Eid Al Fitr 2026 in UAE: Expected dates and long weekend guide
How to get a 9-day break for Eid Al Fitr 2026 with just a few days of leave
Dubai: Ramadan has begun in the UAE, marking the typical adjustments to work schedules and everyday life. While the holy month has just begun and around 29 to 30 days remain, many residents are already anticipating the year’s first extended weekend during the Eid Al Fitr holidays.
When Eid Al Fitr is expected in the UAE?
According to the UAE’s official public holiday calendar, Eid Al Fitr is from Shawwal 1 to 3, with the country marking three days of public holiday. This is also a non-transferable public holiday.
According to Dubai's Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) list of expected dates for religious holidays for 2026, Eid Al Fitr may fall on March 20 and last until March 22.
The final dates will depend on the sighting of the Shawwal crescent, which is assessed by official moon-sighting committees on the 29th day of Ramadan.
Will the UAE get a three-day or four-day Eid break?
If the crescent of Shawwal is sighted on March 18, Eid Al Fitr will be declared the following day, March 19. This would translate into a four-day break for UAE residents, from March 19 to March 22, with with Sunday aligning with the usual weekend.
If the moon is not sighted on March 18, Ramadan will last 30 days and Eid will begin on Friday, March 20. In that case, the break would initially appear to be three days. However, residents could still get a four-day weekend.
If Ramadan completes 30 days, the public holiday will start on Thursday, March 19 (the 30th day of Ramadan), and continue into the first three days of Shawwal – Friday, March 20, Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22.
Under a UAE Cabinet resolution, if Ramadan lasts 30 days, the 30th day is automatically added as a public holiday before Eid Al Fitr. This means residents are set for a long weekend at the end of the holy month, regardless of the moon sighting outcome.
The Hijri calendar is roughly 11 days shorter than the solar year, which is why Islamic months move earlier each year compared with the Gregorian calendar.
How to extend your Eid break using annual leave
If you want to stretch your holiday beyond the four-day length, you may be able to do so with a little smart planning and by maximising your annual leave.
If Eid is predicted to fall on March 20, you can take annual leave from March 16 to March 19. You will also have the weekend off from March 14 and 15.
So you will have a holiday from March 14 to March 22, and return to work on March 23. Your holiday would include the weekend, a few days of annual leave and the public holiday.
Important note: The dates for Eid Al Fitr are only predicted. The official dates for the religious occasion will be announced by the official moon sighting committee closer to the end of Ramadan, and the length of the break will be announced by the relevant authorities for the federal and private sector.
