11 days off for 3 days of leave
Long weekends 2026 in New Zealand
New Zealand has 11 public holidays in 2026, every one of them on a weekday. Your best deal is 25 December 2026 to 4 January 2027: 3 days of leave turn into 11 days off in a row.
- Bank holidays 2026
- 11
- on weekdays
- 11
- bridge days
- 0
- off for 3 days of annual leave
- 11 days
New Zealand in 2026 at a glance
New Zealand has 11 public holidays in 2026, taken from the official government list. Every one falls on a weekday.
Leave rules differ by employer and contract in New Zealand, so the planner shows every budget from one to ten days. Among the 16 countries we cover outside our main markets, New Zealand ranks number 10 for full days off this year.
Every public holiday in New Zealand in 2026
Here is each day off in date order, what it marks, and the quickest way to turn it into a longer break.
- Thursday, 1 January: New Year's Day. New Year's Day falls in the middle of the summer holidays, when beaches, lakes and campgrounds across New Zealand are full. That makes 4 days off in a row without using any leave, 1 to 4 January.
- Friday, 2 January: Day after New Year's Day. New Zealand adds 2 January to New Year's Day, giving two days off in a row in the middle of the summer holidays, when beaches and campgrounds are at their busiest. You get 4 free days in a row, 1 to 4 January, with no leave needed.
- Friday, 6 February: Waitangi Day. Waitangi Day on 6 February marks the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, the country's founding document. Ceremonies take place at the Treaty Grounds in the Bay of Islands. You get 3 free days in a row, 6 to 8 February, with no leave needed.
- Friday, 3 April: Good Friday. Good Friday opens New Zealand's Easter weekend, when most shops close by law. Easter falls in autumn, a lovely season for wine regions and lakes. You get 4 free days in a row, 3 to 6 April, with no leave needed.
- Monday, 6 April: Easter Monday. Easter Monday closes the four day Easter weekend. Autumn colours in Central Otago and Hawke's Bay make it a good time for a short trip. You get 4 free days in a row, 3 to 6 April, with no leave needed.
- Monday, 27 April: Anzac Day. Anzac Day on 25 April remembers New Zealanders and Australians who served and died in war. The day starts with dawn services at memorials across the country. You get 3 free days in a row, 25 to 27 April, with no leave needed.
- Monday, 1 June: King's Birthday. The King's Birthday on the first Monday of June gives New Zealand's first winter long weekend, which traditionally opens the ski season. You get 3 free days in a row, 30 May to 1 June, with no leave needed.
- Friday, 10 July: Matariki. Matariki marks the Māori New Year, when the Matariki star cluster rises in midwinter. It is a time to remember the dead, celebrate the present and plan the year ahead, with festivals and light shows. You get 3 free days in a row, 10 to 12 July, with no leave needed.
- Monday, 26 October: Labour Day. Labour Day on the fourth Monday of October celebrates the eight hour working day. It is a spring long weekend, a good time for gardens, vineyards and the first tramps of the season. You get 3 free days in a row, 24 to 26 October, with no leave needed.
- Friday, 25 December: Christmas Day. Christmas in New Zealand comes in early summer, with barbecues, pōhutukawa trees in bloom and the start of the long summer break. You get 4 free days in a row, 25 to 28 December, with no leave needed.
- Monday, 28 December: Boxing Day. Boxing Day brings sales and cricket, and it is the real start of the summer holidays, when many New Zealanders head to the bach or the campground. You get 4 free days in a row, 25 to 28 December, with no leave needed.
The best breaks in 2026, explained
Each break below starts and ends on a free day, contains at least one public holiday, and needs no more than 10 days of leave. They are ranked by how many days off each day of leave brings.
Around Waitangi Day, 4 days of leave on Mon 2 February, Tue 3 February, Wed 4 February and Thu 5 February unlock 9 days away, 31 January to 8 February.
28 March to 6 April: 4 days of leave (30 March to 2 April) around Good Friday and Easter Monday give 10 days off, 2.5 days for every day used.
