UAE holidays in 2025: How to maximise days off within minimum leave

Turn 18 days of leave into 51 days away from the office in 2025

Strategically planning annual leave around UAE national holidays could get you up to 51 days off in 2025. Getty Images

As we look ahead to a new year, thoughts naturally gravitate to planning annual leave for the coming 12 months. Of course, leave can be used whenever you want – or whenever you can get it approved – but here we've put together a handy guide on how to best use the expected UAE public holidays in 2025 to maximise your time off.

By strategically booking annual leave around expected public holidays and typical Saturday and Sunday weekend days, 18 days of contracted annual leave could become 51 days off, broken into six chunks.

It is important to note, however, that some of these dates could change. For public holidays, such as Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha, exact dates are confirmed by the UAE’s Moon-sighting committee in the days preceding the holidays. The following dates are tentative, bar New Year's Day, but have been issued by the Emirates Astronomical Society.

When are the public holidays in the UAE in 2025?

Planning leave for 2025

Starting the year off strong on January 1, New Year's Day is a national holiday that lands on a Wednesday. If you plan to take leave on Thursday, January 2 and Friday, January 3, you will get a five-day break when combining the days off with the weekend.

This year, Ramadan is expected to begin on either Friday, February 28 or Saturday, March 1 and end on Sunday, March 30, with Eid Al Fitr expected from Monday, March 31 until Wednesday, April 2. So if you plan to take leave on Thursday, April 3 and Friday, April 4, you'd get a combined nine days of time off.

Early summer is expected to be busy for national holidays this year. In May, Islamic holidays Arafat Day and the multiple-day Eid Al Adha holidays are expected to fall one day apart on Friday, May 30 and then Saturday, May 31 until Monday, June 2 respectively. Eid Al Adha typically ranges from a three to a four-day holiday, often with different durations for private and public sector workers. However, if you plan to take four days of annual leave, from Tuesday, June 3 until Friday, June 6, you'd have 10 days of consecutive days off with weekends.

A matter of weeks later, Friday, June 27 is Islamic New Year. If you take four days of leave, from Monday, June 23 until Thursday, June 26, you will get a nine-day break by using both weekends.

In September, the Prophet Mohammed's birthday is expected to fall on Monday, September 1. Like the Islamic New Year break two months prior, if you plan to take four days of annual leave, from Tuesday, September 2 until Friday, September 5, you would get nine days off with weekends.

Towards the end of 2025, there will be national holidays to mark Commemoration Day and Eid Al Etihad. Commemoration Day is expected to be marked on Monday, December 1, with a two-day Eid Al Etihad break anticipated on Tuesday, December 2 and Wednesday, December 3. Taking leave on Thursday, December 4 and Friday, December 5 would give you a nine-day break with two days of annual leave.

Six blocks using 18 days of leave

January 1 to 5 (5 days off in a row for 2 annual leave days)

March 29 to April 6 (9 days, 2 annual leave days)

May 30 to June 8 (10 days, 4 annual leave days)

June 21 to 26 (9 days, 4 annual leave days)

August 30 to September 7 (9 days, 4 annul leave days)

November 29 to December 7 (9 days, 2 annual leave days)