They’re similar, but not exactly the same.
"It's going to be a late night."
Focuses on time — you’ll be awake or busy until late, probably past your usual bedtime.
Common in contexts like work, studying, or going out.
Examples:
I have so much homework. It’s going to be a late night.
We’re going to a concert, so it’ll be a late night.
"It's going to be a long night."
Focuses on duration and often difficulty or intensity — the night will feel long, possibly because of stress, work, or emotional effort.
Can be positive or negative, depending on tone.
Examples:
The baby won’t stop crying. It’s going to be a long night.
We’re pulling an all-nighter to finish this project. It’s going to be a long night.
Summary:
Late night = ends late (time-based)
Long night = feels long (effort-based)