Holiday count guide

How Many Public Holidays Does UAE Have?

The UAE holiday count changes by year because Eid and Hijri holidays follow the lunar calendar. This guide explains the core holidays and links to the year-by-year calendar.

Core holidaysNew Year, Eid, Hijri holidays, Commemoration Day, and Eid Al Etihad.
Why counts varyMulti-day Eid holidays and moon-sighting dates affect the total.
Best answerCheck the specific year calendar for the exact list.

Important dates

HolidayDateStatusNote
New Year's DayJanuary 1, 2026Confirmed1 day
Eid Al FitrMarch 19-22, 2026Confirmed4 days
Arafat DayMay 26, 2026Confirmed1 day
Eid Al AdhaMay 27-29, 2026Confirmed3 days
Islamic New YearJune 16, 2026EstimatedMoon sighting
Prophet Birthday / MawlidAugust 25, 2026EstimatedMoon sighting
Commemoration DayDecember 1, 2026Confirmed1 day
Eid Al Etihad / UAE National DayDecember 2-3, 2026Confirmed2 days

Frequently asked questions

How many public holidays does the UAE have?

The exact count depends on the year and the Eid holiday windows. The 2026 calendar lists the core UAE public holidays and multi-day Eid breaks.

Which UAE holidays are fixed dates?

New Year, Commemoration Day, and Eid Al Etihad / National Day are fixed Gregorian dates.

Which UAE holidays can shift?

Eid Al Fitr, Arafat Day, Eid Al Adha, Islamic New Year, and Prophet Birthday can depend on moon sighting.

Related guides

Note: Islamic holiday dates can shift based on official moon sighting announcements.