UAE Public Holidays 2026 | Full Overview, Expected Dates, and Long-Weekend Opportunities

With the last holiday in the UAE now over in 2025, people have begun to think about carving out the year of 2026 in terms of holidays, long weekends, or an extended vacation. Above all, a much-updated view stands in place compared to last year’s holiday announcements; the first holiday in 2026 begins with the New Year on Thursday, January 1, 2026. It offers what turned out to be quite well-spaced holidays throughout the year, punctuated primarily by the important Islamic festivals and the highly celebrated UAE National Day.

Part of the determining factors in the 2026 calendar is the relatively new UAE policy in shifting some of the holidays to come to the beginning or the end of the week. In the case when any holiday falls on a mid-week day, it will be pushed to create longer and more continuous weekends. The reason will be stated with the improvement of work-life balance and enhancement of domestic tourism, a welcome update for residents who hope for longer breaks.

There is a detailed holiday forecast for 2026 and long-weekend scenario analysis and impact on individuals living and working in the UAE.

Full Breakdown of Expected UAE Public Holidays in 2026

Most of the public holidays in the UAE are calculated based on the Islamic lunar calendar; some are fixed on specific dates but depend on moon-sighting for actual implementation. Yet astronomers, working with the guidelines of the country, can have these dates measured fairly precisely.

1. New Year’s Day | Thursday, 1 January 2026

This New Year starts with New Year’s Day on Thursday. Top this up with the UAE holiday-shifting policy, and there will be scope for shifting Thursday to Friday, making it a three-way holiday weekend (Friday-Saturday-Sunday). It can theoretically remain that way, while many residents could try to take leave on Friday and extend their holiday.

2. Eid Al Fitr | Expected Friday, 20 March to Sunday, 22 March 2026

Eid Al Fitr is one of the most anticipated holidays in the UAE since it’s the day for celebrating the end of Ramadan. In fact, Eid Al Fitr is presumed to be on Friday, March 20, 2026, judging by preliminary astronomical calculations.

If this is true, a three-day weekend will certainly be one. Many companies will also declare a holiday on the day before or after, giving rise to around five to six days of holidays, considering that it extends over the weekend.

It is the right time to travel, stay for vacation, or visit family overseas.

3. Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha | Expected Tuesday, 26 May to Friday, 29 May 2026

This is likely the longest period of holidays in a calendar year.

• Arafat Day: Tuesday, 26 May
• Eid Al Adha: Wednesday, 27 May to Friday, 29 May

Most of the time is followed by a weekend, thus it results in six working days for consecutive leave, Tuesday to Sunday, which are typically used during the peak travel time, and also generally used by expatriates to take longer visits to their homes or getaways abroad. Eid Al Adha is, and has always been, the grand holiday of the UAE, and with its occurrence especially well lined up with the weekend in 2026.

4. Islamic New Year (1 Muharram) | Expected Tuesday, 16 June 2026

The Islamic New Year is expected to be on Tuesday in 2026. Under the holiday-shift policy in the UAE, the holiday could be moved to Monday, giving way to another long weekend of three days. Whether this is going to happen will be announced much closer to the date, but this does present an ideal opportunity for a break just before the summer heat.

5. Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (PBUH) | Expected Tuesday, 25 August 2026

The Islamic New Year celebrations themselves are usually expected to be midweek in their timing, but the government scheme has shifted this to a Monday to create a long weekend. Normally, however, most residents either take just one or two extra days off to have a mini-holiday, since most schools have not yet entered into the early weeks of a new academic year.

6. UAE National Day | Wednesday, 2 December and Thursday, 3 December 2026

National Day is most widely celebrated. In 2026, it will fall mid-week, on Wednesday and Thursday, making it an automatic four-day weekend with the addition of a weekend.

If the government may apply the transfer policy, the holiday may even drag on to an extended break that will start Tuesday or last on to Monday, though this will be confirmed closer to the date.

However, December 2026 should end the year festively and in a holiday-rich way.

How the UAE Holiday-Shift Policy Affects 2026

For the year 2025, the UAE has already enacted a policy to shift public holidays, which do not actually fall within the lunar calendar, forward or backwards in time in order to consolidate them.

This affects holidays like:

• New Year’s Day
• Islamic New Year
• Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday
• National Day

And perhaps there will be no room for such a shift during Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha, which predominantly depend on moon-sighting.

The shifting policy is more discretionary; that is, not to say every single holiday will be shifted or moved; therefore, residents would have to wait for government announcements to know if this will be true for a particular holiday. The possibility of additional long weekends certainly makes it look great to consider planning a break in 2026.

What This Means for UAE Residents and Expats

1. Better Planning for Travel and Family Visits

With clearer signs in place for the year 2026, residents will need to make travel arrangements. The long break during Eid Al Adha will remain the highlight for extended journeys.

2. Increased Tourism and Staycation Opportunities

Most of the hotels, resorts, and other entertainment properties usually package offers for the long weekends. The way holidays are distributed in the year 2026 will further balance the packages, as opposed to grouping them to have maximum effect in one season.

3. Work and School Scheduling

The companies and schools adjust their operations around the official holidays. The 2026 calendar provides a more efficient avenue for companies to plan deadlines for projects, staff requirements, and holidays.

Families with kids can also foresee school closing along with certain holidays and plan accordingly.

Why Some Dates Might Still Change

Even though early calendars provide reasonable indications of holiday dates, the following factors might cause a drift:

1. Moon-sighting decisions: Islamic holidays entail the lunar calendar and can thus shift by a day or two in accordance with visibility.
2. Government announcements: These are discretionary under the law and can be triggered optionally.
3. Public vs private sector differences: While both sectors commonly stick to the same holiday calendar, the implementation of shifted dates may be differentiated from employer to employer.

Residents should indeed consider their 2026 forecasts as loose guidelines and await official announcements.

Final Summary

Another thing is, the UAE Public Holiday Calendar of 2026 is well spread throughout the year, ensuring long weekends and long breaks. It starts with the New Year on Thursday and immediately heads for the big ones, Eid Al Fitr in March and Eid Al Adha in May, which may allow stretching up to close to six days of rest.  

The other annual holidays, that of the Islamic New Year and the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday, will also convert to long weekends if adjusted. The remaining times of the year will wrap up with four days off in December to commemorate the UAE National Day.

With such holiday spreads and flexibility in the shifting policy, the year 2026 seems to ensure enough relaxation, travel, family gatherings, and vacation planning.

Plan smarter and work better in 2026. Contact Arnifi HR to manage holidays, schedules, and staffing effortlessly.