UAE National Day 2026 holiday dates and planning

The final public holiday for the United Arab Emirates in 2026 will be Eid Al Etihad, also known as UAE National Day. The official dates for the holiday are Wednesday, December 2, and Thursday, December 3, 2026.

Under Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, the UAE Cabinet has the authority to transfer eligible public holidays to the beginning or end of a week. If such a decision is made, the two-day holiday could be shifted to create a longer break when combined with the weekend.

Residents can also maximize their time off by utilizing annual leave. For example, taking Friday, December 4, as leave could extend the break to five consecutive days, or taking leave on Monday and Tuesday prior to the holiday could create a six-day break when combined with the preceding weekend.