Lois Larson
Smoking is a health hazard, but many travellers who smoke want to light up before boarding a plane or while transferring to another flight. While smoking on planes flying to, from, or within the United States has been banned since 2000, and many airports around the world are now 100% smoke-free, there are still airports that provide designated smoking areas. These include indoor smoking lounges and outdoor smoking areas near ticketing and baggage claim.
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What You'll Learn
Locations of smoking areas in airports
While smoking is not permitted in public areas at airports, many airports provide designated smoking areas and lounges for smokers. These lounges are often fitted with smoke extractors and can be found in departures terminals, near gates, and in outdoor smoking areas near ticketing and baggage claim. Some airports provide smoking areas in front of the terminals, while others have smoking lounges in the transit areas of terminals.
For example, Miami International Airport (MIA) has designated smoking areas outside the terminals on the Arrivals and Departures levels across from Concourse D, E, F, H, and J. MIA also has indoor smoking lounges located throughout the airport at each concourse near specific gates.
Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, provides smoking lounges with matches and ashtrays. Mumbai Airport in India has smoking lounges in both the departure and arrival terminals. Terminal 1 locations include the arrival hall next to Belt Five and departures between Gates 26 and 27. Terminal 2 locations include Level 4 retail, Gate 28 (international departures), and Gate 47 (domestic departures).
Some airports have smoking lounges located before and after passport control. For instance, Schiphol Plaza in the Netherlands has smoking areas located outside before passport control and inside airport bars after passport control.
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Health hazards of smoking areas in airports
Smoking is a health hazard and has negative health effects, but many airports still provide designated smoking areas, such as lounges and outdoor smoking areas. These designated smoking areas in airports are a public health hazard as they do not stop secondhand smoke from spreading throughout the building.
Secondhand smoke exposure has been linked to various health issues in nonsmokers, including premature death and diseases like coronary heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. Additionally, children are at risk of sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, middle ear disease, exacerbated asthma, respiratory symptoms, and decreased lung function.
The particulate matter (PM) in the air inside designated smoking areas at airports is significantly higher than the levels recommended by the WHO, which is 10 µg/m3. The high levels of secondhand smoke in these areas indicate that they do not provide safe air quality for employees and travellers. A study found that the average PM2.5 concentrations inside smoking rooms were higher than the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for 24 hours (35 µg/m3).
Furthermore, small and poorly ventilated designated smoking areas in crowded places like airports can facilitate the spread of infectious diseases, particularly respiratory infections. Tobacco smoke contains over 7000 compounds, including nicotine, benzopyrene, arsenic, and cadmium, which are known to irritate the respiratory tract and have been linked to respiratory issues and various smoking-associated disorders.
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Smoke-free airports in the US
While travelling, smokers will often want to light up a cigarette before boarding a plane or during a layover. Airports across the globe have designated smoking areas to cater to this group of travellers. However, an overwhelming majority of large-hub airports in the United States prohibit smoking indoors.
Among the world's 50 busiest airports, 23 (46%) have implemented smoke-free policies in all indoor areas, including five of the 10 busiest airports. Of the 18 busiest airports in North America, 14 are smoke-free. In comparison, only four out of 22 of the busiest airports in Asia have smoke-free policies in place.
Smoke-free policies in airports protect non-smoking employees and travellers from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. Even brief exposure to secondhand smoke can trigger heart attacks, strokes, or asthma attacks in at-risk individuals. Long-term exposure increases the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases.
Despite the growing trend towards smoke-free airports, there are still a few airports in the US where smoking is permitted in designated areas. For example, at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas (LAS), smoking is allowed in the enclosed gaming lounges near the B, C, D, and E Gates. At Miami International Airport (MIA), there is an open-air atrium attached to the TGI Friday's restaurant on Concourse D where smoking is permitted. Nashville International Airport (BNA) also has a smoking lounge near Gate B10 that serves wine, beer, liquor, coffee, cigars, and other items.
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Smoke-free airports internationally
Smoking is a health hazard, and even designated smoking areas can cause damage to airport employees and travellers. In 2017, a study by the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that only 46% of the world's biggest airports are smoke-free, with 54% permitting smoking in designated areas. However, this setup has been deemed detrimental to the health of both employees and passengers.
Since that 2017 report, some major airports have implemented no-smoking policies, including Washington Dulles in 2023 and Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in 2020. As of 2024, nearly all US hub airports are 100% smoke-free indoors, including Chicago O'Hare, Denver, Salt Lake City, JFK, and Newark. Some airports, like Indianapolis, are also smoke-free outdoors.
Internationally, many airports are now 100% smoke-free, including major Asian hubs such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Bangkok. Of the 50 busiest airports, 23 have smoke-free indoor policies. These include London Heathrow, LAX, and Chicago O'Hare, which are among the top 10 busiest airports.
Despite these advancements, some US airports still allow indoor smoking, including McCarran Las Vegas, Memphis, Nashville, Cincinnati-Northern KY, and Biloxi.
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Repurposing of smoking areas
As public awareness of the dangers of secondhand smoke has increased, many airports have implemented smoke-free policies. As a result, several airports have repurposed their old smoking areas into spaces that are more useful for all passengers, such as seating areas, retail outlets, and charging stations. This not only helps to keep harmful smoke away from indoor spaces but also reduces secondhand smoke exposure for passengers and staff, creating a healthier environment for everyone.
For example, Chicago O'Hare Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world, has gone completely smoke-free, and they have repurposed their old smoking areas. As of 2024, nearly all major U.S. hub airports, including Denver, Salt Lake City, JFK, and Newark, are 100% smoke-free indoors. Some airports, like Indianapolis, have even implemented smoke-free policies outdoors to eliminate the toxic smoke surrounding building entrances and shuttle stops.
Internationally, many major airports have also gone 100% smoke-free, including Beijing Capital, Shanghai Pudong, and Bangkok. As of August 2017, 23 of the world's 50 busiest airports (46%) had implemented smoke-free policies, and this number has likely increased since then. Among the top 10 busiest airports, five had a smoke-free policy, and the remaining five allowed smoking in certain indoor areas.
While many airports have prohibited smoking indoors, some still provide designated outdoor spaces or dedicated smoking lounges for travellers. These authorised smoking areas are typically located approximately 25 feet from terminal entrances to maintain a healthier atmosphere for everyone. However, it's important to note that these designated or ventilated smoking areas can still cause involuntary secondhand smoke exposure for non-smoking individuals nearby.
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Frequently asked questions
It depends on the airport and the country. While smoking is banned in most airports in the US, there are still a few US airports that have smoking areas, such as Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. Airports in other countries, such as Mumbai, India, and Istanbul, Turkey, also have smoking lounges. However, many airports worldwide are now 100% smokefree.
Smoking areas in airports are usually located in designated lounges equipped with smoke extractors. They can be found in both departure and arrival terminals, often near gates or in outdoor areas near ticketing and baggage claim. Some airports also have smoking areas inside airport bars and restaurants.
Yes, many airports worldwide have implemented 100% smokefree policies, including major hubs in Asia like Beijing, Shanghai, and Bangkok. In the US, nearly all hub airports are now completely smokefree indoors, including Chicago O'Hare, Denver, Salt Lake City, JFK, and Newark. Some airports, like Indianapolis, are also smokefree outdoors.
Smoking areas in airports are controversial. While some argue that they benefit smokers by providing a designated space to smoke, others argue that they only cater to a small percentage of travellers. Additionally, there are health concerns as secondhand smoke can still spread throughout the airport, posing risks to travellers and employees.
