Get ready to mark your calendars, book that getaway, and celebrate in style—because the United Arab Emirates’s public holiday schedule for next year is bringing in some exceptional opportunities to turn regular weekends into mini-escapes. If you’re the kind of person who thinks ahead, here’s everything you need to know about Eid al Fitr, Eid al Adha, Ramadan 2026, and how all of this fits into the broader picture of UAE public holiday law and the Islamic New Year in the UAE. Let’s dive in!
Why 2026 Looks Extra Exciting
In recent years, the UAE introduced an updated public holiday law, which allows certain holidays apart from the big Eid occasions to be moved to the beginning or end of the week in order to create longer weekends. For 2026, the predictions suggest we’ll see a minimum of 12 official days off at the federal level, including at least one major six-day long weekend. That means more time for travel, relaxation, events, and parties.
Time to plan.
The Standout Holiday Windows for 2026
Here are the predicted holidays dates for 2026 (remember: Islamic dates depend on moon sighting, so they may shift slightly) from the list.
| Occasion |
Date(s) |
Notes |
| New Year’s Day |
Thu 1 Jan 2026 |
Start the year off with a break |
| Eid al Fitr |
Fri 20 Mar – Sun 22 Mar 2026 |
End of Ramadan — predicted 3-day break |
| Arafat Day |
Tue 26 May 2026 |
Pre-Eid holiday |
| Eid al Adha |
Wed 27 May – Fri 29 May 2026 |
Big one—six-day weekend likely |
| Islamic New Year |
Mon 15 Jun 2026 (or Tue 16 Jun) |
Holiday may be moved |
| Prophet’s Birthday (PBUH) |
Mon 24 Aug 2026 (or Tue 25 Aug) |
Long weekend potential |
| National Day |
Wed 2 Dec & Thu 3 Dec 2026 |
Festive period across UAE |
New Year’s Day
- Thursday 1 January 2026 — starting the year off with a day off and a chance to ease back into the rhythm. Don't forget to catch the famous New Year's fireworks in Dubai and other emirates.
Eid al Fitr
- Predicted: Friday 20 March – Sunday 22 March 2026 (if Ramadan is 29 days).
This is the joyous festival marking the end of Ramadan, and in the UAE, the holiday period often aligns with the first 1–3 days of Shawwal. Because it falls on a Friday–Sunday in the prediction, you’re likely getting a long weekend.
Arafat Day & Eid al Adha
Predicted:
- Day of Arafah: Tuesday 26 May 2026
- Eid al Adha holiday: Wednesday 27 May – Friday 29 May 2026, yielding a six-day long weekend when combined with Saturday/Sunday. Perfect opportunity for a mid-year getaway or stay-cation delight.
Islamic New Year (Hijri New Year)
- Predicted: Monday 15 June 2026 (official day Tuesday 16 June) per the forecast. This is one of those movable days—under the law, it might shift to maximise the weekend.
The Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (PBUH)
- Predicted: Monday 24 August 2026 (official Tuesday 25 August) — again likely to be shifted for a long weekend.
National Day
- Wednesday 2 December and Thursday 3 December 2026. A guaranteed stand-out celebration across all emirates. And this year too the UAE National day holiday is expected to be a five 5 day holiday.
What This Means for Your 2026 Planning
Long-weekend strategy: With predictions like Eid al Adha offering six days off, this is your chance to travel farther or indulge in experiences you usually squeeze into shorter breaks.
Book early: Flights, hotels, and stay-cations will likely get snapped up fast for these windows.
Flexibility is key: Because the Islamic holidays depend on moon‐sightings, the dates can shift. So treat these as likely dates, not carved in stone.
Work smarter, play bigger: The fact that non-Eid holidays can be shifted means you’ll want to check your employer’s calendar early; if your day off gets moved to the start of the week, you’ve got more time to play.
Celebrate culturally: Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha are about more than time off; they’re major cultural and social rituals. Planning a festive meal, a visit, or community participation will make the holiday more meaningful.
Extra Focus For Ramadan 2026
While the holiday for Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the month of Ramadan itself sets the tone for community, reflection, fasting by day, festivities by night.
For 2026: Ramadan is predicted to end on Thursday, 19 March 2026, meaning the first day of Shawwal and thus Eid al Fitr would be Friday, 20 March if the lunar cycle is 29 days.
This offers a perfect lead-in to the holiday window. Many plan their calendars around the end of Ramadan: final Taraweeh prayers, Suhoor with friends, Eid outfit buying, family get-togethers and eid escapes.
Two Things to Note
The above dates are predicted rather than officially confirmed — especially for the lunar-calendar holidays.
The new public holiday law allows non-Eid days to be moved for weekend maximisation, so your workplace’s calendar may shift a holiday to Friday or Monday for a longer weekend.
Why This Matters Beyond the Break
For residents and visitors, knowing the holiday windows helps in travel planning, event scheduling, business strategy, staycation booking, etc.
For families, it means you can carve out memorable shared time—whether that’s a beach trip, desert safari, family brunch, or simply a lazy long weekend at home.
For businesses, it offers insights on when demand will spike—for car rentals, travel, hospitality, experiences. So you can strategise peak windows for promotions, inventory, staffing, etc.
In short, the UAE’s public holidays for 2026 are shaping up nicely. With predicted windows like Eid al Fitr in March and Eid al Adha in May offering multi-day breaks, along with the New Year’s, Islamic-New-Year, and National Day dates, you’ve got multiple chances to plan, party, and repeat.
Whether you’re thinking of a far-flung getaway, booking a quick stay-cation, or simply organising fun with friends and family, now’s the time to schedule. Lock in your calendar, check with your employer for any holiday shifts, and make the most of the long weekends ahead.
FAQs
- How many holidays are there in the UAE in 2026?
According to the predicted calendar, there is a minimum of 12 official federal public holidays in the UAE in 2026.
- What are the predicted dates for Eid in 2026?
For 2026, the predictions are:
Eid al Fitr: Fri 20 March – Sun 22 March (assuming Ramadan is 29 days)
Eid al Adha: Wed 27 May – Fri 29 May, preceded by Arafat Day on Tue 26 May (yielding a six-day weekend)
- How many holidays are there in the UAE in 2025?
For 2025, the UAE introduced at least 12 public holidays as well.
- How many bank holidays will there be in 2026?
While the term bank holidays isn’t separately published, the federal public holidays (minimum 12) apply across government and many private firms, so you can expect around 12 bank holidays at a minimum.
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