UAE Public Holidays 2026 – Official Dates Announced

As we approach 2026, residents and businesses in the UAE can start planning ahead for the next year’s public holidays. While some dates are fixed (e.g., New Year’s Day, National Day), others — especially the Islamic holidays — depend on lunar observations and will be formally announced closer to each event. Below is a comprehensive list of the key holidays for 2026 as currently projected. 

📅 Key Holidays & Dates (2026) 

🧠 What This Means for You 

• Because the Islamic holidays rely on lunar calculations and moon‐sightings, the exact day may shift by 1 day either way. 
   
• Fixed-date holidays (like New Year’s, National Day) allow for easier planning of travel, family time or business scheduling. 
   
• Some holidays may be moved(within federal regulations) to the beginning or end of the week to create long weekends — especially for non-Eid holidays. 
   
• For companies and HR teams: update your internal calendars early, and build flexibility into staffing/roster planning around the potential long-weekends for March and May. 
   

🔍 Tips for Planning 

• Travel & Vacation: Consider using the March and May holidays as extended breaks — for example, Eid al-Adha’s Wednesday start could give you a 5-/6-day break if combined with the weekend. 
   
• Business/retail: Expect increased activity around holiday periods; prepare for staff availability, customer service, logistics. 
   
• Families/schools: Align school holiday coverage with these dates; parents may wish to plan children’s activities/travel accordingly. 
   
• Stay updated: Watch for official announcements from the federal & emirate authorities, as dates may be formally declared only days ahead for lunar holidays.