# UAE Public Holidays 2025: Get 42 Days Off with Just 14 Days of Annual Leave
With the New Year just around the corner, it's the perfect time to start planning your 2025 holidays strategically. UAE employees can masterfully arrange their annual leave to enjoy 42 days of festive time off in 2025 — using only 14 days of annual leave.
Under UAE labor law, every employee who has completed one year of service is entitled to 30 days of paid annual leave, on top of fully paid public holidays each year. Even better: any public holiday that falls on a weekend will be compensated with a weekday off, so you never lose out on a single holiday.
How to Maximize Your UAE Public Holidays in 2025
Here is a breakdown of how to stretch each major public holiday into a longer break:
New Year (January 1) Take two extra days — January 2–3 — to create a five-day weekend running from December 31 to January 4.
Eid Al Fitr (approx. March 30 – April 2) Depending on the moon sighting, Eid Al Fitr runs for two to three days around late March to early April. By taking two to three days of leave, you can build a break of up to nine days.
Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha (approx. June 5–8) This is one of the year's longest holiday clusters. Take three strategic days of leave and you can extend the break to a full nine days — from around June 5 to June 12.
Islamic New Year (approx. late June) Reserve two days around June 26–30 for a second five-day extended weekend.
Prophet Muhammad's Birthday (approx. early September) Take two days around September 4–8 to extend this into a five-day weekend.
UAE National Day (December 2–3) Take three days off on December 1, 4, and 5 and you can enjoy a nine-day holiday running from December 1 to 9 — a perfect end-of-year break.
Important Notes on UAE Leave Planning
Note that exact dates for Islamic holidays — including Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, the Islamic New Year, and the Prophet's Birthday — are subject to official moon sighting confirmation and will be announced closer to the time.
Under UAE labor law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), employers may defer or decline leave requests based on operational needs, provided they notify employees in writing. Unused leave beyond 15 days cannot be carried forward without written approval.
Plan your leave requests early, coordinate with your manager, and lock in those extended breaks before your colleagues do. With a little careful planning, you can make 2025 one of the most well-rested years of your career.
