Roberta Aguirre
Smoking has been progressively banned in airports and on flights around the world. As of 2024, nearly all U.S. hub airports are 100% smoke-free indoors, and many airports internationally are also 100% smokefree. However, some airports still provide designated smoking areas, both indoors and outdoors, and a small number of U.S. airports continue to permit smoking in the airport in designated indoor areas.
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What You'll Learn
Smoking indoors at airports is now rare, but some still allow it
Outside of the U.S., the availability of indoor smoking areas in airports varies by country and region. For example, Canadian airports generally only allow smoking in designated outdoor areas, while some airports in Germany, Portugal, and Turkey have indoor smoking lounges. In Asia, major hubs like Beijing, Shanghai, and Bangkok have gone completely smokefree.
The presence of smoking rooms in airports has been a topic of debate. Some argue that these rooms only benefit a small percentage of travellers who smoke, while others point out that they help keep secondhand smoke away from non-smokers. Health concerns have been raised, as exposure to secondhand smoke, even in brief low levels, can trigger health issues in at-risk individuals.
Despite the decreasing availability of indoor smoking areas in airports, travellers who smoke can still find designated smoking lounges or outdoor areas at many airports. These areas are typically equipped with smoke extractors to mitigate the spread of smoke throughout the airport. As smoking rates continue to decline and health concerns take centre stage, it is likely that indoor smoking areas at airports will become even rarer.
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Airports with indoor smoking areas
As of 2024, nearly all U.S. hub airports are 100% smoke-free indoors. However, some airports still allow indoor smoking, including Las Vegas, Memphis, Nashville, Cincinnati-Northern KY, and Biloxi. Las Vegas International Airport, for instance, has the most areas where smoking is permitted, including Barney's Lounge (C gates) and the Budweiser Racing Track Lounge in the Esplanade Pre-Security area. Nashville International Airport also permits smoking in the Travelers Post, Concourse B.
Miami International Airport is another major US airport that permits smoking in an 'open-air' atrium attached to the airport's TGI Fridays restaurant near Gate D-36. However, it does not permit e-cigarette use indoors.
Outside of the US, smoking is permitted in designated lounges at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, and throughout the departure and arrival terminals at Mumbai Airport in India.
While many airports now have smoke-free indoor policies, some provide designated smoking areas, usually in the form of lounges, both indoors and outdoors. These lounges are often fitted with smoke extractors and can be found using airport maps.
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Airports with outdoor smoking areas
While many airports have banned smoking indoors, some still offer designated smoking areas, including outdoor smoking areas. Here is a list of airports with outdoor smoking areas:
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has at least two smoking lounges in each concourse. These lounges can be found at Concourse B7, B24, C15, C28, D5, D7, E8, E17, and E30. The Heineken Bar & Grill in the centre of Concourse A also permits smoking.
McCarran International Airport (Las Vegas)
McCarran International Airport offers various indoor and outdoor smoking areas. These include Terminal 1 above baggage claim, the Great Hall near Terminal D, and between Gates E1 and E14 in Terminal 3. The Budweiser Racing Track Bar & Grill by Gate C7 also allows smoking.
Washington Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport has lounges located across from Gates B37, C2, and D30.
Nashville International Airport
Nashville International Airport has a Graycliff Cigar Company smoking lounge located near Gates B-10 and C-10.
Miami International Airport (MIA)
Miami International Airport has designated smoking areas 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.
Ataturk Airport (Istanbul, Turkey)
Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, offers special smoking lounges and designated smoking areas in bars and restaurants.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai, India)
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, India, has smoking lounges in both the departure and arrival terminals. In Terminal 1, the arrival hall is located next to Belt Five, and departures are between Gates 26 and 27. Terminal 2 locations include 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.
Tampa International Airport
Tampa International Airport is one of the few airports in the US that allows smoking outdoors without requiring passengers to go through security again.
