| Date | Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-01 | New Year's Day | National |
| 2025-03-30 | Eid al-Fitr | National |
| 2025-03-31 | Eid al-Fitr Holiday | National |
| 2025-04-01 | Eid al-Fitr Holiday | National |
| 2025-06-03 | Day of Arafah | National |
| 2025-06-04 | Eid al-Adha | National |
| 2025-06-05 | Eid al-Adha Holiday | National |
| 2025-06-06 | Eid al-Adha Holiday | National |
| 2025-06-26 | Islamic New Year | National |
| 2025-09-05 | Prophet's Birthday | National |
| 2025-12-02 | National Day | National |
| 2025-12-03 | National Day | National |
How many public holidays does United Arab Emirates have in 2025?
United Arab Emirates has 12 public holidays in 2025: 12 national holidays. The dates run from 1 January 2025 to 3 December 2025, and no public holiday falls in February, May, July, August, October, November. Observances and regional holidays are listed separately and are not counted.
Wondering how that stacks up globally? See how United Arab Emirates's public holiday count compares.
Long weekends in United Arab Emirates 2025
United Arab Emirates's public holidays create 3 long weekends in 2025 - runs of three or more consecutive days off, each built around a holiday that touches a weekend.
- Sat 29 March - Tue 1 April: Eid al-Fitr (4-day weekend, Saturday 29 March to Tuesday 1 April).
- Tue 3 - Sun 8 June: Day of Arafah (6-day weekend, Tuesday 3 June to Sunday 8 June).
- Fri 5 - Sun 7 September: Prophet's Birthday (3-day weekend, Friday 5 September to Sunday 7 September).
Observed and substitute holidays in United Arab Emirates 2025
A substitute holiday is a day off moved to a nearby working weekday when a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday. The legal date never changes - only the day most people actually get off.
In 2025 no public holiday in United Arab Emirates is moved to a nearby weekday, so every holiday in the table above is observed on the date shown.
Regional variations are common; see public holidays across Asia for the wider picture.
Public holidays in United Arab Emirates: is your date a holiday in 2025?
Every date in the table above is a public holiday in United Arab Emirates in 2025. If the date you are checking appears there, it is a day off; if it does not, it is not a public holiday - however widely it may be marked.
For example, 1 January 2025 is New Year's Day, a public holiday in United Arab Emirates.
More to explore: browse public holidays by country.
About these holidays in United Arab Emirates (2025)
Our United Arab Emirates public holidays guide explains the background of each holiday and how the dates are set.
New Year's Day
New Year's Day falls on 1 January and opens the Gregorian calendar year. Most countries mark it with a public holiday, and celebrations usually begin the night before with countdowns, fireworks and gatherings. The date was fixed in its current position by Julius Caesar's calendar reform, and later preserved by the Gregorian reform of 1582. traditions vary widely, from first-footing in Scotland to writing resolutions for the months ahead.
Eid al-Fitr
Eid al-Fitr is the festival breaking the fast of Ramadan, observed on the first day of Shawwal. It is one of the two major Islamic festivals and a public holiday throughout the Muslim world. The celebration opens with a special congregational prayer, followed by visits to family and neighbours, shared meals and giving to charity. Where the date has been confirmed by moon sighting, it appears without the estimated qualifier on published calendars.
Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice, begins on the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah and coincides with the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. It honours the devotion of Ibrahim, who was willing to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. Families that can afford it sacrifice a sheep, goat, cow or camel and divide the meat into portions for family, friends and the poor.
National Day
National Day is a country's principal annual celebration of nationhood, often marking independence, unification, the adoption of a constitution, or the birthday of a head of state. The date and the event it commemorates are specific to each country, and in some places several National Days exist. Observances commonly includeofficial ceremonies, military parades, fireworks and cultural performances that highlight national identity.