UAE confirms 4-day Eid Al Adha holiday

The UAE has confirmed the dates for Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha, with the public holiday falling in the final week of May.

 

Following the crescent moon sighting, Arafat Day will be observed on Tuesday 26 May, followed by Eid Al Adha beginning on Wednesday 27 May. This will result in a four-day break for private sector employees, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), which announced the dates on Monday 19 May.

 

Earlier this month, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) also announced a week-long public sector break. Employees will be off from Monday 25 to Friday 29 May 2026, with work resuming on Monday 1 June, resulting in a nine-day break. Schools across the UAE will follow the same schedule, as confirmed by the Ministry of Education. 

 

As one of the year’s longer holiday breaks, Eid Al Adha typically drives strong demand for international travel, with global trips accounting for 72% of bookings compared to 28% for UAE staycations, according to Dnata Travel. 

 

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Popular destinations for UAE travellers include the Maldives, Thailand and France, while emerging interest is being seen in destinations such as Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bodrum in Turkey. 

 

Regional operators are also gearing up for the season, with Red Sea Global adding 32 additional flights across its network to meet increased demand, alongside the launch of Miraval The Red Sea, an adults-only all-inclusive resort. 

 

In the cruise segment, Saudi Arabia’s Aroya Cruises will operate an Eid Al Adha sailing on 24 May 2026, as it resumes Red Sea sailings following earlier disruptions linked to regional conflict.

 

After Eid Al Adha, three public holidays remain in the UAE calendar for 2026, with the next expected on 17 June for the Islamic New Year. Residents could extend the break to five days by taking annual leave on 18 and 19 June. Public holidays for Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday in August and UAE National Day will follow in December.

 

For more information, visit fahr.gov.ae and mohre.gov.ae