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport has a Graycliff Lounge near Gate B11, where smoking is permitted.
It is important to note that smoking policies may change over time, so it is always a good idea to check the latest information for a specific airport before assuming smoking is allowed.
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Airports with smoking lounges
While smoking is banned in most airports worldwide, some airports still have indoor smoking lounges. These lounges are equipped with smoke extractors and are located in the departures terminals, near ticketing and baggage claim, or in the transit areas. Here are some airports with smoking lounges:
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, India
The airport in Mumbai, India, has smoking lounges in both the departure and arrival terminals. In Terminal 1, the arrival hall is located next to Belt Five, and departures are between Gates 26 and 27. Terminal 2 locations include 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, near Bag Belts 1, 2, and 12.
Ataturk Airport, Istanbul, Turkey
Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, has smoking lounges throughout the airport. These lounges are equipped with matches and ashtrays and are located in designated areas within bars and restaurants.
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Netherlands
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has a smoking lounge in the transit area of Terminal T1. This lounge is spacious and inviting, accommodating many passengers. The Graycliff Cigar Company also offers two in-house smoking lounges at Concourse B (Gate B-10) and Concourse C (Gate C-10) for a small fee.
Miami International Airport (MIA), United States
Miami International Airport does not permit indoor smoking or e-cigarette use. However, smoking is permitted outside the terminals on the Arrivals and Departures levels across from Concourse D, E, F, H, and J. Additionally, there is an open-air atrium attached to the airport's TGI Fridays restaurant near Gate D-36.
Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas, United States
Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, is one of the few airports in the United States that permits indoor smoking. However, it is recommended to contact the airport directly for the most up-to-date information on their smoking policy.
It is important to note that smoking policies at airports can change, and some airports may have updated their policies since the information was last published. Therefore, it is always a good idea to check the official airport websites or contact them directly for the most current smoking regulations.
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The health risks of second-hand smoke in airports
While many airports have now implemented no-smoking policies, there are still airports that allow smoking indoors, and some even provide smoking lounges. This means that second-hand smoke exposure remains a concern for airport staff and travellers.
Second-hand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke, is a mixture of mainstream smoke (inhaled and then exhaled by a smoker) and sidestream smoke (smoke from the burning end of a cigarette, pipe, or cigar). It contains more than 4,000 chemical compounds, including at least 70 known carcinogens. Even brief exposure to second-hand smoke can trigger heart attacks, strokes, or asthma attacks in at-risk individuals.
The toxins in second-hand smoke can be inhaled by non-smokers, leading to the same health problems experienced by smokers. This includes an increased risk of lung cancer, even in people who have never smoked. Second-hand smoke exposure also increases the risk of other cancers in adults and childhood cancers in babies whose mothers were exposed during pregnancy.
In addition to cancer, second-hand smoke exposure increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. It can cause immediate adverse effects on the heart, blood, and vascular systems, increasing the likelihood of a heart attack. It also raises the chances of developing and dying from coronary heart disease by 25-30%. Furthermore, it can lead to respiratory issues, with children being particularly vulnerable. They are at a higher risk of developing asthma, respiratory infections, ear infections, and sudden infant death syndrome.
The health hazards of second-hand smoke exposure are well-documented, and the implementation of smoke-free policies in airports is crucial to protecting the health of travellers and employees.
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Frequently asked questions
Smoking has been progressively banned in airports and on flights around the world. However, there are still some airports that have designated smoking areas, including indoor smoking areas.
As of 2025, only three major US airports still permit smoking in designated indoor areas: Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport, Miami International Airport, and Nashville International Airport.
Many airports have designated outdoor smoking areas, including Vancouver International Airport, which allows cannabis consumption in these zones.
Yes, as of 2024, nearly all US hub airports are 100% smoke-free indoors, including Chicago O'Hare, Denver, Salt Lake City, JFK, and Newark. Internationally, many airports are also 100% smoke-free, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Bangkok.
