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Your 2026 Guide to UAE Public Holidays and How to Maximise Leave

Plan your trips, chill days, and mini-getaways around every public holiday in the UAE next year.

  • Publish date: since 2 hour Reading time: two min read
Your 2026 Guide to UAE Public Holidays and How to Maximise Leave

Back at work and already dreaming of your next break? Good news: 2026 has at least 12 official public holidays, and with a little planning, you could score some seriously long weekends. While final dates for Islamic holidays depend on moon sightings, here’s what’s expected:

Key Dates to Remember

  • January 1: New Year’s Day

  • March 20–22: Eid Al Fitr

  • May 26: Arafat Day

  • May 27–29: Eid Al Adha

  • June 15: Islamic New Year

  • August 24: Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) Birthday

  • December 2–3: Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day)

Maximise your leave

Some holidays fall perfectly to give you a long weekend—or even more if you’re strategic with your leave.

Eid Al Fitr

  • Dates: Friday, March 20 – Sunday, March 22

  • Three-day weekend, ideal for a quick escape.

Eid Al Adha

  • Dates: Tuesday, May 26 – Sunday, May 31

  • Combine with a couple of leave days and enjoy up to six days off.

UAE National Day (Eid Al Etihad)

  • Dates: Wednesday, December 2 – Thursday, December 3

  • Midweek break, but take Friday off to stretch it into a long weekend.

Tip: Islamic holidays rely on moon sightings, so dates may shift slightly.

How UAE public holidays are set

The UAE has two types of holidays:

  • Fixed Gregorian holidays – Same date every year (New Year’s Day, National Day)

  • Lunar-based Islamic holidays – Dates shift yearly based on the Hijri calendar and moon sightings (Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha)

What you should know

  • Some holidays can be shifted to start or end of the week for longer breaks (except Eid)

  • Holidays landing on weekends or overlapping another holiday aren’t carried forward

  • Extra holidays may be declared by local authorities for special occasions

School holidays 2026

If you’re juggling family plans, here’s a quick look at school breaks:

  • Winter: Dec 15, 2025 – Jan 4, 2026

  • Spring & Eid Al Fitr: Mar 16–29, 2026

  • Mid-term & Eid Al Adha: May 25–29, 2026

  • Hijri New Year: Jun 17, 2026

  • Summer Break (staff/admin): From Jul 18, 2026

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