10 Years of American Vacations: A Retrospective Look

This article will highlight key statistics about Americans and vacations, primarily sourced from the archives of the Project Time Off initiative.

Established in 2015, Project Time Off aimed to shift the culture around personal time off, advocating that taking vacations is not frivolous but essential for strengthening families, improving personal health, making sound business investments, and supporting economic growth. Though the initiative concluded in 2019, it left behind enduring legacies such as the National Plan for Vacation Day.

The work martyr complex: Historical perspective and economic impact

The storied American work ethic suggests that taking a pass on PTO is a matter of tradition—but that’s not true. For decades, Americans took advantage of the time off they had earned. That’s no longer the case. The number of annual vacation days American workers use has steadily declined over the past two decades.

From 1976 to 2000, American workers used 20.3 days of vacation each year. Since then, the number has dropped precipitously, with American workers reporting just 16.0 days used in 2013—almost a full work-week less compared to pre-2000.

Key statistics from 2013 to 2014

Annual vacation days taken by U.S. employees would jump 27%, equivalent to 768 million additional PTO days and delivering a $284 billion impact across the entire US economy, including $118 billion in direct travel spending alone.

In 2014, 42% of Americans were leaving vacation time on the table, which resulted in 429 million unused days.

The average American earns 21 days of PTO each year but uses only 77% of that time, forfeiting 4.9 days. While many employees have the option to roll over unused PTO into the next year, bank it for future use, or be paid for the unused time, one-in-four (23%) permanently lose it at the end of the year. Less than half (47%) of employees are able to roll over days into the following year and nearly a third (30%) of these employees are able to roll over five days or less. 

American workers lost a total of 169 million PTO days in 2014—1.6 per employee. These days could not be rolled over, could not be paid out, were not banked or used for any other benefit—they were purely lost. 

The value of one forgone day, where workers are de facto volunteers for their employers, totals an average of $504 per employee.  Therefore, the value of those 169 million lost days is significant—$52.4 billion in forfeited benefits. That’s more than the total wage and salary income of several U.S. states—Nevada, Arkansas, Mississippi and New Mexico according to 2015 data.

The State of American Vacation 2015

American workers took 16.2 days of vacation in 2015—nearly a full week less than the average between 1978 and 2000. This is America’s Lost Week. 

More than half of American workers 55% left vacation days unused in 2015. 

The 55% of under-vacationed Americans left a total 658 million vacation days unused.

In January 2016, with the requirement that respondents know exactly the amount of time they used in the prior year, painting a more accurate, though still depressing, picture.

Perhaps more staggering than America’s 658 million unused vacation days is that Americans lost 222 million of them. Those days cannot be rolled over, paid out, or banked for any other benefit—they are purely lost. That’s an average of two full days (2.0) per worker.

By giving up this time off, Americans are effectively volunteering hundreds of millions of days of free work for their employers, which results in $61.4 billion in forfeited benefits.

Employees who take 10 or less days of vacation time are less likely to have received a raise or bonus in the last three years than those who took 11 days or more.

The more than 600 million unused vacation days represent billions in lost economic potential. Had Americans used the vacation time they earned in 2015, it would have meant $223 billion in spending for the U.S. economy. Servicing the needs of those unused vacation days would have created 1.6 million jobs, resulting in $65 billion in additional income. If Americans were to just use one more day, it would be $34 billion in total spending for the U.S. economy.

The State of American Vacation 2016

Americans used more vacation days. In 2016, average vacation use climbed to 16.8 days per worker. 

The amount of time off earned by employees in 2016 increased by nearly a full day (0.7 days) to 22.6 vacation days. 

Even with this increase, a slightly smaller percentage of employees (54%) ended 2016 with unused vacation time than the prior year (55%).

By forfeiting vacation days, American workers gave up $66.4 billion in 2016 benefits alone. That means that last year employees effectively donated an average of $604 in work time to their employer.

Unused vacation days cost the U.S. economy $236 billion in 2016, due to lost spending. That spending would have supported 1.8 million American jobs and generated $70 billion in additional income for American workers. If the 54% of workers who left time unused in 2016 took just one more day off, it would drive $33 billion in economic impact.

The good news: the jump in vacation usage from 16.2 to 16.8 days delivered a $37 billion impact to the U.S. economy. It also produced an estimated 278,000 direct and indirect jobs and generated $11 billion in additional income for employees.

A majority (52%) of workers who say they set aside time each year to plan out their vacation days take all their time off, compared to just 40% of non-planners. They also tend to take longer vacations. While three-in-four (75%) planners take a week or more at a time, non-planners take significantly fewer days—zero to three—than planners at once (42% to 18%).

