Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 7 August 2026:Dubai Airports hosted the Dubai Mallathon initiative, launched by His Highness 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,at Dubai International (DXB),in line with the leadership’s vision of making health and wellbeing a natural part of everyday life, and bringing the citywide wellbeing initiative to an airport environment for the very first time, by transforming DXB into an indoor walking track.
The firstDubai Mallathon at DXB session took place at Terminal 3 Departures, bringing together Dubai Airports employees, members of the wider oneDXB community and People of Determination for two morning indoor walks. The programme is part of DXB’s wider efforts to reimagine what an airport can be, support employee wellbeing, and bring the airport community together through shared experiences.
Majed Al Joker, Chief Operating Officer at Dubai Airports said: “We’re proud to host The Dubai Mallathonin its second edition here at DXB. This is aninitiativewe can all get behind because it encourages people to be part of something that’s more than just exercise. This is a community-driven movement that fits around shifts, work locations, and daily routines and where small steps make a big impact. DXB is the perfect location for indoor walks because airports are places of movement by nature, and this initiativegives our employees and oneDXB communityanother way to come together, stay active and support Dubai’s wider wellbeing ambitions.”
Welcoming Dubai Airports’ participation in the initiative, Demaithan Al Qamzi, General Coordinator of Dubai Mallathon, said hosting activities at Dubai International Airport is a significant addition to the initiative, extending its reach to airport employees, the wider airport community and travellers.Al Qamzi said the move reflects how Dubai Mallathon has evolved beyond a traditional sporting initiative into a community movement that brings physical activity into people’s workplaces and daily lives, in line with the leadership’s vision of reinforcing Dubai’s position as the world’s best city to live and work.
Hosting this initiative reflects Dubai Airports’ commitment to making physical activity more accessible within one of the city’s liveliestpublic spaces, contributing to Dubai’s broader vision of creating healthier, more connected communities in line with the Dubai Quality of Life Strategy 2033.
Further sessions will take place at key locations across Terminal 3 every Friday throughout August, uniting hundreds of colleagues, airport community partners and members of the public. The final session, on 28 August, will pay homage to Emirati Women’s Day, as Dubai Airports invitesoneDXB community members to join the walk and celebrate the contributions of Emirati women across the organisation and the wider aviation sector.
Dubai Mallathon is a citywide fitness initiative launched by His Highness 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 Dubai’s malls into air-conditioned walking and running tracks during the summer months, making fitness more accessible to people of all ages and abilities.The 2025 edition welcomed over 40,000 participants and recorded over 120 million steps across participating malls. It also earned a Guinness World Records title for the Most Runners in a Mall Run Event.
The 2026 edition of Dubai Mallathon runs citywide until 15 September across participating malls, with Dubai Airports becoming the first non-mall venue to host the event, extending the spirit of the initiativeinto DXB.
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About Dubai Airports
- Dubai Airports operates both of Dubai’s airports, Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC).
- As an integrator, Dubai Airports works to balance the interests of all stakeholders to maintain aviation growth, protect operational resilience and ensure that service providers collaborate to provide a safe and secure service, and improve customer experience whilst maintaining a sustainable business.
- In 2025, DXB welcomed a record 95.2 million guests, marking the busiest year in its history and the highest annual international traffic ever recorded by any airport.
- DWC embodies Dubai’s vision for the future of aviation. With expansion plans announced in May 2024, involving a record investment of US$35b, DWC aims to reshape the aviation landscape.
- Over the next decade, DWC will accommodate 150m passengers annually, eventually expanding to 260m passengers and 12m tonnes of cargo.
- With five runways, futuristic design and seamless intermodal connectivity, DWC aims to revolutionise global air travel, setting new standards for efficiency and guest experience for the next 50 years.
- High-resolution images of DXB are available here: Media Library
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