Dubai is currently ranked as one of the top most favorite holiday places in the world and tourists mainly from the UK, the US and other parts of the world are coming in large numbers. Because of its nice and sunny weather in winter, luxury hotels and variety of attractions (from desert safaris to huge shopping malls), it is a great place to visit any time of the year.
Upcoming Public Dubai Holidays
Commemoration Day (Martyr’s Day)
Sunday, 30 November 2025: It is a day dedicated to silence and respect. The UAE soldiers who died in the line of sacrifice are honoured. Hence, all flags are flung at half-mast and a minute silence at 11:30 is observed. (In general, the festivity is extended till Dec 2 with National
UAE National Day (Eid Al-Ittihad)
Tuesday, 2 December and Wednesday, 3 December 2025: The day of the Union of the UAE in 1971 is what was celebrated. Dec 2–3 were declared public dubai holidays. The 54th National Day that is going to be in 2025 will be a lot of fun with fireworks, parades, and celebrations of the culture all over the city (sometimes even the local metro and tram get decorated for the event).
People are urging the authorities to declare Dec 1 a holiday too so that they can have a long weekend to celebrate together.
Besides the National Day events, the traditional ones such as drone shows, concerts, and heritage performances will also be held and there will be big fireworks at places like Dubai Festival City and the Palm Jumeirah
Christmas Day (Dec 25, 2025)
It is a normal working day in the UAE but in Dubai, they celebrate greatly Christmas and New Year. Basically, shops and hotels are decorated with light and many things of the celebration theme. What are more hotels prepare Christmas meals and special family lunches.
For instance, the old Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise ship is the place where a traditional British dinner will be served and the live music playing will be accompanied by a Santa meet-and-greet. Indeed, Ski Dubai (the indoor ski park) is holding “Winter Wonderland” events, and places like Madinat Jumeirah are festive Christmas markets.
New Year’s Day
Thursday, 1 January 2026: Besides that, a firework show at Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeirah and other places is a new year’s Eve welcome. Now 7 times between 8pm and 1am on Dec 31, Global Village (open Oct–May) will be doing its magnificent midnight fireworks to give the chance to visitors to watch a countdown every hour.
Ramadan
Ramadan is a fasting month for muslims from all over the world. This month is very important for muslim community. In 2026 ramadan expected date is 19 feb, but it is not confirm because it may change. If you are a tourists you have to wear decent clothes that covers body and avoid to eat and drink in public.
Eid al-Fitr (Festival of Breaking Fast)
Friday–Sunday, 20–22 March 2026:After ramadan eid ul fitar is a blessing for muslims. This festival is considered biggest dubai holidays. Before eid and the last days of ramadan markets will open for a long time.
But some dining places close in day time. Eid ul fitr is a day when families visit each other homes, give gifts, fireworks and many more interesting activities.
Arafat- Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Arafat Day or the day before Eid is considered a day off. This is the day that Hajj is carried out in Mecca.
Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice)
4-day holiday from Wednesday to Friday, 27–30 May 2026: The festival recalls the time when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son. People decided then to spend time with their families and eat together.
Most of the shops and businesses, as it has been the custom, are closed during the Eid period, and it is being expected that they will be open again on May 30.
Al-Hijri (Islamic New Year)
Tuesday and Wednesday, 16–17 June 2026. This marks the start of the Islamic New Year. It is a public holiday in the UAE.
Prophet Muhammad’s Day of Birth
Tuesday, 25 August 2026: A day off again. People generally adorn the mosques with colorful lights and fresh flowers, but the celebrations are not as much as during Eid.
Commemoration Day 2026
Monday, 30 November 2026. This day honors the heroes of the United Arab Emirates.
UAE National Day 2026
Wednesday–Thursday, 2–3 December 2026: 55 years of the union.
Dubai private schools (from September to June) are on holiday during the mentioned dates. The Winter Break is approximately from 8 Dec 2025 to 4 Jan 2026. The Spring Break is in the middle of March 2026 (around 16–29 Mar).
These long school Dubai holidays(especially the four-week winter break) cause the prices of flights and hotels to increase, that is why booking should be done in advance. (Travel agents say that residents of the UAE usually turn the Dec National Day and winter break into a 4–5 week vacation.)
