United Arab Emirates Public Holidays 2026
United Arab Emirates has 8 national public holidays in 2026, starting with New Year's Day on January 1, 2026 and ending with National Day (second day) on December 3, 2026. 0 of them fall on a Saturday or Sunday this year, so the number of extra days away from the desk depends on the calendar.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Dayرأس السنة الميلادية | January 1, 2026 | Thursday | Public holiday |
| Eid al-FitrIf Ramadan runs a thirtieth day the break shifts by one day, because the start is counted from the end of Ramadan and confirmed by moon sighting. | March 18 to 21, 2026 | Wednesday | Public holiday4 days |
| Arafah DayConfirmed by moon sighting, so it can move by one day. | May 26, 2026 | Tuesday | Public holiday |
| Feast of the Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha)عيد الأضØÙ‰ | May 27 to 29, 2026 | Wednesday | Public holiday3 days |
| Islamic New Yearرأس السنة الهجرية | June 16, 2026 | Tuesday | Public holiday |
| Birthday of Muhammad (Mawlid)المولد النبويّ | August 25, 2026 | Tuesday | Public holiday |
| National Dayاليوم الوطني | December 2, 2026 | Wednesday | Public holiday |
| National Day (second day)The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has in some years announced the two day block on 1 and 2 December instead, so confirm the pair each year. | December 3, 2026 | Thursday | Public holiday |
The busiest stretch is May (2 holidays), a good window to plan around if you rely on offices, banks or schools being open. Below you will find the full 2026 list for United Arab Emirates, sorted by date, with the weekday marked for quick planning. Only nationwide public holidays are included here, which keeps the United Arab Emirates calendar clean and comparable.
Frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does United Arab Emirates have in 2026?
United Arab Emirates has 8 national public holidays in 2026. The first is New Year's Day on January 1, 2026 and the last is National Day (second day) on December 3, 2026.
What is the first public holiday of 2026 in United Arab Emirates?
The first public holiday of 2026 is New Year's Day, which falls on January 1, 2026.
When is New Year celebrated in United Arab Emirates in 2026?
In 2026, New Year's Day in United Arab Emirates is on January 1, 2026.
Are regional holidays included for United Arab Emirates?
No. This calendar lists national public holidays only, so it stays consistent across countries. Holidays that apply to just part of United Arab Emirates are listed separately on the United Arab Emirates holiday hub, together with the regions that observe them.
Do the United Arab Emirates holiday dates change from 2026 to the next year?
Some of them do. 5 of the 8 holidays in 2026 sit on a moving rule (islamic (hijri) calendar), so their date has to be recalculated for every year. The rest keep the same calendar date and only change weekday. Moving ones this year include Eid al-Fitr on March 18, 2026, Arafah Day on May 26, 2026 and Feast of the Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) on May 27, 2026, plus 2 more.
How far ahead is the United Arab Emirates calendar actually fixed?
Through 2027. The holidays are set in law rather than announced year by year, so the dates repeat predictably. What can still change is a law amendment, a one-off holiday declared for a national event, and the exact day of any holiday on the Islamic calendar, which is confirmed by moon sighting. This table also applies 6 corrections to the underlying open dataset, each checked against the legislation. The full list with sources is on the United Arab Emirates holiday hub.
Which United Arab Emirates holidays are regional, and which move?
The table above is the national calendar for 2026. Some holidays keep the same date every year while others are tied to Easter, to a lunar calendar or to a named weekday, and some parts of the country add their own days off. The United Arab Emirates holiday hub breaks that down: which holidays are fixed, which move and why, and which ones are observed in certain regions only. To compare United Arab Emirates with other countries in the same year, see the 2026 worldwide overview.
Other years for United Arab Emirates
Planning further ahead or looking back? Compare the United Arab Emirates public holiday calendar across years: