GCC Long Weekends
2026 long weekends across the GCC, compared.
United Arab Emirates tops on count (8). United Arab Emirates owns the longest single break (5 days). United Arab Emirates delivers the most days off without using any leave (14).
Side by side
Total breaks, leave-day cost, and the longest single run per country.
| Country | Working week | Breaks | No leave | +1 leave | Longest | Days off / leave |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates → | Mon–Fri | 8 | 4 | 4 | 5D | 31 / 4 |
| Saudi Arabia → | Sun–Thu | 7 | 4 | 3 | 5D | 26 / 3 |
| Qatar → | Sun–Thu | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4D | 13 / 0 |
| Bahrain → | Sun–Thu | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4D | 14 / 0 |
| Kuwait → | Sun–Thu | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4D | 14 / 0 |
| Oman → | Sun–Thu | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4D | 14 / 0 |
When the breaks fall
Each dot is a long weekend; bridge breaks are sand, natural breaks are dark green. Click a country to drill in.
Frequently asked
Which GCC country has the most long weekends in 2026?
United Arab Emirates has 8 three-day-plus breaks in 2026 (4 need no leave, 4 with one leave day). Saudi Arabia: 7. Qatar: 4.
What is the longest single break across the GCC in 2026?
5 consecutive days off in United Arab Emirates: Sat, Nov 28 – Wed, Dec 2 (one leave day).
Which country gives the most days off without using any leave?
United Arab Emirates delivers 14 days off across 4 natural breaks in 2026 — without touching annual leave.
Why do the dates differ between countries?
Lunar holidays (Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, Islamic New Year, Mawlid, Isra and Mi'raj) are announced by each country's moon-sighting committee independently. UAE, Saudi, and Qatar can land Eid on different days. National days are country-specific by definition. The UAE also runs a Mon–Fri working week (since January 2022) while the other five remain Sun–Thu, which shifts which days adjacent to a holiday count as off.
Want the per-country detail with calendar export? UAE · Saudi Arabia · Qatar · Bahrain · Kuwait · Oman.