What are bridge days?

Bridge days (sometimes called gap days) are the working days that sit between a public holiday and a weekend. Taking them as PTO 'bridges' the gap and joins everything into one long break.

How many bridge days do I need for a long break?

It varies. A Tuesday or Thursday holiday usually needs just one bridge day to make a four-day weekend, while a Wednesday holiday needs two bridge days to create a full five-day break.

Do bridge days work in every country?

The concept works anywhere, but the exact dates depend on each country's holidays. This tool uses official holiday data for seven countries and never invents extra holidays.

No. The bridge day finder runs in your browser and your planning stays private on your device.

Vacation Planning

Holiday bridge days

Bridge the gap between a public holiday and the weekend. Find the one or two PTO days that turn a single holiday into a long break.

CountryYear

PTO days available: 10

Strategy

Work week

Monday–Friday by default. Tick days you also work.

I work SaturdaysI work Sundays

PTO days used

Total days away

Breaks planned

Efficiency

1 : 3.7

PTO days : days off

Spend 10 PTO days → Get 37 days off

That's 3.7× leverage on your time off

Ranked PTO opportunities — United States 2026

1
Wed, Nov 11 – Sun, Nov 15
November · Veterans Day
Wednesday bridge (2 PTO days)
5
days off
In your plan
Spend 2 PTO days → Get 5 days off
1 PTO day = 2.5 days off
PTO used
2 days
Efficiency
1 PTO day = 2.5 days off
PTO dates
Thursday Nov 12, Friday Nov 13
Plan: take Thu Nov 12, Fri Nov 13 after Veterans Day.
Hol11Wed
PTO12Thu
PTO13Fri
Wknd14Sat
Wknd15Sun
Weekend Holiday PTO Work day
2
Thu, Jan 1 – Sun, Jan 4
January · New Year's Day
Thursday holiday bridge
4
days off
In your plan
Spend 1 PTO day → Get 4 days off
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO used
1 day
Efficiency
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO dates
Friday Jan 2
Plan: take Fri Jan 2 after New Year's Day.
Hol1Thu
PTO2Fri
Wknd3Sat
Wknd4Sun
Weekend Holiday PTO Work day
3
Sat, Jan 17 – Tue, Jan 20
January · Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Monday holiday bridge
4
days off
In your plan
Spend 1 PTO day → Get 4 days off
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO used
1 day
Efficiency
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO dates
Tuesday Jan 20
Plan: take Tue Jan 20 after Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr..
Wknd17Sat
Wknd18Sun
Hol19Mon
PTO20Tue
Weekend Holiday PTO Work day
4
Sat, Feb 14 – Tue, Feb 17
February · Washington's Birthday
Monday holiday bridge
4
days off
In your plan
Spend 1 PTO day → Get 4 days off
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO used
1 day
Efficiency
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO dates
Tuesday Feb 17
Plan: take Tue Feb 17 after Washington's Birthday.
Wknd14Sat
Wknd15Sun
Hol16Mon
PTO17Tue
Weekend Holiday PTO Work day
5
Sat, May 23 – Tue, May 26
May · Memorial Day
Monday holiday bridge
4
days off
In your plan
Spend 1 PTO day → Get 4 days off
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO used
1 day
Efficiency
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO dates
Tuesday May 26
Plan: take Tue May 26 after Memorial Day.
Wknd23Sat
Wknd24Sun
Hol25Mon
PTO26Tue
Weekend Holiday PTO Work day
6
Fri, Jun 19 – Mon, Jun 22
June · Juneteenth National Independence Day
Friday holiday bridge
4
days off
In your plan
Spend 1 PTO day → Get 4 days off
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO used
1 day
Efficiency
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO dates
Monday Jun 22
Plan: take Mon Jun 22 after Juneteenth National Independence Day.
Hol19Fri
Wknd20Sat
Wknd21Sun
PTO22Mon
Weekend Holiday PTO Work day
7
Fri, Jul 3 – Mon, Jul 6
July · Independence Day observed
Friday holiday bridge
4
days off
In your plan
Spend 1 PTO day → Get 4 days off
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO used
1 day
Efficiency
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO dates
Monday Jul 6
Plan: take Mon Jul 6 after Independence Day observed.
Hol3Fri
Wknd4Sat
Wknd5Sun
PTO6Mon
Weekend Holiday PTO Work day
8
Sat, Sep 5 – Tue, Sep 8
September · Labor Day
Monday holiday bridge
4
days off
In your plan
Spend 1 PTO day → Get 4 days off
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO used
1 day
Efficiency
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO dates
Tuesday Sep 8
Plan: take Tue Sep 8 after Labor Day.
Wknd5Sat
Wknd6Sun
Hol7Mon
PTO8Tue
Weekend Holiday PTO Work day
9
Sat, Oct 10 – Tue, Oct 13
October · Columbus Day
Monday holiday bridge
4
days off
In your plan
Spend 1 PTO day → Get 4 days off
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO used
1 day
Efficiency
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO dates
Tuesday Oct 13
Plan: take Tue Oct 13 after Columbus Day.
Wknd10Sat
Wknd11Sun
Hol12Mon
PTO13Tue
Weekend Holiday PTO Work day
10
Thu, Nov 26 – Sun, Nov 29
November · Thanksgiving Day
Thursday holiday bridge
4
days off
Spend 1 PTO day → Get 4 days off
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO used
1 day
Efficiency
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO dates
Friday Nov 27
Plan: take Fri Nov 27 after Thanksgiving Day.
Hol26Thu
PTO27Fri
Wknd28Sat
Wknd29Sun
Weekend Holiday PTO Work day
11
Fri, Dec 25 – Mon, Dec 28
December · Christmas Day
Friday holiday bridge
4
days off
Spend 1 PTO day → Get 4 days off
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO used
1 day
Efficiency
1 PTO day = 4 days off
PTO dates
Monday Dec 28
Plan: take Mon Dec 28 after Christmas Day.
Hol25Fri
Wknd26Sat
Wknd27Sun
PTO28Mon
Weekend Holiday PTO Work day

