UAE holidays are a mix of Gregorian-date anchors (New Year, UAE National Day, etc.) and Islamic-calendar days (Eid, Arafat Day, etc.). The latter are confirmed after moon sighting, so 1–2 day drift from expectation is normal.
2025 UAE public holidays (tentative)
| Date | Holiday | Days off | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | New Year | 1 | Gregorian |
| Mar 29 – Apr 1 | Eid Al Fitr | 5 | End of Ramadan |
| Jun 5 | Arafat Day | 1 | Islamic |
| Jun 6 – Jun 8 | Eid Al Adha | 4 | Islamic |
| Jun 26 | Islamic New Year (Al-Hijra) | 1 | Islamic |
| Sep 4 | Prophet Muhammad's Birthday (Milad Un Nabi) | 1 | Islamic |
| Dec 1 | Martyr's Day | 1 | |
| Dec 2 – Dec 3 | UAE National Day | 2 |
2026 expected dates
| Holiday | Expected |
|---|---|
| Eid Al Fitr | ~Mar 20 (5 days, end of Ramadan) |
| Arafat Day | ~May 26 |
| Eid Al Adha | ~May 27 – May 29 |
| Islamic New Year | ~Jun 16 |
| Milad Un Nabi | ~Aug 24 |
| Martyr's Day | Dec 1 |
| National Day | Dec 2 – Dec 3 |
Exact 2026 dates are published by the UAE government after the relevant moon sighting (typically the month before). Dates above are expectations; treat them as approximate.
Real-life impact
Banks / government
- Closed entirely. Pre-Eid business days see longer ICP / bank queues.
- Time-sensitive work (visa renewal, Emirates ID) should finish at least 2 weeks before a holiday.
Transport / travel
- Traffic peaks during Eid holidays — domestic travel, Dubai-Abu Dhabi-Oman routes spike.
- Flights and hotels at least 2–3× normal price. Especially Eid Al Fitr.
- Airports extremely busy 1–2 days before the holiday starts.
Work
- Many firms add bridge days to stretch the holiday.
- Expect work to stall before Eid Al Fitr — compounded with the Ramadan shortened day.
Ramadan linkage
- Eid Al Fitr starts the day after Ramadan ends.
- 2025 Ramadan: Mar 1 – Mar 29 → Eid Al Fitr Mar 29 – Apr 1.
- Plan the whole March–April block as "not normal" with Ramadan + Eid.
Alignment with Korean calendar
- Seollal (late Jan / early Feb): UAE's New Year is already past (Jan 1). Flights for Koreans going home inflate.
- Chuseok (Sep / Oct): UAE has no dedicated holiday. (Has coincided with Milad Un Nabi in some years.)
Planning checklist
- Immigration / legal paperwork: submit 2 weeks before Eid starts
- Critical business meetings: avoid Ramadan and Eid windows
- Trip home: Eid Al Fitr / Eid Al Adha are the most expensive weeks
- 2026 calendar: block mid-March Eid Al Fitr and late-May Eid Al Adha