Ramadan 2026 Begins in Late February, Reshaping Hours, Prices, and Travel

Ramadan is underway across much of the world in late February 2026, bringing a fast-moving shift in daily schedules, business rhythms, and household spending. For governments and employers, the month is triggering formal changes to working hours; for consumers, it is landing amid uneven food-price pressure that is forcing more careful choices at the grocery counter.

Moon-sighting sets the calendar

This year’s Ramadan timing has aligned with mid-to-late February, with the first day of fasting beginning around Wednesday, February 18, 2026, or Thursday, February 19, 2026, depending on local moon-sighting decisions and methods. The split matters because it sets everything downstream—school schedules, public-sector work hours, travel peaks, and the timing of Eid al-Fitr that follows at the end of the month.

For many communities, the timing has meant earlier sunsets and cooler evenings than a spring or summer Ramadan, changing the texture of public life: daytime activity slows, then the streets and shops often rebound after sunset as families gather for iftar and neighborhoods lean into late-night routines.

Shorter working hours across the Gulf

Across parts of the Gulf, reduced workdays are again a defining feature of the month, with public-sector schedules set to accommodate fasting and evening worship. Several governments have issued circulars and official notices that compress standard office hours, with start and end times shifting by country and employer.

In practice, that shift ripples beyond government buildings. Private companies often mirror the change through flexible schedules, earlier meetings, and fewer daytime events. Retail and hospitality typically adapt in the opposite direction—extending late-night operations, planning larger evening crowds, and running promotions tied to pre-iftar shopping and post-iftar dining.

The result is a familiar Ramadan pattern, but one that businesses still have to plan carefully: productivity windows move earlier in the day, commuting patterns change, and staffing needs tilt toward evenings and weekends.

Prices and household budgets under strain

In several markets, Ramadan demand is colliding with stubborn food-price pressures, putting household budgets under renewed stress. Seasonal buying for staples, desserts, and family gatherings can push prices higher even in normal years, and in 2026 some consumers are adjusting traditions—buying smaller quantities, swapping to cheaper ingredients, and trimming non-essentials.

In Egypt, for example, recent local market data and business groups have pointed to noticeable year-over-year increases in selected Ramadan items. The impact is not uniform: some essentials can stabilize when supply is strong, while imported or seasonal products can jump sharply. Families often respond by prioritizing core staples and focusing spending on a smaller number of shared meals rather than maintaining a full spread every night.

At the same time, merchants and supermarkets frequently counter the pressure with targeted discounts, bundle deals, and subsidized “Ramadan boxes” organized by charities, community groups, and employers. Those efforts can soften the blow, but they do not erase the broader reality that food affordability remains a central Ramadan story in 2026.

Travel and aviation run on a different rhythm

Ramadan also changes the mechanics of travel—especially in and out of major Middle East hubs. Airlines and airports typically adjust service patterns around fasting hours, including meal timing on board, special iftar packs for passengers, and modified lounge dining schedules after sunset.

Travel demand can rise for family visits and for those planning ahead for the Eid holiday at the end of Ramadan. At the same time, daytime tourism and business travel can feel quieter in some cities, with many visitors shifting activities to evenings—night markets, late dining, and cultural programs that begin after iftar.

For travelers, the practical effect is simple: expect a calmer daytime pace in many areas, followed by busier nights; and expect some offices and services to operate on shortened schedules.

What to watch next through the month

As of Sunday, February 22, 2026 (ET), the key questions for the remainder of Ramadan are less about the start date and more about how the month’s pressures play out—especially for prices and public services.

Key takeaways

• Working-hour reductions are reshaping daytime business and government activity, while evenings carry more commercial and social traffic.

• Food affordability is a leading pressure point in some countries, pushing consumers toward substitutions and smaller purchases.

• Travel patterns are shifting toward late-night activity, with airlines and airports aligning onboard and terminal services with sunset meal times.

Looking ahead, attention will center on whether food prices cool after the early-month buying surge, how strongly retailers maintain discounts, and how travel volumes build toward the final week of Ramadan and the Eid break that follows.