4 days off for 1 day of leave
Long weekends 2028 in New Zealand
New Zealand has 11 public holidays in 2028, every one of them on a weekday. Your best deal is 22 to 25 April: 1 day of leave turns into 4 days off in a row. The longest break with up to 10 days of leave: 11 days, 25 December 2027 to 4 January 2028, for 3 days of leave.
- Bank holidays 2028
- 11
- on weekdays
- 11
- bridge days
- 1
- off for 3 days of annual leave
- 11 days
How 2028 works in New Zealand
New Zealand has 11 public holidays in 2028, taken from the official government list. Every one falls on a weekday.
New Zealand
ZealandiPhoto: Krzysztof Golik · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsLeave rules differ by employer and contract in New Zealand, so the planner shows every budget from one to ten days. Among the 14 countries we cover outside our main markets, New Zealand ranks number 9 for full days off this year.
New ZealandZealandiPhoto: Krzysztof Golik · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsEvery public holiday in New Zealand in 2028
Here is each day off in date order, what it marks, and the quickest way to turn it into a longer break.
- Monday, 3 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. You get 4 free days in a row, 1 to 4 January, with no leave needed.
- Tuesday, 4 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. That makes 4 days off in a row without using any leave, 1 to 4 January.
- Monday, 7 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, 5 to 7 February, with no leave needed.
- Friday, 14 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, 14 to 17 April, with no leave needed.
- Monday, 17 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, 14 to 17 April, with no leave needed.
- Tuesday, 25 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. Take Monday, 24 April off and you have 4 days in a row, 22 to 25 April.
- Monday, 5 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, 3 to 5 June, with no leave needed.
- Friday, 14 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, 14 to 16 July, with no leave needed.
- Monday, 23 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, 21 to 23 October, with no leave needed.
- Monday, 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, 23 to 26 December, with no leave needed.
- Tuesday, 26 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. That makes 4 days off in a row without using any leave, 23 to 26 December.
Where your days of leave go furthest in 2028
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 Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and Day after New Year's Day, 3 days of leave on Wed 29 December, Thu 30 December and Fri 31 December unlock 11 days away, 25 December 2027 to 4 January 2028.
Around Waitangi Day, 4 days of leave on Tue 8 February, Wed 9 February, Thu 10 February and Fri 11 February unlock 9 days away, 5 to 13 February.
8 to 17 April: 4 days of leave (10 to 13 April) around Good Friday and Easter Monday give 10 days off, 2.5 days for every day used.
22 to 25 April: 1 day of leave (24 April) around Anzac Day gives 4 days off, 4.0 days for every day used.
Around King's Birthday, 4 days of leave on Tue 6 June, Wed 7 June, Thu 8 June and Fri 9 June unlock 9 days away, 3 to 11 June.
Around Christmas Day and Boxing Day, 3 days of leave on Wed 27 December, Thu 28 December and Fri 29 December unlock 9 days away, 23 to 31 December.
The best breaks 2028 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Dec 25 to Tue, Jan 4 | 11 days offfor 3 days of annual leave, 3.67 days off per day of leave | Wed, Dec 29 · Thu, Dec 30 · Fri, Dec 31 | Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Day after New Year's Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Feb 5 to Sun, Feb 13 | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, Feb 8 · Wed, Feb 9 · Thu, Feb 10 · Fri, Feb 11 | Waitangi Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Apr 8 to Mon, Apr 17 | 10 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.5 days off per day of leave | Mon, Apr 10 · Tue, Apr 11 · Wed, Apr 12 · Thu, Apr 13 | Good Friday, Easter Monday | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Apr 22 to Tue, Apr 25 | 4 days offfor 1 day of annual leave, 4 days off per day of leave | Mon, Apr 24 | Anzac Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Jun 3 to Sun, Jun 11 | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, Jun 6 · Wed, Jun 7 · Thu, Jun 8 · Fri, Jun 9 | King's Birthday | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Jul 8 to Sun, Jul 16 | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Mon, Jul 10 · Tue, Jul 11 · Wed, Jul 12 · Thu, Jul 13 | Matariki | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Oct 21 to Sun, Oct 29 | 9 days offfor 4 days of annual leave, 2.25 days off per day of leave | Tue, Oct 24 · Wed, Oct 25 · Thu, Oct 26 · Fri, Oct 27 | Labour Day | none | Plan a trip |
| Sat, Dec 23 to Sun, Dec 31 | 9 days offfor 3 days of annual leave, 3 days off per day of leave | Wed, Dec 27 · Thu, Dec 28 · Fri, Dec 29 | Christmas Day, Boxing Day | none | Plan a trip |
What 1 to 10 days of leave bring
For each budget, the longest run of days off in 2028.
