Yes, Brussels Airport (BRU) has three designated airside smoking zones — at Pier A between gates A28 and A29, at Pier B near gate B17, and at the T-pier between gates A65–T65 and A67–T67. All three are open 24 hours a day. Smoking is forbidden everywhere else in the terminal and parking areas, and the same rule applies to electronic cigarettes.
Brussels Airport (BRU), located in Zaventem 10 km north-east of central Brussels, is Belgium’s main international airport and the hub for Brussels Airlines (Lufthansa Group). It handles roughly 23 million passengers a year. Unlike most Western European airports, BRU keeps three airside smoking zones distributed across its three piers — Schengen, non-Schengen, and the swing T-pier — making layovers more manageable than at hubs like Amsterdam Schiphol or Paris CDG, where smoking is outdoor-only or requires leaving security.
The Three Smoking Zones
All three are airside (after security), all are open 24/7, and all are signposted in English, French, and Dutch.
Pier A — between gates A28 and A29. Pier A handles Schengen flights, so most short-haul departures within the EU/Schengen Area route through here. The smoking zone sits roughly mid-pier, a 5–10 minute walk from most gates. This is the busiest of the three because Schengen traffic dominates BRU’s flight schedule.
Pier B — near gate B17. Pier B serves non-Schengen flights — UK, US, Middle East, Asia, Africa. The smoking zone is past passport control, so it’s only accessible to passengers on non-Schengen departures or arrivals. If you’ve cleared passport control for a non-Schengen flight, the B17 zone is your option.
T-pier — between gates A65/T65 and A67/T67. The T-pier is BRU’s swing extension. The same physical gate positions can be either A-numbered (when used for Schengen) or T-numbered (when used for non-Schengen) depending on what aircraft is parked there. The smoking zone occupies the corridor between these dual-numbered gates, accessible from whichever side is currently active. Signage in the terminal will direct you correctly based on your flight.
Schengen vs Non-Schengen — Which Zone Applies
Brussels Airport’s pier layout is unusually clean for a Schengen hub. Knowing which zone applies saves walking time:
- Schengen flight (e.g., Brussels → Madrid, Amsterdam, Berlin): use Pier A (gates A28–A29).
- Non-Schengen flight (e.g., Brussels → London, New York, Dubai): use Pier B (gate B17) or the T-pier (gates A65/T65 to A67/T67) depending on which gate your flight is at.
- Connecting Schengen-to-non-Schengen: you’ll pass through passport control between the piers — smoke before passport control if you want the Pier A zone, or after for the Pier B / T-pier zones.
The T-pier’s dual numbering can confuse first-time travellers. If your boarding pass says gate A66, you’re on a Schengen flight from the T-pier; gate T66 means a non-Schengen flight from the same physical position.
Belgian Smoking Regulations
Belgium banned indoor smoking in workplaces in 2007 and extended the ban to hospitality venues in 2011. Airports are permitted to operate designated smoking zones under these laws. The 2016 Belgian Royal Decree on electronic cigarettes brought vapes under the same indoor ban — Brussels Airport applies this explicitly, treating e-cigarettes and tobacco identically inside the terminal.
Fines for smoking outside designated zones start at €208 for a first offence under Belgian smoking law. Repeat offences and smoking in safety-sensitive areas (near fuel, on the apron) carry higher penalties. Airport security typically issues a warning first.
Tips for Smokers at BRU
- All three smoking zones are airside and open 24/7 — BRU is one of the more layover-friendly Western European hubs for smokers, alongside Frankfurt and Düsseldorf.
- Pier A is the busiest zone because Schengen traffic dominates the flight schedule. The Pier B and T-pier zones are usually quieter.
- Walking time from any gate to the nearest smoking zone is typically 5–10 minutes. Allow more from far-end Pier B gates.
- The T-pier’s A/T dual numbering refers to the same physical gates — the airline’s flight type (Schengen vs non-Schengen) determines which letter is in use.
- E-cigarettes, IQOS, and heated tobacco follow the same indoor ban as cigarettes — only inside the three designated zones.
- Cigarettes in Belgium cost roughly €7–9 per pack. Duty-free at BRU is competitive for premium and international brands, especially for non-EU departures.
- Brussels Airlines is the dominant carrier; Star Alliance connections concentrate around Pier A and the T-pier.