1 dayThu, Jan 1
New Year's Day — a lone day off, bridge it:
1
Stretch it: take 1 day of leave (Jan 2) for 4 days off (Jan 1 – 4).
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Long Weekends in UAE 2026
UAE has 2 long weekends (3 or more consecutive days off) in 2026, counting public holidays and Sat–Sun weekends; the longest natural break runs 3 days (Jan 16 – 18). Placed well, 1 day of leave stretches a break to 4 consecutive days off — every option is below.
- Long weekends
- 2
- Longest break
- 3 days
- Best bridge
- +1 → 4 days
- Weekend
- Sat–Sun
Subscribe to or print UAE holidays →
Every break in 2026
Public holidayWeekendLeave day
3 daysFri, Jan 16 – Sun, Jan 18
161718
Stretch it: take 4 days of leave (Jan 12–15) for 9 days off (Jan 10 – 18).
1 dayWed, Feb 18
First day of Ramadan — a lone day off, bridge it:
18
Stretch it: take 2 days of leave (Feb 16–17) for 5 days off (Feb 14 – 18).
3 daysFri, Mar 20 – Sun, Mar 22
202122
Stretch it: take 4 days of leave (Mar 16–19) for 9 days off (Mar 14 – 22).
1 dayWed, May 27
Feast of the Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) — a lone day off, bridge it:
27
Stretch it: take 2 days of leave (May 25–26) for 5 days off (May 23 – 27).
1 dayTue, Jun 16
Islamic New Year — a lone day off, bridge it:
16
Stretch it: take 1 day of leave (Jun 15) for 4 days off (Jun 13 – 16).
1 dayTue, Aug 25
Birthday of Muhammad (Mawlid) — a lone day off, bridge it:
25
Stretch it: take 1 day of leave (Aug 24) for 4 days off (Aug 22 – 25).
1 dayWed, Dec 2
National Day — a lone day off, bridge it:
2
Stretch it: take 2 days of leave (Nov 30 – Dec 1) for 5 days off (Nov 28 – Dec 2).
All bridge plans, ranked by date
Each plan books leave only on working days between two natural breaks, so every one of them returns more than one day off per day of leave.
| Days off | Leave | Span |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 3d · Dec 29–31 | Dec 27 – Jan 1 |
| 9 | 4d · Dec 29–31 + Jan 2 | Dec 27 – Jan 4 |
| 4Best value | 1d · Jan 2 | Jan 1 – 4 |
| 9 | 4d · Jan 12–15 | Jan 10 – 18 |
| 5 | 2d · Feb 16–17 | Feb 14 – 18 |
| 9 | 4d · Feb 16–17 + Feb 19–20 | Feb 14 – 22 |
| 5 | 2d · Feb 19–20 | Feb 18 – 22 |
| 9 | 4d · Mar 16–19 | Mar 14 – 22 |
| 5 | 2d · May 25–26 | May 23 – 27 |
| 9 | 4d · May 25–26 + May 28–29 | May 23 – 31 |
| 5 | 2d · May 28–29 | May 27 – 31 |
| 4 | 1d · Jun 15 | Jun 13 – 16 |
| 9 | 4d · Jun 15 + Jun 17–19 | Jun 13 – 21 |
| 6 | 3d · Jun 17–19 | Jun 16 – 21 |
| 4 | 1d · Aug 24 | Aug 22 – 25 |
| 9 | 4d · Aug 24 + Aug 26–28 | Aug 22 – 30 |
| 6 | 3d · Aug 26–28 | Aug 25 – 30 |
| 5 | 2d · Nov 30 – Dec 1 | Nov 28 – Dec 2 |
| 9 | 4d · Nov 30 – Dec 1 + Dec 3–4 | Nov 28 – Dec 6 |
| 5 | 2d · Dec 3–4 | Dec 2 – 6 |
| 9 | 4d · Dec 28–31 | Dec 26 – Jan 3 |
Computed from UAE's public holidays plus Sat–Sun weekends. Substitute days count as days off; observances don't. Bridges spend at most 4 leave days, booked only on working days.