With Ramadan now under way, many residents are looking ahead to the first major public holiday of the year and asking a familiar question: exactly when will Eid Al Fitr fall—and how long will the break be?
Based on the UAE’s official public holiday calendar, Eid Al Fitr is observed from Shawwal 1 to Shawwal 3. The occasion carries three days of non-transferable public holiday for the country.
Projected dates released by Dubai’s Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) indicate that Eid in 2026 is expected to begin around March 20 and continue until March 22. These dates remain provisional.
The final decision hinges on the sighting of the Shawwal crescent on the 29th day of Ramadan. Official moon-sighting committees will determine whether the new month has begun or whether Ramadan will complete 30 days.
If the crescent is confirmed on March 18, Eid would start on March 19. In that case, residents could benefit from a four-day pause from March 19 to March 22, with Sunday coinciding with the usual weekend.
If the moon is not sighted that evening, Ramadan would extend to a full 30 days, and Eid would begin on March 20 instead. This outcome would result in a three-day public holiday.
The shifting dates are due to the Hijri calendar being roughly 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar, causing Islamic months to move earlier each year.
Authorities will announce the official Eid dates and confirm the length of the holiday once the moon-sighting process is completed near the end of Ramadan.