High stress, guilt, and workload concerns may be keeping women from using their time off. Women report experiencing more stress than men at home (48% to 40%) and at work (74% to 67%). They are also more likely to say that guilt (25% to 20%) and the mountain of work they would return to (46% to 40%) hold them back from taking time off. Women also worry more than men about vacation making them seem less committed to their job (28% to 25%).

The State of American Vacation 2017

State of American Vacation 2018 showed improvement in America’s work culture. 

Fewer Americans left vacation time on the table in 2017. While still a majority, 52% of employees reported having unused vacation days at the end of the year.

Though a 2% change might seem small, the impact is mighty. Americans used nearly a half-day (0.4 days) more of vacation than the previous year.

The increase marks the third straight year of increased vacation usage and brings the national average up to 17.2 vacation days taken per employee.

The increase in vacation usage from 16.8 to 17.2 days delivered a $30.7 billion impact to the U.S. economy. It also produced an estimated 217,200 direct and indirect jobs and generated $8.9 billion in additional income for Americans.

While the numbers are moving in a positive direction, more than half of Americans are still not using all the vacation time they earn. The 52% who left vacation on the table accumulated 705 million unused days last year, up from 662 million days the year before.

Though this increase may seem counterintuitive to Americans using more vacation time, it is a function of employees earning more time. The average employee reported earning 23.2 paid time off days, an increase of more than half a day (0.6 days) over the previous year.

Of these days, Americans forfeited 212 million days, which is equivalent to $62.2 billion in lost benefits. That means employees effectively donated an individual average of $561 in work time to their employer in 2017.

The more than 700 million days that go unused represent a $255 billion opportunity that the American economy is not capturing. Had Americans used that vacation time, the activity could have generated 1.9 million jobs.

Work-related challenges had the most influence on Americans’ ability to vacation. Employees who were concerned that they would appear less dedicated or even replaceable if they took a vacation were dramatically less likely to use all their vacation time (61% leave time unused, compared to 52% overall). Those who felt their workload was too heavy to get away were also more likely than average to have unused vacation time (57% to 52%), as were employees who felt there was a lack of coverage or that no one else could do their job (56% to 52%).

Alleviating the barriers in the workplace rests on creating a positive vacation culture. With nearly four-in-ten (38%) employees saying their company culture encouraged vacation, there has been improvement in employees’ perception of their company’s level of support for vacation (compared to 33% last year).

America’s demanding work culture has given rise to the idea of a “workcation.”

In 2018, only 10% of Americans have taken a workcation. 29% of all workers describe the idea as appealing, where 70% called the concept unappealing. But the proof may be in the pudding. The 10% of employees who reported taking a workcation report a much stronger affinity for the idea, with 55% of this experienced group calling it appealing.

Millennials use a greater proportion of their days for travel than Generation X or Boomers, but take fewer days than older generations as a result of earning fewer days. The average Millennial takes 14.5 days, 7.1 of which are used to travel. Generation X uses 17.9 days and dedicates 8.2 of those for travel. Boomers take the most days off at 19.8, and spend 9.0 days on travel vacations.

It follows that a staggering 86% of Americans say they have not seen enough of their own country.

The nearly half (48%) of Americans who are not using a majority of their vacation for travel are missing out on more than sun and fun. Americans taking all or most of their vacation days to travel—or mega-travelers—report dramatically higher rates of happiness than those using little to none of their time for travel—or homebodies.

The State of American Vacation 2018

In 2018, Americans took 1.8 billion domestic leisure trips, whose $650 billion in spending supported 5.5 million American jobs—making this thriving segment a critical component of the travel industry and the U.S. economy as a whole.

For those traveling across the U.S., eSIM United States provided a convenient and affordable way to stay connected during their time off.

There is an opportunity to further grow domestic leisure travel, based on paid time off (PTO) and vacation usage trends. More than half of Americans (55%) are still not using all their paid time off and those that are using their days, are spending just a portion of them to travel and see the USA. In 2018, American workers failed to use 768 million days of PTO—a 9% increase from 2017.

On the bright side, Americans used an average of 17.4 days of PTO, a slight increase from the 17.2 days in 2017, continuing a positive trend that started in 2015. However, there is still room for improvement, especially when compared to prior decades when Americans took up to 20 days off.

Americans used just over half of their paid time off (9 of the 17.4 days) to travel—one day more than in 2017.

