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Smoking is a health hazard and is not permitted in most public areas of airports. However, some airports provide designated smoking areas, both indoors and outdoors, where smokers can light up. These areas are usually located before and after passport control, near ticketing and baggage claim, or in specific lounges. Some airports that allow indoor smoking include Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport, Miami International Airport, and Nashville International Airport. If you plan to smoke at an airport, it is important to check their smoking policy and allow enough time to pass through security again if you leave the gate area.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Smoking inside the aircraft | Banned on all flights of US airlines since 1994 |
| Smokefree indoor policies in airports | 23 of the world's 50 busiest airports |
| Airports with indoor smoking areas | Las Vegas, Miami, Tennessee, Memphis, Nashville, Cincinnati-Northern KY, Biloxi, McCarran, Memphis, Mumbai, Istanbul, Beijing, Shanghai, Bangkok |
| Airports with outdoor smoking areas | Tampa, Greenville-Spartanburg, LAX, Denver, Salt Lake City |
| Airports with indoor and outdoor smoking areas | Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, India |
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What You'll Learn
Airports with smoking areas
While many airports now enforce a 100% smoke-free indoor policy, there are still some airports that provide designated smoking areas.
Miami International Airport (MIA), USA
Miami International Airport has a designated smoking area outside the terminals on the Arrivals and Departures levels across from Concourse D, E, F, H, and J. Smoking is also permitted in an open-air atrium attached to the airport's TGI Fridays restaurant near Gate D-36. However, the airport does not permit the use of e-cigarettes indoors.
Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas, USA
Las Vegas International Airport has the most areas where smoking is permitted out of the three major US airports that still have indoor smoking areas. These include Barney's Lounge (C gates), the Budweiser Racing Track Lounge in the Esplanade Pre-Security area, and enclosed gaming lounges at B, C, D, and E Gates. There are also designated outdoor smoking areas near ticketing and baggage claim.
Nashville International Airport, Tennessee, USA
Nashville International Airport is another of the three major US airports that still have indoor smoking areas. Smoking is permitted in the Travelers Post, Concourse B.
Ataturk Airport, Istanbul, Turkey
Ataturk Airport in Istanbul has smoking lounges located throughout the airport in both the departure and arrival terminals. In Terminal 1, the smoking lounge is located in the arrival hall next to Belt Five, and in departures between Gates 26 and 27. Terminal 2 has smoking lounges at Level 4 retail, Gate 28 (international departures), Level 3 retail, Gate 42, and Gate 47 (domestic departures). There are additional lounges in the arrivals hall on Level 2, between Belts 1 and 2, near Belt 5, and near Belt 12.
Mumbai Airport, India
Mumbai Airport has smoking lounges in both the departure and arrival terminals. The locations in Terminal 1 include the arrival hall next to Belt Five and departures between Gates 26 and 27. Terminal 2 has smoking lounges at Level 4 retail, Gate 28 (international departures), Level 3 retail, Gate 42, and Gate 47 (domestic departures). There are also additional lounges in the arrivals hall on Level 2, between bag Belts 1 and 2, near Belt 5, and near Belt 12.
Other Airports
Other airports that still allow indoor smoking include Memphis, Cincinnati-Northern KY, and Biloxi in the USA. Additionally, some airports, such as Indianapolis, are also smoke-free outdoors, eliminating smoking near building entrances and shuttle stops.
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Airports with indoor smoking areas
While smoking is prohibited in most airports, there are still a few airports that allow smoking indoors. Here is a list of airports with indoor smoking areas:
Miami International Airport (MIA), USA:
Miami International Airport has designated smoking areas outside the terminals on the Arrivals and Departures levels across Concourse D, E, F, H, and J. In addition, smoking is permitted in an open-air atrium attached to the airport's TGI Fridays restaurant near Gate D-36. However, it is important to note that Miami International Airport does not permit e-cigarette use indoors.
McCarran Las Vegas International Airport, USA:
Las Vegas International Airport has multiple designated smoking areas, including Barney's Lounge (C gates), the Budweiser Racing Track Lounge in the Esplanade Pre-Security area, and enclosed gaming lounges at B, C, D, and E Gates. The airport also has designated outdoor smoking areas near ticketing and baggage claim.
Nashville International Airport, USA:
Nashville International Airport allows smoking in the Travelers Post, Concourse B.
Memphis International Airport, USA:
Memphis International Airport permits indoor smoking. However, specific designated smoking areas within the airport are not mentioned.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, India:
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, India, has smoking lounges in both the departure and arrival terminals. In Terminal 1, the smoking lounges are located in the arrival hall next to Belt Five and between Gates 26 and 27 for departures. Terminal 2 smoking lounges are located at Level 4 retail, Gate 28 (international departures), Level 3 retail, and Gates 42 and 47 (domestic departures). There are also additional lounges in the arrivals hall on Level 2, between Belts 1 and 2, near Belt 5, and near Belt 12.
Ataturk Airport, Istanbul, Turkey:
Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, provides smoking lounges for passengers who want to smoke before their flight or during transit.
Other Airports:
In addition to the airports mentioned above, Cincinnati-Northern KY, Biloxi, and Tennessee airports in the USA also allow indoor smoking. However, specific details about the designated smoking areas within these airports are not readily available.
It is important to note that the availability of indoor smoking areas in airports is subject to change over time, and airports may update their smoking policies. Therefore, it is always a good idea to check the latest information on the official websites of the airports or contact them directly for the most up-to-date smoking regulations.
