. If you can work remotely for a day or two at the beginning or end of a trip, you can add extra days to your vacation without taking any PTO. Imagine logging off from a cozy cabin in the mountains or a beachside café. It’s the perfect way to transition into vacation mode (or ease out of it) without the stress of using up more days off.

Traveling more while working full-time is all about being smart with your time. By using these strategies, we’ve been able to explore new places, recharge, and experience 45+ days of travel each year while using fewer than 20 PTO days. It’s totally possible to have a full-time job and still prioritize adventure. Start planning your next trip with these hacks, and you’ll be surprised at how much you can travel without quitting your 9-5!