Festive Season & Events in Dubai
National Day (Early December)
UAE National Day is celebrated by Dubai with fireworks, light shows, and drone displays at Dubai Festival City and Downtown. Global Village and parks provide shows events, and exhibitions for all the family.
Christmas & New Year’s
Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates are decorated for the festive season and have Santa’s Grottos. Madinat Jumeirah and Yas Island have winter markets with food and crafts. Ski Dubai and ice rinks are the places to be for Christmas parties.
Fireworks on New Year’s Eve are free and can be seen at Downtown Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, and JBR Beach. Global Village is the place for countdowns and fireworks every hour.
Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF)
The 31st DSF Dec 5 2025 – Jan 11 2026 is when the next DSF will be held. Malls and souks will offer discounts of up to 75%, daily fireworks, and raffle draws for prizes like cars and gold.
Ramadan & Eid
During Ramadan, iftar tents, markets, and cultural events are available in the evening. Hotels provide iftar and suhoor buffets. Eid is the time for families with the shows and fireworks at Global Village.
In addition to these, Dubai is home to the marathon, art and music festivals, Dubai Fitness Challenge, and Dubai Design Week. Check out the Dubai Calendar to know the times.
Flights, Visas, and Tips
One can take flights from London Heathrow or London Gatwick to Dubai any day of the week. A couple of airlines that you may board to fly from London to Dubai are British Airways and Emirates.
Direct flight will take 7 hours and a little more. In case you if you want to save money less you can select flights that stay in cities like Istanbul, Frankfurt, or Abu Dhabi.
Passengers from the UK are allowed to get a visa free at Dubai airport that will be valid for 40 to 90 days. Apart from this, the passport that will be used for getting into Dubai should be valid for at least another 6 months. Dubai is 3 to 4 hours ahead of the UK.
Emirates has direct connections to the first five airports in the USA, New York (JFK), to the middle of the world in Dubai, from New York, Chicago, and Miami. As a rule, the flights are with only one stop either in the Middle East or in Europe. The duration of these flights ranges from 12 to 15 hours.
After landing, Americans are allowed to obtain a 30-day visa, and their passports should be valid for six months beyond the date of travel.
When to Buy Your Ticket
Very cold and dry weather is typical from November to March, and thus the period is the peak one. December and the first days of the New Year are the times when the highest number of people can be met, and thus the hours of very limited accessibility and sky-high prices are those of the days.
The time from 8 December 2025 to 4 January 2026 is when the Dubai schools are on a break, and the prices are increasing because of that if we are talking about winter 2025/26. If you want to get a better deal and book your ticket, you should do it several months before. The tickets will be cheaper if you decide to leave your work during the week and after New Year which starts from January 2.
Booking Tips
- Always check for package offers on the hotel’s official website and travel platforms that are verified.
- Most festivals’ deals come out shortly before the day of travel and may be promotional in nature – so it is better to read reviews before you trade your money for tickets.
- Flight + Hotel Bundles on Booking platforms can be a source of great saving for travelers from the US and the UK.
- Keep up with the Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2025 travel sales if you want to book Dubai holiday packages at a lower price.
Planning Your Visit
- Best Weather: From November to February Weather in Dubai it is really warm and good (the temperature during the day is around 25-30 degrees Celsius, evening are cooler) – this is a perfect time to do beach and other open-air activities. The summer is very hot (usually the temperature is more than 40 degrees Celsius) and humid in the day and it is a little bit hot at night also (in this period, most of the attractions that are available are inside ones are open only early in the morning or late in the afternoon).
- Local Transport: Taxis and metro are good and fast. You can use NOL card on metro, tram and buses (taxis are metered). The Dubai Sightseeing Bus that is aimed at tourists covers most of the attractions that you can visit.
- Costs: Dubai can be quite expensive regarding food and things to do. People with low travel budgets should make their reservations in advance. Street foods are available and people should eat at local places. Eating places (al-fresco shawarma stands, South Asian/Filipino restaurants) that serve local food will be less expensive if compared to hotels.
Dubai’s holiday season has a lot to offer to each person, from the National Day’s cultural festivals to the sparkling Christmas lights and the shopping of a very high class. If they decide when to come (flight and hotel have to be booked very early), people from the UK and US will be able to have not only a calm but also a very nice and unforgettable holiday in this city.
