Smoking Areas at Belgium Airports

Belgium banned indoor smoking in workplaces in 2007 and in hospitality settings in 2011; airports are exempt where designated areas are provided. Brussels Airport (BRU), the country’s main international hub, runs three airside smoking areas across its piers — making it one of the more transit-friendly hubs in Western Europe alongside Frankfurt and Düsseldorf. Charleroi (CRL) adds an open-air smoking terrace airside above its food court; Antwerp, Liège and Ostend are landside-only.

For long-haul connections through Belgium, BRU is the airport that matters. Brussels Airlines (Lufthansa Group) hub plus heavy intra-European traffic, especially around the EU institutions in Brussels itself.

How Belgian Airport Smoking Works

The 2007 and 2011 Belgian smoking laws prohibit indoor smoking in workplaces and hospitality venues. Airports comply by providing designated zones — typically airside at major hubs and landside at smaller ones. Zones are:

Marked clearly in English, French, and Dutch (the country’s three official languages)
Free to use
Subject to the same rules for e-cigarettes since the 2016 Royal Decree
Open 24 hours at Brussels Airport’s three piers

Belgium’s fine structure starts at €208 for a first offence in non-designated indoor spaces. Smoking near fuelling areas or aircraft can attract higher penalties under aviation safety rules.

The Hubs

Brussels Airport (BRU). The country’s primary international airport, located in Zaventem 10 km north-east of central Brussels. Three airside smoking areas at Pier A (between gates A28 and A29), Pier B (near B17), and the T-pier (between gates A65–T65 and A67–T67). All open 24/7. Hub for Brussels Airlines, plus a substantial Star Alliance and SkyTeam transit operation.

Brussels South Charleroi (CRL). Ryanair’s main Belgian base, 60 km south of Brussels. After security there is an open-air smoking terrace on the upper level of the departures lounge, above the gates 18-19 food court — a fresh-air terrace rather than an enclosed cabin, so transit and departing passengers can smoke without re-clearing screening. Landside, designated outdoor areas sit at the terminal entrances.

Antwerp (ANR), Liège (LGG), Ostend (OST). Smaller regional airports with outdoor landside zones near terminal entrances. None offer airside smoking. Liège is primarily a cargo hub.

Tips for Smokers at Belgian Airports

Brussels Airport and Charleroi both offer airside smoking — BRU with three indoor areas open 24/7, CRL with an open-air terrace above the gates 18-19 food court
Pier A and the T-pier share physical gate positions; signage will direct you to whichever is active for your flight
E-cigarettes and IQOS follow the same indoor ban as tobacco — only inside designated zones
Cigarettes in Belgium cost roughly €7–9 per pack — Brussels duty-free is competitive on premium brands
At Charleroi, follow the food-court signs up to the terrace level for the airside smoking terrace
Belgian winters are wet and cold; the BRU smoking areas are inside the terminal, so weather isn’t a factor for transit passengers

Belgium Airports Compared: Indoor, Outdoor & After Security

Airport	After security	Indoor room	Outdoor area
Brussels Airport (BRU)	Yes	Yes	–
Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL)	Yes	–	Yes

Last updated: July 10, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you smoke at Belgian airports?

Yes — in the designated smoking areas. Belgium banned indoor smoking in workplaces in 2007 and in hospitality in 2011, and airports are permitted to operate marked smoking areas. Brussels Airport (BRU), the country’s main hub, runs three airside smoking areas at piers A, B and T — all open 24 hours. E-cigarettes and heated tobacco fall under the same rules since the 2016 Belgian Royal Decree.

Where can I smoke at Brussels Airport (BRU)?

Yes — Brussels Airport has three designated airside smoking areas, each open 24/7: Pier A between gates A28 and A29 (Schengen flights), Pier B near gate B17 (non-Schengen), and the T-pier between gates A65–T65 and A67–T67. Smoking is forbidden everywhere else in the terminal and parking areas, including on e-cigarettes.

Are e-cigarettes and vapes allowed at Brussels Airport?

Yes — in the same three designated smoking areas as cigarettes. Brussels Airport applies the rule explicitly: the indoor ban covers electronic cigarettes the same way it covers tobacco. The 2016 Belgian Royal Decree on e-cigarettes brought vapes under the indoor public-space ban; airports comply by limiting use to marked areas.

Are there smoking areas at Charleroi, Antwerp or Liège airports?

Yes at Charleroi — Brussels South Charleroi (CRL), the Ryanair budget hub, has an open-air smoking terrace airside above the gates 18-19 food court, plus outdoor areas landside at the terminal entrance. Antwerp (ANR) and Liège (LGG) are outdoor landside only, with no airside smoking.

What's the fine for smoking in non-designated areas in Belgium?

Up to €208 for a first offence under Belgian smoking law. At Brussels Airport, signage in English, French, and Dutch marks the rule clearly. Repeat offences and smoking near fuel/refuelling zones can attract higher penalties under aviation safety regulations. Airport security staff may issue on-the-spot warnings before fines escalate.

Can I smoke during a Brussels Airport layover?

Yes — the three Pier A, Pier B and T-pier smoking areas are all airside, so transit passengers can smoke without re-clearing security. This makes BRU one of the more layover-friendly Western European hubs alongside Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, and Munich. Walking time from any gate to the nearest zone is usually under 10 minutes — Pier A and Pier T share gate positions because of how Schengen and non-Schengen flights rotate through the same hold rooms.