Four of the seven official occasions will translate into extended weekends, with the longest being a six-day break
UAE’s 2024 Public Holidays Revealed: 13 Days Off, 4 Extended Weekends, Including a Six-Day Break
The UAE Cabinet has disclosed a list of 13 public holidays for 2024, with four of these occasions forming extended weekends. The lengthiest break spans six days.
In addition to the allotted 30 annual leaves, employees have the opportunity to leverage these public holidays for travel or staycations, as indicated by various travel surveys. Expatriates predominantly utilize their annual leaves for visits to their home countries, reserving public holidays and their accompanying extended weekends for global vacations or local getaways.
The holiday dates, predominantly based on the Islamic calendar, were unveiled on Tuesday. For ease of planning, we’ve converted these dates to the Gregorian calendar utilizing the Hijri calendar available on the Dubai Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) website.
The Hijri calendar months fluctuate between 29 and 30 days, contingent upon lunar sightings. Precise dates will be officially declared closer to the events by the relevant authorities.
Happy New Year: 3-day weekend
2024 Holiday Highlights in the UAE: Long Weekends and Extended Breaks
Kickstarting the year, UAE residents will relish a long weekend as the first official holiday of 2024 falls on a Monday, January 1. This translates into a delightful three-day weekend following the New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Eid Al Fitr: 6-day break
Eid Al Fitr, a significant Islamic festival signifying the end of Ramadan, will grant a substantial break. The government designates Ramadan 29 to Shawwal 3 as public holidays, accounting for about four or five days off based on the duration of the month.
Following the Hijri calendar from the IACAD website, Ramadan is predicted to last 29 days. This aligns the Gregorian calendar dates from Tuesday, April 9, to Friday, April 12. With the additional Saturday-Sunday weekend, this totals a relaxing six-day break.
Arafah Day, Eid Al Adha: 5 days off
Observing the holiest day in Islam, Arafah Day on Dhul Hijjah 9, Eid Al Adha spans the subsequent three days. Corresponding to the Gregorian calendar, this period falls on Sunday, June 16, to Wednesday, June 19, inclusive of the weekend (Saturday, June 15), resulting in a generous five-day holiday period.
Islamic New Year: 1-day holiday
The second new year of 2024 falls somewhere in July. Muharram 1, which is the first day of the Hijri year, is expected to fall on Sunday, July 7. No long holiday there, but it’s a day off for those without a Sunday weekend.
Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday
It’s believed to be on Rabi Al Awwal 12. The date on the Gregorian calendar is not immediately clear.
National Day
The year’s last official holiday is a long one. December 2 and 3 fall on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. When combined with the Saturday-Sunday weekend, that’s a four-day holiday.