Your PTO planning stays in your browser and is not uploaded.

How bridge days work

When a holiday falls midweek, the days between it and the nearest weekend are prime candidates for PTO. A Thursday holiday plus a Friday bridge day gives you Thursday through Sunday — four days off for one PTO day.

Tuesday holiday: bridge Monday for a four-day weekend.
Thursday holiday: bridge Friday for a four-day weekend.
Wednesday holiday: bridge Monday–Tuesday or Thursday–Friday for a five-day break.
Consecutive holidays: bridge the gap between them for even longer breaks.

Frequently asked questions

What are bridge days?: Bridge days (sometimes called gap days) are the working days that sit between a public holiday and a weekend. Taking them as PTO 'bridges' the gap and joins everything into one long break.
How many bridge days do I need for a long break?: It varies. A Tuesday or Thursday holiday usually needs just one bridge day to make a four-day weekend, while a Wednesday holiday needs two bridge days to create a full five-day break.
Do bridge days work in every country?: The concept works anywhere, but the exact dates depend on each country's holidays. This tool uses official holiday data for seven countries and never invents extra holidays.
Is my data uploaded?: No. The bridge day finder runs in your browser and your planning stays private on your device.

Holiday bridge days

Ranked PTO opportunities — United States 2026

Wed, Nov 11 – Sun, Nov 15

Thu, Jan 1 – Sun, Jan 4

Sat, Jan 17 – Tue, Jan 20

Sat, Feb 14 – Tue, Feb 17

Sat, May 23 – Tue, May 26

Fri, Jun 19 – Mon, Jun 22

Fri, Jul 3 – Mon, Jul 6

Sat, Sep 5 – Tue, Sep 8

Sat, Oct 10 – Tue, Oct 13

Thu, Nov 26 – Sun, Nov 29

Fri, Dec 25 – Mon, Dec 28

How bridge days work

Frequently asked questions

Related tools