Busiest Airports smoking policies

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Smoking Policies in the 35 Busiest U.S. Airports

October 1, 2016

This list describes the smoking policies of the 35 busiest U.S. airports. Airports are ranked according to

the number of total volume of passenger traffic.

As of October 1, 2016, 29 of the top 35 U.S. airports

are 100% smokefree indoors. Additionally, 23 of the top 35 U.S. airports do not permit the use of

electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) indoors.

For more information, check out our airports resource page.

1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) – E-cigarette use is not permitted indoors.

Smoking is permitted in 13 smoking rooms throughout the airport, as well as in selected food and

beverage areas, which have increased in recent years. The airport plans to convert 9 of the smoking

rooms into cigar shops that allow smoking. As of Internal tobacco industry documents show that many of

these rooms were designed, constructed, and financed by Philip Morris front groups as part of a

sophisticated airport strategy to protect millions of dollars in annual profits by enabling product

consumption. Promoting the social acceptability of smoking was also an important objective for the

tobacco industry in the Hartsfield Airport: construction of the smoking rooms was completed in time for

the 1996 Summer Olympics, held in Atlanta. This drew millions of passengers from around the world

through Hartsfield and past its newly built smoking lounges.

2. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-cigarette use

is not permitted indoors. Smoking is permitted in three outdoor smoking areas located past

security gates at the Tom Bradley International Terminal, Terminal 2, and Terminal 7.

3. Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-cigarette

use is not permitted indoors. Designated smoking areas are located outside of terminals.

4. Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport (DFW) – Completely smokefree indoors. DFW had

allowed smoking in private clubs, including the American Airways Admirals Clubs in Terminals A

and D. Designated smoking areas are located outside of terminals.

5. John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-cigarette

use is not permitted indoors. Designated smoking areas are located outside of terminals.

6. Denver International Airport (DEN) – E-cigarette use is not permitted indoors. A smoking

lounge is located in the Timberline Steaks & Grill. In 2012, three previous smoking lounges

closed that had been located in two Aviator’s Clubs and the Mesa Verde Restaurant. The

Timberline lounge will remain until its lease expires in 2018.

7. San Francisco International (SFO) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-cigarette use is not

permitted indoors. Designated smoking areas are located outside of terminals at least 20 feet from

entrances.

8. Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-

cigarette use is not permitted indoors. Smoking not permitted within 100 feet of doorways.

9. McCarran International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas – Smoking is permitted in the Budweiser

Racing Track Lounge in the Esplanade Pre-Security area, enclosed slot-machine lounges (B, C, D,

and E Gates), and designated outdoor areas near ticketing and baggage claim. The airport was

smokefree indoors from 12/2006 until 8/2010 by Nevada law. Smoking is permitted in the bar

because it stopped serving food, and Nevada law stipulates that smoking is permitted in bars that

do not serve food. Smoking is permitted in enclosed slot-machine lounges because they have been

designated as gaming floors, which are exempt from Nevada law.

10. Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-cigarette use is not

permitted indoors. Designated smoking areas are located outside of terminals.

11. Miami International Airport (MIA) – E-cigarette use is not permitted indoors. Smoking is

permitted in an “open air” atrium, which has four walls and a roof with a gap at the roofline, that is

attached to the airport’s TGI Fridays restaurant.

12. George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston – Completely smokefree indoors.

Designated smoking areas are located outside of terminals at least 25 feet away from entrances.

13. Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-cigarette

use is not permitted indoors. Smoking is allowed only in two outdoor locations, at North and

South ends of Lower Drive.

14. Orlando International Airport (MCO) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-cigarette use is

not permitted indoors.

15. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-cigarette

use is not permitted indoors. Designated smoking areas are located outside of terminals.

16. Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP) – Completely smokefree indoors. Designated

smoking areas are located outside of terminals.

17. Logan International Airport (BOS) in Boston – Completely smokefree indoors. Designated

smoking areas are located outside of terminals.

18. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-

cigarette use is not permitted indoors.

19. Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-cigarette use

is not permitted indoors. Smoking not allowed within 20 feet of entrances.

20. La Guardia Airport in New York (LGA) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-cigarette use is

not permitted indoors. Smoking allowed in designated smoking areas located outside of

terminals.

21. Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) – Completely smokefree indoors.

Smoking allowed in designated smoking areas located outside of terminals.

22. Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-

cigarette use is not permitted indoors. Smoking allowed in designated smoking areas located

outside of terminals.

23. Reagan-Washington National Airport (DCA) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-cigarette

use is not permitted indoors. Smoking not allowed within 10 feet of entrances.

24. Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-cigarette use is not

permitted indoors. Smoking allowed in designated smoking areas located outside of terminals.

25. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) – Completely smokefree indoors by end of 2016

and e -cigarette use is not permitted indoors. In May 2016, the Salt Lake City Airport and Mayor

announced that all of the airport’s smoking rooms will be closed by the end of 2016. Currently,

smoking is permitted in 5 smoking rooms located throughout the airport. Tobacco industry

documents show that Healthy Buildings International, a tobacco industry front group that touts the

“benefits” of “accommodation” and smoking lounge ventilation systems, met with Salt Lake Airport

architects to discuss smoking lounge ventilation systems. The document makes suggestions for

future plans concerning smoking lounges at SLC and suggests the airport be used as a

“demonstration facility.” Smoking not allowed within 25 feet of entrances.

26. Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) – Smoking rooms are located near gates B38,

B75, C4 and D30.

27. San Diego International Airport (SAN) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-cigarette use is

not permitted indoors. Smoking not allowed within 20 feet of entrances.

28. Honolulu International Airport (HNL) – Completely smokefree indoors. Smoking allowed in

designated smoking areas located outside of terminals.

29. Tampa International Airport (TPA) – Completely smokefree indoors. Smoking allowed outside

of terminals, and past security on a smoking patio outside each terminal.

30. Portland (OR) International Airport (PDX) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-cigarette

use is not permitted indoors. Smoking allowed in two designated smoking areas located outside

of terminals.

31. Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL) – Completely smokefree indoors. Smoking allowed in

designated smoking areas located outside of terminals.

32. Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-

cigarette use is not permitted indoors.

33. William P. Hobby Airport in Houston (HOU) – Completely smokefree indoors. Designated

smoking areas are located outside of terminals at least 25 feet away from entrances.

34. Austin-Bergstrom International (AUS) – Completely smokefree indoors and e-cigarette use is

not permitted indoors.

35. Nashville International Airport (BNA) – Smoking is permitted in two Graycliff Boutique &

Lounge (with purchase) locations: on Concourse B near Gate B10 and on Concourse C near Gate

C10.

Source: Telephone interviews, online smokefree policies, and email correspondence conducted by

ANR 2003-2016.

FAA 2014 Passenger Enplanement Statistics from Air Carrier Activity Information System

May be reprinted with appropriate credit to the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation.

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