Long Weekends in United States 2026
United States has 11 public holidays in 2026, creating 11 long-weekend opportunities — 8 automatic 3-day weekends and 3 bridge chances where a day or two of leave buys a longer break.
Smartest break
Take 1 leave day around New Year's Day (January 1, 2026) for 4 days off — Jan 1 – Jan 4.
| Holiday | Date | Leave to book | Days off | Your break |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thu, Jan 1 | Fri, Jan 2 | 4 | Jan 1 – Jan 4 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Mon, Jan 19 | None — automatic | 3 | Jan 17 – Jan 19 |
| Washington's Birthday | Mon, Feb 16 | None — automatic | 3 | Feb 14 – Feb 16 |
| Memorial Day | Mon, May 25 | None — automatic | 3 | May 23 – May 25 |
| Juneteenth | Fri, Jun 19 | None — automatic | 3 | Jun 19 – Jun 21 |
| Independence Day (substitute day) | Fri, Jul 3 | None — automatic | 3 | Jul 3 – Jul 5 |
| Labor Day | Mon, Sep 7 | None — automatic | 3 | Sep 5 – Sep 7 |
| Columbus Day | Mon, Oct 12 | None — automatic | 3 | Oct 10 – Oct 12 |
| Veterans Day | Wed, Nov 11 | Mon, Nov 9, Tue, Nov 10 | 5 | Nov 7 – Nov 11 |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thu, Nov 26 | Fri, Nov 27 | 4 | Nov 26 – Nov 29 |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25 | None — automatic | 3 | Dec 25 – Dec 27 |
Long weekend FAQ
- What is a bridge day?
- A bridge day ("puente" in Spanish) is a workday wedged between a public holiday and the weekend. Book it off and the holiday and weekend join into one unbroken break.
- How many long weekends does United States have in 2026?
- United States has 11 long-weekend opportunities in 2026: 8 that need no leave and 3 that need one or two days off.