Dubai Mallathon at DXB Concludes with Emirati Women’s Day Celebrations at Terminal 3
By Thasmiya
Dubai International Airport has wrapped up its first-ever series of **Dubai Mallathon walks at DXB**, with the finale celebrating Emirati women and their contribution to aviation and the wider UAE community.
The special event brought Emirati women, airport colleagues, families and members of the public together for a celebratory indoor walk through **Terminal 3**, combining fitness, community and recognition of Emirati women.
## **Dubai Mallathon came to an airport for the first time**
Dubai International Airport became the **first non-mall venue** to host Dubai Mallathon when the initiative expanded to DXB this summer.
Throughout August, Terminal 3 was transformed into an indoor walking environment, giving Dubai Airports employees, oneDXB partners, People of Determination and members of the public an opportunity to stay active in an air-conditioned setting.
The airport programme ran across four Friday sessions, extending the Mallathon concept beyond Dubai’s shopping centres and into one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs. Dubai Airports said thousands of people participated across the DXB sessions.
## **Finale celebrates Emirati women**
The concluding walk formed part of Dubai Airports’ month-long programme marking **Emirati Women’s Day**.
Members of the **Dubai Airports Women’s Network (DAWN)** joined other participants for the event, which was organised around the theme **“Moving Forward. Emerging Together.”**
The celebration recognised the achievements and contributions of Emirati women working across Dubai Airports, the aviation industry and the UAE.
It also highlighted DAWN’s work in creating opportunities for colleagues to connect, learn from one another and develop supportive professional networks.
## **Four Fridays of movement at DXB**
Dubai Airports described the finale as the conclusion of its first series of Mallathon walks.
Rather than treating the airport simply as a place for passengers to arrive and depart, the initiative used Terminal 3 as a space for physical activity, employee wellbeing and community connection.
The first DXB session took place at Terminal 3 Departures and included two morning indoor walks. Further sessions were then held at key locations across Terminal 3 on Fridays throughout August.
The airport edition was also designed to fit around the realities of an aviation workplace, including different shifts, work locations and daily routines.
## **Part of a much bigger Dubai fitness initiative**
Dubai Mallathon was launched under the direction of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.
The initiative transforms major indoor spaces into air-conditioned walking and running tracks during summer, making exercise more accessible when outdoor temperatures are high.
The 2026 edition began on **June 15** and is scheduled to continue at participating malls until **September 15**.
By August 22, more than **100,000 participants** had already taken part in the second edition, collectively recording more than **220 million steps**.
## **Which malls are participating?**
The 2026 programme expanded across major shopping destinations in Dubai.
Participating locations include Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Mirdif, Dubai Festival City Mall, City Centre Deira, Dubai Hills Mall, Gate Avenue at DIFC and Ibn Battuta Mall.
The main mall programme operates daily between **6am and 10am**, providing dedicated walking and running routes inside air-conditioned environments.
So while the **DXB edition has concluded**, the wider Dubai Mallathon programme is scheduled to continue at participating malls until September 15.
## **From shopping malls to Dubai International Airport**
Bringing the initiative to DXB was a significant expansion of the concept.
Airports are already environments built around movement, with thousands of employees and travellers walking through terminals every day. Dubai Airports used that setting to create organised opportunities for exercise while bringing different parts of the airport community together.
Dubai Airports Chief Operating Officer Majed Al Joker previously said the programme supports employee wellbeing while creating opportunities for colleagues and the wider oneDXB community to connect.
## **Why the Emirati Women’s Day finale mattered**
The concluding event connected two themes: **wellbeing and recognition**.
Rather than holding only a traditional ceremony, participants marked Emirati Women’s Day through a shared physical activity.
Dubai Airports said the walk celebrated Emirati women who are helping shape the future of aviation while creating an opportunity for colleagues, families and the wider community to participate together.
## **Dubai Mallathon’s growth**
Dubai Mallathon was first introduced in 2025 and attracted more than **40,000 participants**, who collectively recorded more than **120 million steps**.
The inaugural edition also achieved a Guinness World Records title after **1,392 people** participated in a single mall running event at Dubai Hills Mall.
Its expansion in 2026—including new mall locations and the first airport edition at DXB—shows how the initiative is developing beyond a conventional summer fitness programme.
## **Why this matters**
The conclusion of Dubai Mallathon at DXB demonstrates how everyday indoor spaces can be used differently during the UAE summer.
For four Fridays, Terminal 3 became more than an airport terminal. It provided a place for movement, wellbeing and connection among employees and the wider airport community.
Ending the programme with an Emirati Women’s Day celebration also gave the final walk a wider purpose, recognising the women contributing to Dubai’s aviation sector while bringing the community together.
And while the airport edition has crossed its finish line, residents still have time to participate in the wider **Dubai Mallathon until September 15, 2026** at participating malls.
## **Source Credits**
Information source/resource owners: Emirates News Agency (WAM), Dubai Airports, Government of Dubai Media Office and Dubai Mallathon.
## **Image Credits**
**Primary image credit/resource owner:** Dubai Airports / Emirates News Agency (WAM).
WAM article and official event image
Dubai Media Office – Dubai Mallathon at DXB