1 day of annual leave
4 days
April 22 to April 25
Anzac Day
3 days of annual leave
9 days
January 1 to January 9
New Year's Day, Day after New Year's Day
4 days of annual leave
10 days
April 8 to April 17
Good Friday, Easter Monday
5 days of annual leave
12 days
April 14 to April 25
Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day
8 days of annual leave
17 days
April 14 to April 30
Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day
9 days of annual leave
18 days
April 8 to April 25
Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day
2028 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
How far each day of leave goes in 2028
With 1 day of leave the longest run you can build is 4 days, 22 to 25 April. Three days stretch to 9 days off (1 to 9 January). Five days, a typical week, become 12 days off around Good Friday, Easter Monday and Anzac Day, 14 to 25 April.
Ten days, the most this planner books in one go, give 18 days in a row, 8 to 25 April. For nine days or more away you need 3 days of leave.
Season by season in New Zealand
Summer: New Year's Day on 3 January, Day after New Year's Day on 4 January, Waitangi Day on 7 February, Christmas Day on 25 December and Boxing Day on 26 December. The pick of the season is 25 December 2027 to 4 January 2028 with 3 days of leave for 11 days off.
Autumn: Good Friday on 14 April, Easter Monday on 17 April and Anzac Day on 25 April. The pick of the season is 22 to 25 April with 1 day of leave for 4 days off.
Winter: King's Birthday on 5 June and Matariki on 14 July. The pick of the season is 3 to 11 June with 4 days of leave for 9 days off.
Spring: Labour Day on 23 October. The pick of the season is 21 to 29 October with 4 days of leave for 9 days off.
How New Zealand stacks up
South Korea has the most with 19 public holidays in 2028, Mexico the fewest with 6. New Zealand sits in between with 11.
Mexico
South KoreaiPhoto: Basile Morin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsIts best break, 22 to 25 April, returns 4.0 days off per day of leave. 3 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 2028 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 2028 in New Zealand
| Date | Weekday | Bank holiday | Applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 3 | Monday | New Year's Day | nationwide |
| January 4 | Tuesday | Day after New Year's Day | nationwide |
| February 7 | Monday | Waitangi Day | nationwide |
| April 14 | Friday | Good Friday | nationwide |
| April 17 | Monday | Easter Monday | nationwide |
| April 25 | Tuesday | Anzac Day | nationwide |
| June 5 | Monday | King's Birthday | nationwide |
| July 14 | Friday | Matariki | nationwide |
| October 23 | Monday | Labour Day | nationwide |
| December 25 | Monday | Christmas Day | nationwide |
| December 26 | Tuesday | 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 December, February 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
2026 and 2027 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 2028 in NZ: frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does New Zealand have in 2028?
11 public holidays: New Year's Day on 3 January, Day after New Year's Day on 4 January, Waitangi Day on 7 February, Good Friday on 14 April, Easter Monday on 17 April, Anzac Day on 25 April, King's Birthday on 5 June, Matariki on 14 July, Labour Day on 23 October, Christmas Day on 25 December and Boxing Day on 26 December.
What is the best long weekend in New Zealand in 2028?
22 to 25 April: 1 day of leave gives 4 days off around Anzac Day.
How many days of leave do I need for nine days off in 2028?
3 days of leave: take 5 to 7 January off and you are off 1 to 9 January.
Is Good Friday a public holiday in New Zealand in 2028?
Yes. Good Friday is a full day off on Friday, 14 April.
Is Christmas Eve a public holiday in New Zealand in 2028?
No. Christmas Eve is not on New Zealand's official list for 2028, so it is a regular workday unless your employer gives it.
2028 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.
