Carmen
Travel editor at Reisedrop · 2026-09-29
Smart family travel planning in the Gulf starts with the school calendar. Term dates differ between Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, and Eid holidays move with the Hijri calendar every year – so here we explain the logic and the planning method, and always recommend checking your country's official Ministry of Education calendar before booking.
The Saudi system: three terms
Saudi schools follow a three-term system with breaks between terms in addition to the long summer holiday. Those short mid-year breaks are a treasure for travellers: travel windows outside the global summer peak, often with gentler prices and nicer European weather.
UAE, Qatar and Kuwait
Schools in the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait generally follow an academic year running from late summer to early the following summer, with a winter break around New Year and a spring break – and exact dates differ between public and private schools and between international curricula. The golden rule: fix your dates from your own children's school calendar, not just the general one.
The two Eids: the priciest and most beautiful window
Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha holidays move with the Hijri calendar and shift earlier in the Gregorian calendar every year. Because the whole region travels at the same time, flight and hotel prices rise sharply – travel at Eid means booking very early, while saving money means flying a few days before or after the wave.
The savings strategy
The three best tricks for families: first, use the short between-term breaks instead of the summer peak. Second, compare departures from more than one airport – sometimes flying from Jeddah instead of Riyadh, or the reverse, saves a meaningful amount for the whole family. Third, activate price alerts on your favourite destinations weeks before school results are announced.
An important note
We deliberately show no specific dates here: school calendars are updated annually and can change. Before any non-refundable booking, check the official Ministry of Education calendar or your children's school. And when in doubt, choose a flexible fare – peace of mind is worth the difference.
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