Eid Al Fitr Holiday in the UAE 2027: Expected Dates, Days Off and Trip Ideas

The short answer: Eid Al Fitr 2027 is expected around Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March 2027, depending on whether Ramadan runs 29 or 30 days. The official holiday is the same for government and private-sector staff under Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024: on current projections it runs 3 days (Tuesday to Thursday) if Ramadan is 29 days, or 6 days with the weekend (Tuesday to Sunday) if it runs the full 30. Three days of annual leave around it can stretch the break to nine days, from Saturday 6 to Sunday 14 March. None of this is confirmed yet: the exact date depends on moon sighting a day or two beforehand.

Eid Al Fitr 2027 in the UAE at a glance

Detail	Expected
Eid Al Fitr (1 Shawwal)	Tuesday 9 March 2027 (29-day Ramadan) or Wednesday 10 March 2027 (30-day Ramadan)
Holiday for a 29-day Ramadan	Tue 9 – Thu 11 March (3 days); Friday 12 a working day
Holiday for a 30-day Ramadan	Tue 9 (bonus Ramadan-30 day) – Sun 14 March (6 days)
Who gets it	Public and private sectors alike, one official list since Resolution No. 27 of 2024
Nine-day break	Take Monday 8 and, if needed, Friday 12 March off, for Sat 6 – Sun 14 March
2026, for comparison	Eid fell on Friday 20 March; the actual holiday ran Thu 19 – Sun 22 March, 4 days, for both sectors
Pay for working on Eid (private sector)	A replacement rest day, or normal pay plus at least 50% of basic wage for that day

How the 2027 Eid Al Fitr holiday is expected to work

Eid Al Fitr always covers 1 to 3 Shawwal, and the UAE adds the final day of Ramadan as a holiday too whenever the month runs the full 30 days, a pattern confirmed in 2026. For 2027, the new moon falls on 8 March, and calculations suggest it will be hard or impossible to see from the UAE that evening. That favours a 30-day Ramadan, with Eid Al Fitr on Wednesday 10 March and six days off. Sightings have differed from calculations by a day before, so both scenarios stay open until the committee meets:

• Ramadan ends at 29 days. The crescent is sighted on the evening of Monday 8 March, Eid Al Fitr falls on Tuesday 9 March, and the holiday runs Tuesday to Thursday, 9–11 March. Friday 12 March is a working day, with the normal Saturday–Sunday weekend after it.
• Ramadan ends at 30 days. The crescent is not sighted on 8 March, Tuesday 9 March becomes an added holiday for the final day of Ramadan, Eid Al Fitr itself falls on Wednesday 10 March, and the holiday runs through Thursday and Friday into the weekend: Tuesday 9 to Sunday 14 March, six days in total.

Either way, Tuesday 9 March is the earliest date to plan around; the real question is whether the break stops at Thursday or carries through to Sunday. These are expected dates based on recent years' rules, not the Cabinet's official 2027 list, which is not published this far ahead; see our UAE public holidays 2027 guide for the same projections against the rest of the year.

How the holiday is set and announced

The actual date is decided by a moon-sighting committee, formed under the UAE Council for Fatwa, which meets on the evening of the 29th day of Ramadan, usually with the announcement coming late at night. Since Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, the government and private sectors share a single official holiday list, so FAHR (for federal entities) and MOHRE (for the private sector) issue matching circulars once the sighting result is known. Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha are excluded from the Cabinet's separate power to shift a holiday to the start or end of the working week, so the dates always follow the Hijri calendar exactly, even when that leaves a short midweek break.

What happened in 2026

Ramadan 2026 began on Wednesday 18 February and ran the full 30 days: the moon was not sighted on the evening of 18 March, so Thursday 19 March was added as a holiday, and Eid Al Fitr itself was confirmed for Friday 20 March 2026. Both the federal government and the private sector ended up with the same four-day break, Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 March, resuming work on Monday 23 March. MOHRE had pre-announced a shorter private-sector window of 19–21 March, with the extension to the 22nd contingent on a 30-day Ramadan, exactly what happened once the sighting result came in.

Pay if you work on Eid in the private sector

If your employer asks you to work on an Eid Al Fitr public holiday, Article 28 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 entitles you to one of two things: a replacement rest day, or your normal daily wage plus a premium of at least 50% of your basic wage for that day. This covers every UAE public holiday and applies to staff of any grade. Agree which option applies before the day and check your payslip afterwards; if neither appears, raise it with MOHRE.

Turning it into a nine-day break

On the 30-day scenario, the holiday already runs Tuesday 9 to Sunday 14 March. Taking Monday 8 March off as leave stretches that to a nine-day break, Saturday 6 to Sunday 14 March. If the shorter, 29-day scenario plays out instead, add Friday 12 March too, for the same window. Book the leave early: in most offices, days around Eid go to whoever asks first, and the dates are usually settled only a few weeks ahead.