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Airports with outdoor smoking areas
While smoking is banned in all flights worldwide and in most airports, there are still some airports that provide designated smoking areas.
Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport (MIA) does not permit e-cigarette use indoors. However, smoking is permitted outside the terminals on the Arrivals and Departures levels across from Concourse D, E, F, H, and J. There is also an open-air atrium attached to the airport's TGI Fridays restaurant near Gate D-36 where smoking is allowed.
Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport
Las Vegas International Airport has the most areas where smoking is permitted. Designated smoking areas include Barney's Lounge (C gates), the Budweiser Racing Track Lounge in the Esplanade Pre-Security area, and enclosed gaming lounges at B, C, D, and E Gates. There are also outdoor smoking areas near ticketing and baggage claim.
Nashville International Airport
Nashville International Airport allows smoking in the Travelers Post, Concourse B.
Mumbai Airport, India
Mumbai Airport has smoking lounges in both the departure and arrival terminals. In Terminal 1, the smoking lounges are located in the arrival hall next to Belt Five and departures between Gates 26 and 27. Terminal 2 smoking lounges are located at Level 4 retail, Gate 28 (international departures), Level 3 retail, Gate 42, and Gate 47 (domestic departures). There are also additional lounges in the arrivals hall on Level 2, between Belts 1 and 2, near Belt 5, and near Belt 12.
Ataturk Airport, Istanbul, Turkey
Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, has smoking lounges located throughout the airport.
In addition to the above, there are a few other airports that still allow indoor smoking, including Memphis, Cincinnati-Northern KY, and Biloxi. However, there is a growing trend towards smokefree airports worldwide, with many major hubs now 100% smokefree, including Beijing, Shanghai, Bangkok, and 32 of the top 35 US airports.
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Airports with smoking lounges
While smoking is banned in most airports across the globe, there are still a few that provide designated smoking lounges.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, India
This airport has smoking lounges in both the departure and arrival terminals. In Terminal 1, the smoking area is located in the arrival hall next to Belt Five, and in departures between Gates 26 and 27. Terminal 2 has smoking areas in the Level 4 retail area, Gate 28 (international departures), Level 3 retail, and Gates 42 and 47 (domestic departures). There are also additional lounges in the arrivals hall on Level 2, between Belts 1 and 2, near Belt 5, and near Belt 12.
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Amsterdam, Netherlands
This airport has a smoking lounge located in the transit area of Terminal T1. The lounge is spacious and can accommodate many passengers. The Graycliff Cigar Company also offers two in-house smoking lounges at Concourse B by Gate B-10 and Concourse C by Gate C-10. There are also several smoking lounges and rooms located before and after passport control. Before passport control, smoking areas are located outside Schiphol Plaza, and after passport control, most smoking lounges are located inside airport bars.
Miami International Airport (MIA), Miami, USA
Miami International Airport has an open-air atrium attached to the airport's TGI Fridays restaurant near Gate D-36, where smoking is permitted. Smoking is also permitted outside the terminals on the Arrivals and Departures levels across from Concourse D, E, F, H, and J. However, the airport does not permit e-cigarette use indoors.
Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas, USA
Las Vegas International Airport has the most areas where smoking is permitted among the three major US airports that still have indoor smoking areas. These include Barney's Lounge (C gates), the Budweiser Racing Track Lounge in the Esplanade Pre-Security area, and enclosed gaming lounges at B, C, D, and E Gates. Smoking is also permitted in designated outdoor areas near ticketing and baggage claim.
It is important to note that the availability and location of smoking lounges may change over time, and it is always a good idea to check the airport's website or contact them directly for the most up-to-date information. Additionally, smoking lounges may have age restrictions and other regulations that should be followed.
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Leaving the airport to smoke
While some airports have smoking lounges, many airports around the world have strict no-smoking policies and do not permit smoking indoors. Airports that still allow indoor smoking include Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Miami International Airport, and Nashville International Airport. At Nashville International Airport, smoking is permitted in Travelers Post, Concourse B. Las Vegas International Airport has the most areas where smoking is permitted, including designated outdoor areas near ticketing and baggage claim areas, enclosed gaming lounges, and Barney's Lounge. Miami International Airport permits smoking in a partially open-air atrium attached to the airport's TGI Fridays restaurant near Gate D-36.
Some airports provide designated smoking areas outside, such as Denver International Airport, which has a smoking area outside the south center doors of the terminal. Greenville-Spartanburg Airport also has a courtyard attached to the terminal with a smoking corner, fountains, tables, and a walking path. LAX and Tampa Airport also have outdoor smoking areas.
If you are planning to leave the airport to smoke, please allow enough time to return to the terminal and pass through security again.
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Frequently asked questions
It depends on the airport. Some airports, such as McCarran Las Vegas, Miami International, Nashville International, and Memphis International, have designated indoor smoking areas. Others, like Denver International, only have designated smoking areas outside the terminal. At airports without designated smoking areas, you may have to leave the airport premises to smoke. Keep in mind that you will need to pass through security again if you leave the airport.
Yes, many airports around the world are now 100% smoke-free, including major hubs in Asia like Beijing, Shanghai, and Bangkok. As of April 1, 2025, 32 of the top 35 US airports had 100% smoke-free indoor air policies.
Yes, there are smoking areas at airports outside of the United States. For example, the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, and the airport in Mumbai, India, have smoking lounges in both the departure and arrival terminals.
