How to get 49 days off in the UAE using just 19 days of annual leave

Get those annual leave requests in…

We already know more or less how many public holidays we have in the UAE in 2025. But while we can all cheer for joy at the potential long weekends coming up, did you know you can make it much better just by (strategically) taking some annual leave dates alongside?

By taking just 14 days of your annual leave, you can get 42 days in total, or, you can book 19 days of annual leave and get a whopping 49 days off. Here’s how…

January | New Year’s Day 

Public holiday: 1 day on Wednesday, January 1, 2025Annual leave: 2 days on Thursday, January 2, 2025, and Friday, January 3, 2025.Total: 5 days with the weekend

We’re already off to a great start to the year with this plan. We start off 2025 with a holiday on January 1, and by adding 2 days of annual leave, you end up with five days, including the weekend.

April | Eid Al Fitr

Public holiday: 3 days from Monday, March 31, 2025, to Wednesday, April 2, 2025Annual leave: 2 days from Thursday, April 3, 2025, and Friday, April 4, 2025Total: 9 days with both weekends (plus, you can get an additional 7 days if you add another five days of annual leave).

Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Astronomy Society, predicted when Ramadan is most likely to start in 2025. He said, ‘The crescent moon of the month of Ramadan 1446 AH will be born on Friday, February 28, 2025.’  This means that, astronomically, Ramadan 2025 in the UAE will likely start on Saturday, March 1, 2025, which means Eid Al Fitr will most likely falls on Monday, March 31 (based on the sighting of the moon).

The UAE government has also declared a possible three-day holiday from Monday, March 31, 2025 to Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Taking an extra two days off on Thursday, April 3 and 4, will give you an additional four days with the weekend, giving you time off until March 6, 2025.

*Add on an additional 5 days of annual leave to enjoy two whole weeks off.

May and June | Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha

Public holiday: 4 days from Friday, May 30, 2025, to Monday, June 2, 2025Annual leave: 4 days (take your pick, the week before Arafat Day, or after Eid Al Adha)Total: 10 days with both weekends

Dates for Eid Al Adha are based on the moon sightings, but according to the UAE Cabinet, it could potentially fall from Saturday, May 31, 2025 to Monday, June 2, 2025. The day before Eid Al Adha, we celebrate Arafat Day, which, if the above dates are correct, will fall on Friday, May 30, 2025. That’s four days right there…

Add in another four days of your annual leave, to the week before or after, you’re looking at a total of 10 days.

June | Islamic New Year

Public holiday: 1 day on Friday, June 27, 2025Annual leave: 4 days from Monday, June 23, 2025, to Thursday, June 26, 2025Total: 9 days with both weekends

In June, we could potentially have a holiday for Islamic New Year (falling on Muharram 1). The date for the Gregorian Calendar date is to be confirmed, but if you want a break, you can file for four days of annual leave before the Islamic New Year and end up with a total of nine days with both weekends.

December | Commemoration Day and Eid Al Etihad

Public holiday: 3 days from Monday, December 1, 2025, to Wednesday, December 3, 2025Annual leave: 2 days on Thursday, December 4, 2025, and Friday, December 5, 2025Total: 9 days with both weekends

In December, the UAE celebrates Eid Al Etihad (previously UAE National Day, and Union Day), on Tuesday, December 2, 2025. An extra day is usually given the following day to continue the celebrations, so Wednesday, December 3, 2025, is also most likely a day off. The day before, the UAE celebrates Commemoration Day, which is on Monday, December 1, 2025. This itself gets us five days.

Throw in two of your annual leaves to add to your holidays on Thursday, December 4, and Friday, December 5, 2025, which, when added to the weekend, gives us another four days for a total of nine days.

PS. Keep your eye on whatson.ae for confirmation of these dates as and when they are announced by UAE officials.

Images: Getty Images