Planung ist alles: Brückentage 2027 und Urlaub: Holen Sie das Maximum heraus

Planning is everything: bridging days and holidays in 2027 – squeeze the maximum out of your vacation days. In 2027, New Year's Day, January 1st, falls on a Friday, creating a stretch of ten consecutive days off between December 25th and January 3rd. Employees can request up to four vacation days for 2026, although three may suffice due to Silvester being an optional holiday.

Heiligabend (December 24th) and Heilige Drei Könige (January 6th) are additional holidays in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Saxony-Anhalt, potentially extending the break to 13 days with only six vacation days needed. Easter weekend offers 16 consecutive vacation days between March 20th and April 4th, requiring only eight vacation days.

The May holidays include Maifeierstag on May 1st (no bridging day possible), Christi Himmelfahrt on May 6th (one vacation day needed), and Muttertag on May 9th. Following the Easter weekend, three consecutive vacation days are available from May 1st to May 23rd, with 13 vacation days required. Fronleichnam on May 27th can provide an extended weekend in certain states, but only if it is a legal holiday.

The Day of German Unity on October 3rd is not a bridging day, as it falls on a Sunday. Other state-specific holidays include Buß- und Bettag on November 17th (only in Saxony) and International Women's Day on March 8th (three consecutive vacation days in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern). Mariä Himmelfahrt on August 15th is a holiday in the Saarland and parts of Bavaria, and Weltkindertag on September 20th in Thuringia.

The Reformation Day on October 31st is a legal holiday in nine states, including Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia, Hamburg, Bremen, Lower Saxony, and Schleswig-Holstein. Allerheiligen on November 1st is a holiday in several states, while Christmas and New Year's Eve also offer bridging days due to their placement on weekends.

Ultimately, employees must coordinate with colleagues to agree on vacation days, as employers may struggle to reach a mutual decision. Social considerations often favor parents with school-age children, but the Federal Labor Law does not grant any automatic preference for childless employees.