What are the airport smoking lounge rules?

The smoking lounge of an airport is a designated space that allows smokers and users of vapes or heated tobacco to have their cigarettes or smoke-free alternatives. The rules around smoking lounges will vary by airport, and that’s because every airport is different.

Whether you’re booking a flight to go on holiday, a work trip or something else entirely, it is useful to know the rules within each airport.

Some airports offer a space for people to smoke or use smoke-free alternatives. If you want to use the smoking lounge, or an external smoking area, try searching for one. You can check with the airport administration who will be able to help.

The location of a smoking lounge, or smoking room, varies from airport to airport. Generally speaking, international airports do not allow indoor smoking, and designated smoking areas can usually be found outside of the facilities. It is important to consider that you usually cannot smoke once you have passed security control.

Smoking lounges are becoming increasingly rare as airports adopt no smoking policies. However, some airports do offer smoke-free lounges for those who choose to use heated tobacco products or vapes.

If the airport does not include a smoking lounge, you can try looking for an alternative outside area – such as a patio – or ask the airport staff, who will be able to help you. Never light up a cigarette or use a smoke-free alternative in an area where it is not permitted. Airports have strict policies for a reason, so only use a tobacco heating or vape device in a space where they are permitted. Lounges permitting the use of smoke-free alternatives are available in a handful of airports around the world.

Like the rules on the use of cigarettes, those on smokeless alternatives vary from airport to airport. Sometimes, the use of vapers and other smokeless alternatives is banned at airports, unless there is a smoking lounge. It is therefore important to find out about the regulations applicable to each product in terms of places of consumption, cabin baggage allowance, etc.

Another option to consider is tobacco heating systems. These systems heat the tobacco instead of burning it. IQOS devices for heating tobacco are available on the Internet: This includes IQOS ILUMA -a high-end device for heated tobacco. IQOS is not risk-free and nicotine is inhaled with its use, which is addictive.

Our own IQOS lounges, which are located in selected airports around the world, have been designed with IQOS users in mind. These lounges allow the use of IQOS products and are a convenient place to use the device before a flight.

The smoking lounge at Madrid-Adolfo Suárez Airport, located outside Terminal T4, is a designated area for adult smokers. This space, which covers approximately 500 m², is equipped with 10 tables with stools and provides a comfortable environment for those who need a break. Additionally, users have access to vending machines offering a variety of snacks and beverages, both cold and hot, providing refreshment options while they wait.

The area is accessible to departing passengers coming from the boarding zone, as well as arriving passengers disembarking via jetway before reaching the baggage claim area. This location makes it a convenient option for those passing through Terminal T4 at Madrid Airport.