If you are the kind of person who likes to be highly organized and likes to plan ahead, you are probably already wondering when the official public holidays in the United Arab Emirates will take place in 2027. Planning your annual leave, family holidays, or simply wanting to make the most of your time off, looking at the calendar early on is key. As per the official UAE public holiday law, Dubai and other emirates’ employees and nationals are entitled to a minimum of 12 official paid days off in a year. These stat holidays have a big impact on travel and leisure arrangements throughout the year.
Understanding Gregorian and Islamic Calendar Systems
The United Arab Emirates celebrates a number of national and religious holidays throughout the year. Some of these events are linked only to the lunar Islamic Hijri calendar, while others are permanently linked to the solar Gregorian calendar.
The Islamic Hijri calendar is lunar-based on the natural cycle of the moon, whereas the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar. Since the start of major Islamic holidays depends on sightings of the moon, their exact dates cannot be officially determined until a few days before they actually begin. We rely on real-time moon sightings, but scientific and astronomical forecasts allow us to plan these unusual events far in advance. These calculations allow residents to get a very accurate prediction of the probability of prolonged weekends in 2027.
Public Holiday Laws and Long Weekends
These are the expected dates for 2027, as per the full UAE public holidays law which was officially formulated in April 2024 and then approved in January 2025. In each of the seven emirates, the same legal framework governs the granting of official time off.
This regulatory framework allows certain moon-sighting related celebrations to be deliberately moved to the beginning or end of the relevant workweek. For example, if a religious holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday may be officially observed as a public holiday. This smart legislative provision ensures three-day long weekends for workers to spend with family.
Also, the statute specifically stipulates that if a public holiday happens on the same day as another public holiday or a regular weekend, it can’t be carried over. Fortunately, no Islamic festivals are expected to fall on the same day as Gregorian holidays or other Islamic festivals in 2027. The central federal calendar sets the minimum national standard; however, the law explicitly allows individual local emirate governments to create other public holidays not covered by the federal calendar if they like.
Public Holidays in UAE: 2027 Forecast
Here is the complete list of all the expected official public holidays in the United Arab Emirates for 2027, so you can plan your calendar and annual leave with ease.
| Event/Holiday | Estimated Dates |
| New Year’s Day | Friday, January 1 |
| Eid Al-Fitr | Wednesday, March 10 – Friday, March 12 |
| Arafat Day | Saturday, May 15 |
| Eid Al-Adha | Sunday, May 16 – Tuesday, May 18 |
| Islamic New Year | Monday, June 7 (rescheduled) |
| Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) Birthday | Monday, August 16 (rescheduled) |
| Eid Al Etihad (National Day) | Thursday, December 2 – Friday, December 3 |
Key Highlights for Your 2027 Calendar
- New Year’s Kick-off: As New Year’s Day falls on a Friday, the year 2027 will kick off with an outstanding three-day long weekend.
- Eid Al Fitr: The grand Eid Al Fitr break is expected to be the longest public holiday of 2027. Combined with the regular Saturday and Sunday weekend, residents will have a great five-day vacation.
- Eid Al Adha & Arafat Day: Residents may look forward to a peaceful four-day vacation with Arafat Day on Saturday, May 15, and Eid Al Adha falling from Sunday, May 16 to Tuesday, May 18.
- Summer Long Weekends: The Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (PBUH) and the Islamic New Year both occur on Sundays. According to the official holiday law, these will be commemorated on the following Mondays, creating two separate three-day long weekends.
- National Day: The year will close with the annual National Day celebrations, providing a four-day long weekend (Thursday to Sunday) to close out 2027.
Final Note: Annual Leave Planning
These projections are a very useful starting point for long-term planning; however, the authorities in the UAE will confirm the official dates closer to each event following verified moon sightings. If you plan your personal leave strategically around these expected dates, you might optimize your total number of days off and enjoy well-earned getaways throughout 2027.