Around Anzac Day, 4 days of leave on Tue 28 April, Wed 29 April, Thu 30 April and Fri 1 May unlock 9 days away, 25 April to 3 May.
Around King's Birthday, 4 days of leave on Tue 2 June, Wed 3 June, Thu 4 June and Fri 5 June unlock 9 days away, 30 May to 7 June.
Around Matariki, 4 days of leave on Mon 6 July, Tue 7 July, Wed 8 July and Thu 9 July unlock 9 days away, 4 to 12 July.
Around Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and Day after New Year's Day, 3 days of leave on Tue 29 December, Wed 30 December and Thu 31 December unlock 11 days away, 25 December 2026 to 4 January 2027.
The best breaks 2026 in New Zealand
Every row is a run of weekends, public holidays and days of leave. The highlighted row brings the most days off per day of leave.
| Dates | Result | Leave on | Bank holidays | School holidays | Plan a trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Jan 1 to Sun, Jan 11 | 11 days offfor 5 days of annual leave, 2.2 days off per day of leave | Mon, Jan 5 · Tue, Jan 6 · Wed, Jan 7 · Thu, Jan 8 · Fri, Jan 9 | New Year's Day, Day after New Year's Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Jan 31 to Sun, Feb 8 | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Mon, Feb 2 · Tue, Feb 3 · Wed, Feb 4 · Thu, Feb 5 | Waitangi Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Mar 28 to Mon, Apr 6 | 10 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.5 days off per day of leave | Mon, Mar 30 · Tue, Mar 31 · Wed, Apr 1 · Thu, Apr 2 | Good Friday, Easter Monday | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Apr 25 to Sun, May 3 | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, Apr 28 · Wed, Apr 29 · Thu, Apr 30 · Fri, May 1 | Anzac Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, May 30 to Sun, Jun 7 | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, Jun 2 · Wed, Jun 3 · Thu, Jun 4 · Fri, Jun 5 | King's Birthday | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Jul 4 to Sun, Jul 12 | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Mon, Jul 6 · Tue, Jul 7 · Wed, Jul 8 · Thu, Jul 9 | Matariki | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Oct 24 to Sun, Nov 1 | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, Oct 27 · Wed, Oct 28 · Thu, Oct 29 · Fri, Oct 30 | Labour Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Fri, Dec 25 to Mon, Jan 4 | 11 days offfor 3 days of annual leave, 3.67 days off per day of leave | Tue, Dec 29 · Wed, Dec 30 · Thu, Dec 31 | Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Day after New Year's Day | none | Plan a trip |
What 1 to 10 days of leave bring
For each budget, the longest run of days off in 2026.
3 days of annual leave
11 days
December 25 to January 4
Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Day after New Year's Day
7 days of annual leave
17 days
December 19 to January 4
Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Day after New Year's Day
10 days of annual leave
18 days
January 1 to January 18
New Year's Day, Day after New Year's Day
2026 calendar for New Zealand
- Bank holiday
- Annual leave in a break
- Weekend
- School holidays
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
The maths: days of leave in, days off out
Three days stretch to 11 days off (25 December 2026 to 4 January 2027). Five days, a typical week, become 11 days off around Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and Day after New Year's Day, 25 December 2026 to 4 January 2027.
Ten days, the most this planner books in one go, give 18 days in a row, 1 to 18 January. For nine days or more away you need 3 days of leave.
Season by season in New Zealand
Summer: New Year's Day on 1 January, Day after New Year's Day on 2 January, Waitangi Day on 6 February, Christmas Day on 25 December and Boxing Day on 28 December. The pick of the season is 25 December 2026 to 4 January 2027 with 3 days of leave for 11 days off.
Autumn: Good Friday on 3 April, Easter Monday on 6 April and Anzac Day on 27 April. The pick of the season is 28 March to 6 April with 4 days of leave for 10 days off.
Winter: King's Birthday on 1 June and Matariki on 10 July. The pick of the season is 4 to 12 July with 4 days of leave for 9 days off.
