Long Weekends in United Arab Emirates 2026
United Arab Emirates has 13 public holidays in 2026, creating 8 long-weekend opportunities — 2 automatic 3-day weekends and 6 bridge chances where a day or two of leave buys a longer break.
Smartest break
Take 1 leave day around New Year's Day (January 1, 2026) for 4 days off — Jan 1 – Jan 4.
| Holiday | Date | Leave to book | Days off | Your break |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thu, Jan 1 | Fri, Jan 2 | 4 | Jan 1 – Jan 4 |
| End of Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr) | Fri, Mar 20 | None — automatic | 3 | Mar 20 – Mar 22 |
| Arafat Day | Tue, May 26 | Mon, May 25 | 4 | May 23 – May 26 |
| Eid al-Adha Holiday | Fri, May 29 | None — automatic | 3 | May 29 – May 31 |
| Islamic New Year | Tue, Jun 16 | Mon, Jun 15 | 4 | Jun 13 – Jun 16 |
| Birthday of Muhammad (Mawlid) | Tue, Aug 25 | Mon, Aug 24 | 4 | Aug 22 – Aug 25 |
| National Day | Wed, Dec 2 | Mon, Nov 30, Tue, Dec 1 | 5 | Nov 28 – Dec 2 |
| National Day | Thu, Dec 3 | Fri, Dec 4 | 4 | Dec 3 – Dec 6 |
Long weekend FAQ
- What is a bridge day?
- A bridge day ("puente" in Spanish) is a workday wedged between a public holiday and the weekend. Book it off and the holiday and weekend join into one unbroken break.
- How many long weekends does United Arab Emirates have in 2026?
- United Arab Emirates has 8 long-weekend opportunities in 2026: 2 that need no leave and 6 that need one or two days off.