If more Americans converted a portion of their time off to travel, the economic opportunity for the travel industry amounts to $151.5 billion in additional travel spending, which would create two million American jobs.

As the workforce expands and the share of employees gaining access to PTO increases, more PTO is earned, resulting in a jump in unused days. Additionally, employment in the U.S. is strong and the 2017 tax reform allowed employers to increase their benefit offerings, including paid time off. However, even though workers are taking more PTO, unused days are also increasing.

While older Americans take more time off than younger age groups, millennials use a greater share of their vacation days to travel.

Around one-third of baby boomers (35%) and Gen X (31%) reported taking 10-19 days in 2018 compared to only one in five Millennials (21%).

The State of American Vacation 2019

More than half of American workers (55%) don't use all their vacation days, leading to a staggering 768 million unused days—an increase of 9% since 2017. Even more concerning, 236 million of those days were completely forfeited, translating to $65.5 billion in lost benefits and an average of $571 per person in unpaid work time.

On a positive note, the average number of days off used increased to 17.4 last year, meaning Americans could be enjoying nearly half a week more vacation annually. Interestingly, while 83% of Americans express a desire to use their time off for travel, many aren't following through. This missed opportunity is significant; if Americans used their vacation days for travel, it could inject $151.5 billion into the economy and create an additional 2 million jobs.

Despite a large chunk of Americans opting not to travel, they are still among the top tourists in countries like Japan, with over two million visitors searching for reliable connectivity solutions like a Japan eSIM. 

Age also plays a role in vacation habits. Older Americans tend to take more time off, but millennials are more likely to use their vacation days for travel. Gen Xers, often at the peak of their careers, are the most likely to travel to avoid burnout, with 63% doing so compared to 55% of both Millennials and Baby Boomers.

American vacations in 2020: How COVID changed everything

COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of daily life, and Americans are still not fully utilizing their vacation days.

In 2020, American workers left an average of 33% of their paid time off unused. Despite travel restrictions and new protocols, nearly 60% of the paid time off used in 2020 was for travel away from home.

Many Americans now have even more paid time off due to changes in time off policies and are eager to spend it on vacations.

Nearly 8 in 10 American workers (77%) report being extremely or very happy while on vacation.

Additionally, 84% are excited to plan a vacation in the next six months, and 97% of survey respondents say that having a trip planned makes them happier. Interestingly, Americans who plan their time off tend to take more of it. 

However, more than a quarter (28%) of American households don't plan their time off, leading to lost or forfeited days. Planners are more likely to prioritize travel with their paid time off, a trend expected to rise in 2021.

About 32% of planners anticipate travelling more than in previous years, compared to 21% of non-planners.

American vacations in 2021: The second year of the pandemic 

After two years of living through the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans are feeling burned out and ready for a change of scenery.

However, health and safety concerns related to COVID-19, along with increased workloads, have prevented many from using their hard-earned time off.

Americans are still not using all of their vacation days. Last year, American workers left an average of more than four days, or 29%, of their paid time off unused.

Here are some key points:

• More than two-thirds (68%) of American workers feel at least moderately burned out, with 13% feeling extremely burned out.
• Over half (53%) of remote workers are now working more hours than they did in the office, and 61% find it harder to unplug from work.
• COVID-19 concerns and work-related barriers, such as heavy workloads and lack of coverage, are the top reasons preventing Americans from using their paid time off.
• Only one-quarter of Americans used all of their earned time off in 2021.
• Nearly eight in 10 (79%) believe vacations are important for their overall health and well-being.

Furthermore, travelling is a priority for Americans:

• More than nine in 10 (91%) Americans say it's important to use their paid time off to travel.
• As vaccines became more accessible, demand for travel surged. On average, two-thirds of paid time off used in 2021 was for travel away from home.
• Nearly six in 10 (59%) agree that travel is more important than ever, and 61% plan to make travel a top budget priority in 2022.
• 81% of Americans are excited to plan a vacation in the next six months.

As travel restrictions ease, many are looking to explore internationally using tools like eSIM Europe.

Most recent data on American vacations in 2022 to 2023

• Over 765 million vacation days went unused by Americans. 
• In 2023, 82% of full-time employees in the U.S. had access to paid vacation. 
• Despite this, 46% of workers don't use all of their available time off during the year. 
• A significant 68% of employees work while on vacation, and 52% worry about work during their time off. 
• On average, civilian and private industry employees receive 11 days of PTO after one year of service.

Sources:

• Ipsos
• Oxford Economics
• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Project TimeOff