Cape Verde’s airports permit open-air, landside smoking under national law (Law 8/X/2022), and every terminal is smoke-free inside. The Atlantic island nation off the West African coast runs a network of small airports serving substantial European tourist traffic and the Cape Verdean diaspora. The main tourist gateway is Sal Amílcar Cabral International (SID), serving the popular Sal Island beach resorts; Praia’s Nelson Mandela International (RAI) serves the capital on Santiago Island; Boa Vista’s Aristides Pereira International (BVC) serves the beach-tourism island; and São Vicente’s Cesária Évora Airport (VXE) serves the northern islands.
Cape Verde Airports Compared: Before and After Security
Before security, you can always smoke outside: at a designated smoking area where there is one, or outside the airport property, beyond the terminal kerb and car parks. After security, Yes means there is a smoking area past security and a dash means none is listed. Each airport’s page has the details.
| Airport | Before security | After security |
|---|---|---|
| Boa Vista (BVC) | Yes | – |
| Espargos Amílcar Cabral (SID) | Yes | – |
| Praia (RAI) | Yes | – |
| São Vicente Cesária Évora (VXE) | Yes | – |
The Major Airports
Amílcar Cabral International (SID). Sal Island’s main airport, named after the independence leader. Open-air smoking areas outside the single terminal, near the entrances and exits. Substantial European charter traffic.
Nelson Mandela International (RAI). Praia’s capital-city airport on Santiago Island. Open-air, landside smoking is permitted under Law 8/X/2022; the airport publishes no designated area, and it lists no smoking facility after security.
Aristides Pereira International (BVC). Boa Vista Island’s beach-tourism airport, the country’s third-busiest by 2017 traffic. Open-air, landside smoking is permitted under Law 8/X/2022; the airport publishes no designated area, and it lists no smoking facility after security.
Cesária Évora International (VXE). São Vicente Island, named after the Cape Verdean singer. Open-air smoking outside the small terminal, before security.
All four Cape Verde airports have been run by Vinci Airports under a concession since July 2023.
Tips for Smokers at Cape Verde Airports
- All airports outdoor-only, before security — smoke outside the terminal doors and step clear of the entrances
- Warm tropical Atlantic climate year-round
- Portuguese-language signage; English at tourist airports
- Leave the vape at home — e-cigarettes are banned under Law 8/X/2022