UAE

UAE public holidays 2026: Full list, expected dates, long weekends and key details

Start planning your travel and time off as several long weekends are expected across the year

By Huda Tabrez Published: 2026-04-15T17:57:00+04:00 2 min read
The longest break of the year is expected next month, with the Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha holidays due late in April. Picture used for illustrative purposes only. Photo credit: Pexels
The longest break of the year is expected next month, with the Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha holidays due late in April. Picture used for illustrative purposes only. Photo credit: Pexels

Dubai: If you’re making travel plans for the year, you don’t always have to apply for leave from work. There are several long weekends expected this year, as key public holidays may fall close to the weekend.

Here’s a complete guide to UAE public holidays in 2026, including expected dates, long weekends, and key Islamic holidays based on astronomical calculations and official guidelines.

1. Eid Al Adha 2026

The next public holiday is expected to be the longest of the year, with Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha holidays expected towards the end of May.

UAE residents enjoy a four-day holiday during Eid Al Adha, as the UAE’s Cabinet Resolution No. (27) of 2024 Concerning the Public Holidays in the State lists out a one day holiday for Arafat, followed by a three-day holiday for Eid Al Adha.

While the exact dates for the holiday will only be announced after the sighting of the crescent moon for the month of Dhul Hijjah, according to Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Emirates Astronomical Society, the month is expected to start on May 18.

If that does happen, Arafat Day, which falls on the ninth of Dhul Hijjah would be on Tuesday, May 26, followed by a three-day holiday from Wednesday, May 27 to Friday, May 30 for Eid Al Adha.

If you normally enjoy a two-day weekend from work on Saturday and Sunday, this means that you can possibly be looking at a six-day holiday next month*.

  • Start of Dhu Al Hijjah: Monday, May 18, 2026
  • Arafat Day: Tuesday, May 26, 2026
  • Eid Al Adha: Wednesday, May 27, 2026 to Friday

2. Hijri New Year (One day holiday)

The very next month, you can expect another quick break, with a one-day holiday for the Hijri New Year on Muharram 1, which is expected to fall mid-June.

3. Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) Birthday (One day holiday)

The next public holiday for UAE residents will then come in August, with a one-day holiday for Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday.

4. UAE National Day (Two-day holiday)

The last long holiday for the year will be for the UAE National Day, where residents will enjoy a two-day break from Wednesday, December 2 to Thursday, December 3. So, you can expect a good mid-week break in the last month of the year.

*All Islamic dates are subject to announcements from the UAE’s moon-sighting committee.