Dubai Public Holidays in 2026

Looking to plan your trip to Dubai around Dubai’s public holidays?  Here’s a guide to what to expect in 2026 in Dubai:

• New Year’s Day: 1 January 2025 (1 day)
• Eid Al Fitr: From the last day of the Islamic month of Ramadan to 3 Shawwal* (approx. 20 to 22 March 2026 – 3 days)
• Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha (Feast of Sacrifice):  From 9 to 12 Dhu al Hijjah* (approx. 26 to 29 May 2026 – 4 days)
• Hijri New Year: 1 Muharram*  Approx. 6 June 2026 – date of observation may differ, likely to be Monday 15 Jun – 1 day)
• The Prophet Mohammed’s birthday: Approx. 25 August c2026 – not always a public holiday
• Commemoration Day: 1 December 2026 – not always a public holiday
• Eid al Etihad (55th National Day): 2 and 3 December 2026 (2 days)

Jump back to Previous Year: Dubai Public Holidays 2025

*Islamic holidays are determined according to moon sightings. The date a religious holiday is observed and the public holiday declared may be two different dates, particularly if it falls on a weekend, Friday- Sunday.

Note that the weekend in the UAE changed from 1 January 2022; government working hours are now Monday through Friday at lunchtime, and the weekend is Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday.

Hijri Calendar to Gregorian Calendar

The Hijri Calendar moves forward by approximately ten days more than the Gregorian Calendar every year. There is a good translation tool here from IslamicFinder.org to understand when important days on the Hijri Calendar will translate to:

Prayer Times in Dubai

You can also check out our guide here to the daily prayer times in Dubai. There isn’t much you need to do as a non-Muslim tourist at prayer times, but it has some great tips on understanding exactly WHAT is happening and WHY.

We also share some extra pointers on having a more immersive Islamic experience during your trip to Dubai.

Dubai School Holidays 2026

Dubai has a public school sector (Ministry of Education – Emirati only) and a private school sector (for international students) governed by KHDA. In July 2025, the MoE overhauled the academic calendar for ALL schools in the UAE with a September start date, so all schools will now have the same term breaks.

The dates for the 2025-26 academic year are as follows:

• Term 1 Mid-Term Break: 13 to 17 October 2025
• Winter Break: 6 December to 4 January 2026
• Term 2 Mid-Term Break: 16 to 19 February 2026
• Spring Break: 14 March to 29 March 2026 (Inclusive of Eid-al-Fitr*)
• Term 3 Mid-Term Break: 26 to 29 May 2026 (inclusive of Eid-al-Adha*)
• Summer Break: From 4 July 2026

You can learn more at khda.gov.ae

Other Major Events in Dubai & the UAE 2026

Here’s what’s already lined up for the 2026 Dubai Events Calendar:

• Dubai DutyFree Tennis Championship – February 2026 at the Dubai DutyFree Stadium
• Dubai World Cup – Horse racing season with premier events taking place February – March 2026
• Ramadan – the Holy Month from approx. 17 February to 20 March 2026 – not a public holiday but a month-long religious observance, concluding with Eid al-Fitr public holidays
• Diwali – 8 Nocvember 2026 – with a large Indian expat community, the event is widely celebrated in the UAE
• Christmas – 25 December 2026 – not a public holiday but widely observed within the retail and hospitality sector
• New Year’s Eve – 31 December 2026 always a spectacular night of fireworks and festivities not to be missed