1 dayThu, Jan 1
New Year's Day — a lone day off, bridge it:
1
Stretch it: take 1 day of leave (Jan 2) for 4 days off (Jan 1 – 4).
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Long Weekends in United States 2026
United States has 8 long weekends (3 or more consecutive days off) in 2026, counting public holidays and Sat–Sun weekends; the longest natural break runs 3 days (Jan 17 – 19). Placed well, 1 day of leave stretches a break to 4 consecutive days off — every option is below.
- Long weekends
- 8
- Longest break
- 3 days
- Best bridge
- +1 → 4 days
- Weekend
- Sat–Sun
Subscribe to or print United States holidays →
Every break in 2026
Public holidayWeekendLeave day
3 daysSat, Jan 17 – Mon, Jan 19
171819
Stretch it: take 4 days of leave (Jan 20–23) for 9 days off (Jan 17 – 25).
3 daysSat, Feb 14 – Mon, Feb 16
141516
Stretch it: take 4 days of leave (Feb 17–20) for 9 days off (Feb 14 – 22).
3 daysSat, May 23 – Mon, May 25
232425
Stretch it: take 4 days of leave (May 26–29) for 9 days off (May 23 – 31).
3 daysFri, Jun 19 – Sun, Jun 21
192021
Stretch it: take 4 days of leave (Jun 15–18) for 9 days off (Jun 13 – 21).
3 daysFri, Jul 3 – Sun, Jul 5
Independence Day (substitute day) · Independence Day
345
Stretch it: take 4 days of leave (Jun 29 – Jul 2) for 9 days off (Jun 27 – Jul 5).
3 daysSat, Sep 5 – Mon, Sep 7
567
Stretch it: take 4 days of leave (Sep 8–11) for 9 days off (Sep 5 – 13).
3 daysSat, Oct 10 – Mon, Oct 12
101112
Stretch it: take 4 days of leave (Oct 13–16) for 9 days off (Oct 10 – 18).
1 dayWed, Nov 11
Veterans Day — a lone day off, bridge it:
11
Stretch it: take 2 days of leave (Nov 9–10) for 5 days off (Nov 7 – 11).
1 dayThu, Nov 26
Thanksgiving Day — a lone day off, bridge it:
26
Stretch it: take 1 day of leave (Nov 27) for 4 days off (Nov 26 – 29).
3 daysFri, Dec 25 – Sun, Dec 27
252627
Stretch it: take 4 days of leave (Dec 28–31) for 10 days off (Dec 25 – Jan 3).
All bridge plans, ranked by date
Each plan books leave only on working days between two natural breaks, so every one of them returns more than one day off per day of leave.
| Days off | Leave | Span |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 4d · Dec 26 + Dec 29–31 | Dec 25 – Jan 1 |
| 6 | 3d · Dec 29–31 | Dec 27 – Jan 1 |
| 9 | 4d · Dec 29–31 + Jan 2 | Dec 27 – Jan 4 |
| 4Best value | 1d · Jan 2 | Jan 1 – 4 |
| 9 | 4d · Jan 20–23 | Jan 17 – 25 |
| 9 | 4d · Feb 17–20 | Feb 14 – 22 |
| 9 | 4d · May 26–29 | May 23 – 31 |
| 9 | 4d · Jun 15–18 | Jun 13 – 21 |
| 9 | 4d · Jun 29 – Jul 2 | Jun 27 – Jul 5 |
| 9 | 4d · Sep 8–11 | Sep 5 – 13 |
| 9 | 4d · Oct 13–16 | Oct 10 – 18 |
| 5 | 2d · Nov 9–10 | Nov 7 – 11 |
| 9 | 4d · Nov 9–10 + Nov 12–13 | Nov 7 – 15 |
| 5 | 2d · Nov 12–13 | Nov 11 – 15 |
| 6 | 3d · Nov 23–25 | Nov 21 – 26 |
| 9 | 4d · Nov 23–25 + Nov 27 | Nov 21 – 29 |
| 4 | 1d · Nov 27 | Nov 26 – 29 |
| 9 | 4d · Dec 21–24 | Dec 19 – 27 |
| 10 | 4d · Dec 28–31 | Dec 25 – Jan 3 |
Computed from United States's public holidays plus Sat–Sun weekends. Substitute days count as days off; observances don't. Bridges spend at most 4 leave days, booked only on working days.