Eid holidays in the UAE

The UAE marks two Eids a year, both tied to the Hijri calendar and both excluded from the Cabinet's holiday-shifting power. Eid Al Fitr, covered here, follows the end of Ramadan; Eid Al Adha falls around 70 days later, during the Hajj season, expected around 15–18 May 2027 (Arafah Day plus three days of Eid). Eid Al Fitr tends to be a quieter, family-first break after a month of fasting and shorter hours, while Eid Al Adha usually lands in a hotter month and is the bigger long weekend of the two. See our Eid Al Adha holiday guide for the May dates and its own nine-day leave idea.

Where to go for 4, 6 and 9 days

March sits in a good weather window for several short- and medium-haul destinations from Dubai, though it is also when Bali marks Nyepi (Day of Silence), on Monday 8 March 2027: the island's airport closes from 6am on 8 March to 6am on 9 March, so check that date carefully before booking a Bali trip over Eid.

• 4 days: Oman. Muscat is about an hour away by air and Musandam's fjords are a day trip from Ras Al Khaimah or Dubai. March is warm and mostly dry, with daytime highs around 25–32°C on the coast. Many UAE residents qualify for an Oman e-visa applied for online; see Oman visa services, our Oman visa guide and Musandam trip guide, or book a Musandam day tour directly: Musandam Dibba Tour from AED 190 or Musandam Khasab Tour from AED 550.
• 6 days: Sri Lanka or Thailand. March sits inside Sri Lanka's west and south coast dry season, with whale-watching off Mirissa near its peak; check the entry rules for your passport before you book, and see best time to visit Sri Lanka and our Sri Lanka visa guide. Thailand is already hot and mostly dry by March, fine for Phuket or Pattaya beaches, and many nationalities, including Indian, Filipino, UK and US passports, currently travel visa-free for 30 days; our Thailand package (5N/6D, Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket) starts from AED 2,500 on Asian holiday packages, and see the Thailand visa guide.
• 9 days: Vietnam. Our Vietnam Heritage Journey (8D/7N, Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City) runs from AED 7,200 on Asian holiday packages. The north is cool and misty in March (roughly 18–27°C in Hanoi); the south is already hot and dry (near 29–35°C in Ho Chi Minh City). Vietnam's e-visa, open to every nationality, has a stated 3-working-day turnaround; see our Vietnam visa guide. To stay in one country instead, our Bali 4N/5D package from AED 3,899, or Magical Bali Adventure from AED 4,799, can both be extended with extra nights, bearing in mind the Nyepi caveat above.

Whichever length you choose, start the visa process as soon as your dates firm up, since Eid Al Fitr itself can only be confirmed a day or two ahead.

Booking tips for Eid Al Fitr 2027

• Fares rise as the holiday nears. Return fares from Dubai to popular routes climb in the weeks before Eid Al Fitr and usually ease once the break ends, so book as soon as your leave is agreed.
• Keep your ticket flexible. The exact date depends on moon sighting, so your flight could land a day earlier or later than planned; fare classes with free date changes are worth the extra cost this close to the holiday.
• Book visas as soon as your trip is fixed. E-visas for Vietnam, Thailand and Oman are usually quick, but Schengen and UK applications can take weeks.

Plan your Eid Al Fitr trip with Holidayys

If you are building a trip around the 2027 Eid Al Fitr break, tell us your likely dates, how many people are travelling and their passports, and we will put together flights, hotels and visas that work whichever way the holiday falls. Browse our packages, escorted tours and visa services, or message us on WhatsApp +971 4 589 0001 or through our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

When is Eid Al Fitr 2027 in the UAE?

Expected around Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March 2027, depending on whether Ramadan runs 29 or 30 days. The exact date is confirmed only a day or two beforehand, by moon sighting.

How many days off is Eid Al Fitr 2027?

On current projections, 3 days (Tuesday to Thursday, 9–11 March) if Ramadan is 29 days, or 6 days including the weekend (Tuesday 9 to Sunday 14 March) if Ramadan runs the full 30.

Do private-sector employees get the same Eid holiday as government staff?

Yes. Since Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, the public and private sectors in the UAE follow the same official holiday list, including for both Eids.

What happened with Eid Al Fitr in the UAE in 2026?

Eid Al Fitr 2026 fell on Friday 20 March, after Ramadan ran the full 30 days. Both sectors had the same four-day break, Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 March, resuming work on Monday 23 March.

Do I get extra pay if I have to work on Eid Al Fitr in the private sector?

If your employer requires it, UAE Labour Law entitles you to either a replacement rest day or your normal pay plus at least a 50% premium on your basic wage for that day, under Article 28 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.

How can I turn Eid Al Fitr 2027 into a nine-day break?

Take Monday 8 March off (and Friday 12 March too, if the shorter scenario applies) for a break running Saturday 6 to Sunday 14 March 2027.

Related guides

• Ramadan 2027 in the UAE: expected dates and working hours
• Eid Al Adha holiday in the UAE 2027
• UAE public holidays 2027 and how to make nine-day breaks
• Best time to visit Sri Lanka
• Oman visa for UAE residents

Last checked 9 October 2026 against the UAE Government portal (u.ae), the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation and Federal Authority for Government Human Resources circulars, Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, and reporting from WAM, Gulf News and Khaleej Times on the 2026 Eid Al Fitr holiday. The 2027 dates are expected, not an official announcement, and depend on moon sighting, so confirm nearer the date before booking leave, flights or visas.