UAE Public Holidays 2026: Every Day Off and Long Weekend, Mapped

May 24
3 min read

Updated: Jun 4

Fireworks light up the Dubai skyline during a UAE holiday celebration — New Year fireworks over Dubai — 2026 has plenty more days off to celebrate.

If your group chat is already buzzing about a six-day break — you heard right. Eid Al Adha, the UAE's longest summer break, has just wrapped up — but 2026 still has five more public holidays to come. Here's your no-nonsense guide to every day off ahead, what's confirmed, and how to stretch leave into proper getaways.

I’m Angel, and after years of planning trips around the UAE calendar, I’ve learned one thing: the people who travel best are the ones who book early. So here’s your no-nonsense guide to the public holidays ahead — what’s confirmed, what’s still pending the moon sighting, and how to stretch a couple of leave days into proper escapes.

One quick note: Islamic holiday dates depend on the official moon sighting and are confirmed by the UAE Cabinet and MoHRE only days before. Treat the Hijri dates below as expected; the Gregorian dates are fixed.

Already passed: Eid Al Adha's six-day break (26–31 May)

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi gleaming white under a clear blue sky — a symbol of UAE Islamic celebrations — Eid al-Adha prayers across the UAE — the country's mosques open for thousands of worshippers on the nation's biggest Islamic holiday. Photo: Unsplash.

This is the big one. Arafah Day falls on Tuesday 26 May, with Eid Al Adha running Wednesday 27 to Friday 29 May. Line that up with the weekend and you get a glorious six-day stretch — Tuesday 26 May right through Sunday 31 May, with work resuming Monday 1 June.

Private-sector staff receive four paid days (Arafah Day plus the three Eid days, 26–29 May); the public sector gets five (25–29 May). Either way, the country effectively slows to a happy halt for a week of family time, travel and feasting.

Already mid-planning? I’ve broken down the confirmed dates and the long-weekend hack and rounded up the best Eid deals, dining and staycations in Dubai so you can make the most of every hour off.

The people who travel best aren’t the ones with the most leave — they’re the ones who read the calendar first.

Your full 2026 UAE public holiday calendar

Dubai skyline glowing at night — From New Year fireworks to National Day — the 2026 days off at a glance.

Here’s every public holiday on the UAE calendar this year, in order:

New Year’s Day — Thursday 1 January (already behind us).
Eid Al Fitr — around 19–22 March, a four-day break (now passed).
Arafah Day & Eid Al Adha — Tuesday 26 to Friday 29 May, making a six-day weekend.
Hijri (Islamic) New Year — confirmed Monday 15 June.
Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (PBUH) — expected Monday 24 August.
Commemoration Day — Tuesday 1 December.
UAE National Day — Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December.

That’s seven holiday occasions and at least 12 paid days off across the year — and thanks to a 2025 rule that lets the Cabinet shift mid-week holidays to the start or end of the week, several land neatly beside a weekend.

The long weekends still to come

Representative beachside dining near Jumeirah, Dubai — the UAE single-day holidays are ideal for a quick coastal escape — Two single-day holidays later in 2026 are tailor-made for a quick getaway.

After Eid Al Adha, keep these dates circled. The Hijri New Year is now officially confirmed for Monday 15 June — just days away, and a natural three-day weekend. The Prophet Muhammad's Birthday (PBUH) is expected on Monday 24 August. Both fall on Mondays, giving you an automatic long weekend each time.

A Monday off is the sweet spot for a short-haul reset: a beach day in Fujairah, a cooler-climate escape to Salalah during peak khareef season around August, or simply a slow staycation before the new school term.

The grand finale: Commemoration & National Day (1–3 December)

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque — December closes the year with back-to-back national holidays.

The year ends on a patriotic high. Commemoration Day falls on Tuesday 1 December, honouring the Emiratis who gave their lives for the nation, followed immediately by UAE National Day on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December.

Expect the city to glow — flag displays, fireworks over the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Festival City, air shows and special menus everywhere. It’s one of the most beautiful times to be in the Emirates.

How to turn your leave into mega-breaks

Museum of the Future in Dubai — Bridge a day or two of annual leave and these holidays become real holidays.

Here’s the planner’s trick: bridge the gaps. A single day of leave on Monday 1 June extends the Eid break to a full week. Take the day after a Monday holiday and you’ve turned three days into four — barely denting your balance.

And if you’d rather stay put, the UAE does long weekends better than almost anywhere — see my guides to the best things to do in Dubai this weekend and indoor escapes for the hotter months for ideas that don’t need a boarding pass.

Bookmark this page, screenshot the calendar, and start booking. The best seats — on planes and at brunch tables — always go to the early ones. See you out there. — Angel

Cover image: Dubai fireworks by :: Suwaif :: (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Flickr. Holiday dates per UAE Cabinet / MoHRE announcements and reporting by Khaleej Times, Gulf News and Time Out Dubai; Islamic dates remain subject to the official moon sighting.