Yes, Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) has designated outdoor smoking areas. You will find them just outside the single terminal building near the main entrances — along the upper-level departures curb and the lower-level arrivals curb — marked with signs and ash receptacles, all located before the TSA checkpoint.
Birmingham Airport Smoking Policy
BHM is smoke-free inside the terminal. Smoking, vaping and e-cigarettes are not permitted anywhere in the ticketing hall, baggage claim or on the concourses. To light up, step outside to one of the marked outdoor areas near a terminal entrance and stand clear of the doorways and air-intake vents.
How BHM Is Laid Out
Birmingham has a single terminal on two levels. The upper level handles departures — ticketing, check-in and the security checkpoint. The lower level is arrivals and baggage claim. Past one central security checkpoint, the airside area splits into three connected concourses, A, B and C, and you can walk between all three without leaving the secure area.
All smoking areas are at ground level outside the terminal. None of the three concourses have any indoor smoking room or outdoor terrace past security.
Upper Level – Departures Curb
When you are dropped off or heading to check-in, the designated smoking area is outside on the upper-level departures curb near the main entrance doors. Look for signage and an ash receptacle set back from the doorway. This is the most convenient spot before you check a bag or join the security line, so plan your last cigarette here before you screen.
Lower Level – Arrivals Curb
After you collect your bags on the lower level, step outside to the arrivals curb. The marked smoking area here sits near the entrance doors by the ground-transportation and pickup lanes — handy if you have just landed and want a cigarette while waiting for a ride or a rental-car shuttle.
Concourses A, B and C
Every gate at BHM is smoke-free. Concourses A, B and C are all reached through the single upper-level security checkpoint, and there is no smoking room or outdoor smoking access on any of them.
| Concourse | Gates | Smoking Area | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | A-gates | None | Reached via the central checkpoint; smoke-free |
| B | B-gates | None | Connected airside to A and C; smoke-free |
| C | C-gates | None | Connected airside to A and B; smoke-free |
If you need a cigarette after clearing security, you have to exit the secure area, smoke at an outdoor area near the entrance, and clear the single TSA checkpoint again before returning to your gate. BHM is a mid-size airport, so the re-screening wait is usually short, but budget extra time during morning and afternoon peaks.
Summary
| Area | Location | Smoking Allowed | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Departures curb | Upper level, outside near check-in entrances | Outdoor only | Before security |
| Arrivals curb | Lower level, outside near baggage-claim entrances | Outdoor only | Before security |
| Concourses A, B, C | Past the central TSA checkpoint | No smoking | Airside — no access to smoking |
Heading elsewhere in the South? See our guide to smoking at Atlanta Airport (ATL), a common BHM connection.
For USA airport smoking rules, state vape rules, lighter rules at TSA, and other federal/state info, see our USA smoking guide.