Holiday planning
Long Weekends in United States 2026
United States has 14 long weekends in 2026. The longest natural break is 1 day around Veterans Day (Wed 11 Nov). Take Monday and Tuesday off and turn the Veterans Day break into a 5-day run.
14
Long weekends
5
Longest break (days)
14
Bridge day opportunities
Official reference: U.S. Office of Personnel Management — Federal holidays · How we verify this data
All long weekends in United States 2026
Sorted by calendar date. "Days off" = the natural break without any annual leave. "Bridge days" = working days to take as paid leave to extend the break.
| Date range | Holiday | Days off | Bridge days to take | Total break |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 1 Jan – Sun 4 Jan | New Year's Day | 1 | Friday(Fri 2 Jan) | 4d |
| Fri 16 Jan – Mon 19 Jan | Martin Luther King, Jr. Day | 3 | Friday(Fri 16 Jan) | 4d |
| Thu 12 Feb – Sun 15 Feb | Lincoln's Birthday | 1 | Friday(Fri 13 Feb) | 4d |
| Fri 13 Feb – Mon 16 Feb | Presidents Day | 3 | Friday(Fri 13 Feb) | 4d |
| Thu 2 Apr – Sun 5 Apr | Good Friday | 3 | Thursday(Thu 2 Apr) | 4d |
| Thu 7 May – Sun 10 May | Truman Day | 3 | Thursday(Thu 7 May) | 4d |
| Fri 22 May – Mon 25 May | Memorial Day | 3 | Friday(Fri 22 May) | 4d |
| Thu 18 Jun – Sun 21 Jun | Juneteenth National Independence Day | 3 | Thursday(Thu 18 Jun) | 4d |
| Thu 2 Jul – Sun 5 Jul | Independence Day (observed), Independence Day | 3 | Thursday(Thu 2 Jul) | 4d |
| Fri 4 Sept – Mon 7 Sept | Labor Day | 3 | Friday(Fri 4 Sept) | 4d |
| Fri 9 Oct – Mon 12 Oct | Columbus Day | 3 | Friday(Fri 9 Oct) | 4d |
| Sat 7 Nov – Wed 11 Nov | Veterans Day | 1 | Monday + Tuesday(Mon 9 Nov, Tue 10 Nov) | 5d |
| Thu 26 Nov – Sun 29 Nov | Thanksgiving Day | 1 | Friday(Fri 27 Nov) | 4d |
| Thu 24 Dec – Sun 27 Dec | Christmas Day | 3 | Thursday(Thu 24 Dec) | 4d |
Best long weekends in United States 2026
The top breaks ranked by total consecutive days off.
November
Veterans Day
Sat 7 Nov – Wed 11 Nov
5
days
January
New Year's Day
Thu 1 Jan – Sun 4 Jan
4
days
January
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Fri 16 Jan – Mon 19 Jan
4
days
February
Lincoln's Birthday
Thu 12 Feb – Sun 15 Feb
4
days
How to use bridge days in United States
A bridge day (sometimes called a sandwiched day) is a working day that sits between a public holiday and a weekend. By taking it as paid annual leave, you connect the holiday to the weekend and create a longer uninterrupted break.
For example, if a public holiday falls on a Thursday, taking Friday off gives you Thursday + Friday + Saturday + Sunday — four consecutive days using only one day of leave.
In United States 2026, there are 14 bridge day opportunities highlighted in the table above. The biggest gain is around Veterans Day: take Monday and Tuesday off to turn a 1-day break into 5 consecutive days using only 2 days of annual leave.
Public holidays linked to long weekends
Veterans Day
Wed 11 Nov
New Year's Day
Thu 1 Jan
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Mon 19 Jan
Lincoln's Birthday
Thu 12 Feb
Presidents Day
Mon 16 Feb
Good Friday
Fri 3 Apr
Truman Day
Fri 8 May
Memorial Day
Mon 25 May
Juneteenth National Independence Day
Fri 19 Jun
Independence Day (observed)
Fri 3 Jul
Independence Day
Sat 4 Jul
Labor Day
Mon 7 Sept
Columbus Day
Mon 12 Oct
Thanksgiving Day
Thu 26 Nov
Christmas Day
Fri 25 Dec
Continue exploring
More for United States 2026
Public holidays
Public holidays in United States 2026
Full list of 13 public holidays with dates and observance notes.
Working days
Working days in United States 2026
Monthly breakdown of weekdays minus public holidays.
Other year
Long weekends in United States 2027
Same bridge day analysis for 2027.
Region guide
Public holidays across North America
Compare holiday calendars for neighbouring countries in the region.
Calculator
Working Days Between Two Dates
Net working days for any date range — public holidays excluded, 192 countries.
Frequently asked questions
How many long weekends does United States have in 2026?
United States has 14 long weekends in 2026 where a public holiday creates a break of three or more consecutive days.
What is a bridge day?
A bridge day is a regular working day that falls between a public holiday and a weekend. Taking it as annual leave creates an uninterrupted break of four or more days using just one or two days of paid leave — maximising your time off.
What is the longest long weekend in United States in 2026?
The longest break is 5 days from Saturday, 7 November 2026 to Wednesday, 11 November 2026, centred around Veterans Day (taking Monday and Tuesday as annual leave).
How can I get the most days off with the least leave in United States 2026?
The best bridge day opportunity is around Veterans Day (Wed 11 Nov). Take Monday and Tuesday as annual leave to get a 5-day break using only 2 days of paid leave.
Are bridge days public holidays in United States?
No. Bridge days are ordinary working days — employees choose to take them as paid annual leave. They are not legally mandated public holidays.