Brussels Airport (BRU), the country’s main international hub, runs three airside smoking areas across its piers — Pier A, Pier B and the T-pier, all open 24 hours — 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 gates 18-19 food court; Antwerp and Ostend publish outdoor, landside-only smoking policies; Liège, primarily a cargo hub with limited passenger service, has no confirmed smoking area. Belgium banned indoor smoking in workplaces in 2007 and in hospitality settings in 2011; airports are exempt where designated areas are provided.
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 smoking areas — typically airside at major hubs and landside at smaller ones. Those areas 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), Ostend (OST). Smaller regional airports; both publish a smoking policy limited to a designated outdoor area landside, near the terminal entrance, with no airside smoking.
Liège (LGG). Primarily a cargo hub with limited passenger service; the airport publishes no smoking-area information for passengers, so treat any spot as unconfirmed and ask at the terminal on arrival.
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 the designated smoking areas
- Cigarettes in Belgium cost roughly €11–13 per pack in 2026 after successive excise rises — Brussels duty-free is competitive on premium brands
- Disposable e-cigarettes are no longer sold in Belgium, so bring your own device if you vape
- 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 |