Public holidays for 2026: Plan your dream vacation now

The government decision to announce in advance the public beginning of each Gregorian year, of the dates of national and religious holidays on an annual basis, will help citizens and residents who want to plan their dream vacations.

Only Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha holidays shall be announced in accordance with the declarations issued by the Main Committee for Determining the start of Hijri Months.

This decision will enable government entities and the private sector to effectively organize and regulate their daily, quarterly, and annual work schedules and programs.

It will also contribute to avoiding any overlap between official holidays and the dates of local and international events organized by governmental or private entities

According to travel advisories by agencies like Skyscanner and others, planning holidays helps you save money, find better availability (flights, hotels), reduce stress, and allows for flexible travel dates by using it to get cheaper deals before peak seasons.

Early booking, around 6 months before out for international can secure lower prices before they rise due to demand. Airlines often release cheaper fares when flights first become available, as per Skyscanner.

It may be noted that national airlines Oman Air and SalamAir already have some new destinations with bookings already started in advance.

According to the Schengen Visa Code, a traveller can apply for a Schengen visa up to six months before the date of travel.

Travellers can apply for Schengen visas up to six months before the intended date of travel, and we urge applicants to plan and apply for their visas well in advance to avoid any delays, according to VFS Global.

Last-minute plans run the risk of appointment slots being unavailable or delays in getting a decision on the visa due to the high volumes of applications in process at the Embassy/Consulate.

The decision will be beneficial for domestic tourism as citizens and residents can plan their vacations in local resorts and hotels well in advance, without worrying about last-minute changes to holiday dates.

With all holidays now known, it is easy to distribute the domestic and foreign travels, as per the climatic conditions of the planned destinations.

Accordingly, the dates of the national and religious holidays for the year 2026 shall be as follows:

HM's Accession Day: Thursday, 15 January 2026.

National Day: Wednesday and Thursday, November 25 and 26.

Al Isra'a Wal Miraj: Sunday, January 18, 2026.

Hijri New Year: Thursday, June 18, 2026

Prophet Muhammad's Birthday: Thursday, August 27, 2026.

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