Spring: Labour Day on 26 October. The pick of the season is 24 October to 1 November with 4 days of leave for 9 days off.
How New Zealand stacks up
South Korea has the most with 18 public holidays in 2026, Mexico the fewest with 7. New Zealand sits in between with 11.
Mexico
South KoreaiPhoto: Basile Morin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsIts best break, 25 December 2026 to 4 January 2027, returns 3.7 days off per day of leave. 15 countries get a better ratio this year, mostly thanks to an extra public holiday next to a weekend.
MexicoSouth KoreaiPhoto: Basile Morin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Long Weekend Planner 2026 for New Zealand as a PDF
Every stretch, holiday and school break in NZ on one printable page. Plus The Sunday Getaway every week and a note whenever a long weekend is worth it.
Public holidays 2026 in New Zealand
| Date | Weekday | Bank holiday | Applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Thursday | New Year's Day | nationwide |
| January 2 | Friday | Day after New Year's Day | nationwide |
| February 6 | Friday | Waitangi Day | nationwide |
| April 3 | Friday | Good Friday | nationwide |
| April 6 | Monday | Easter Monday | nationwide |
| April 27 | Monday | Anzac Day | nationwide |
| June 1 | Monday | King's Birthday | nationwide |
| July 10 | Friday | Matariki | nationwide |
| October 26 | Monday | Labour Day | nationwide |
| December 25 | Friday | Christmas Day | nationwide |
| December 28 | Monday | Boxing Day | nationwide |
Where to go on a long weekend from New Zealand
New Zealanders spend long weekends in Queenstown and Wanaka for summer lakes and winter skiing, the Bay of Islands and the Coromandel in summer, and the wine regions of Marlborough and Hawke's Bay in autumn. Rotorua suits any season.
Your strongest breaks this year fall in January, March and April, so pick the trip that suits that season, and book early: everyone else in New Zealand has the same days off.
New Zealand in other years
2027 and 2028 are planned as well, each with its own dates and breaks.
Holiday dates move every year: fixed-date days change their weekday, and Easter moves between late March and late April, which is why the best breaks are never the same twice.
Where these dates come from
Every date on this page comes from the official source for New Zealand, read directly and compared day by day with an independent second source. A year appears once its official list is published, and we never fill a gap with another country's dates.
The planner treats weekends and full public holidays as free days and works out where your days of leave turn into the longest time off. Days kept in part of New Zealand or as observances are shown but never counted. Last checked on 1 October 2026.
Long Weekend Planner 2026 in NZ: frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does New Zealand have in 2026?
11 public holidays: New Year's Day on 1 January, Day after New Year's Day on 2 January, Waitangi Day on 6 February, Good Friday on 3 April, Easter Monday on 6 April, Anzac Day on 27 April, King's Birthday on 1 June, Matariki on 10 July, Labour Day on 26 October, Christmas Day on 25 December and Boxing Day on 28 December.
What is the best long weekend in New Zealand in 2026?
25 December 2026 to 4 January 2027: 3 days of leave give 11 days off around Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and Day after New Year's Day.
How many days of leave do I need for nine days off in 2026?
3 days of leave: take 29 to 31 December off and you are off 25 December 2026 to 4 January 2027.
Is Good Friday a public holiday in New Zealand in 2026?
Yes. Good Friday is a full day off on Friday, 3 April.
Is Christmas Eve a public holiday in New Zealand in 2026?
No. Christmas Eve is not on New Zealand's official list for 2026, so it is a regular workday unless your employer gives it.
2026 in the other countries
How the Long Weekend Planner works
Holidays: the public holidays from the official list in NZ, checked date by date. The planner counts only days off for the whole region.
Stretches: start and end on a day off, include at least one holiday and at most 10 days of annual leave. Ranked by days off per day of leave; Saturday and Sunday count as free.
School holidays: officially published dates only, checked every month. Trip ideas: the month's climate and flights from the region's main airport.
