Yes — open-air smoking outside the terminal building, landside, is permitted under Cape Verde’s Law 8/X/2022 at Praia Nelson Mandela International Airport (RAI); the airport publishes no designated area, and no smoking facility after security is confirmed.
RAI is Cape Verde’s capital-city airport on Santiago Island, opened in October 2005.
Where to Smoke
Open-air smoking outside the terminal building, landside, is permitted under Cape Verde’s Law 8/X/2022; the airport publishes no designated area, and no smoking facility after security is confirmed. No official facility map and no traveller report names a specific location at RAI.
Vaping
The airport publishes no separate rule for e-cigarettes at RAI; the open-air landside option applies.
Summary
| Area | Smoking | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor (terminal) | No | Non-smoking under Law 8/X/2022; no indoor room documented |
| After security / airside | No | No smoking facility after security confirmed |
| Outdoor, landside (before security) | Yes | Permitted under Law 8/X/2022; no designated area published |
| Vaping | Same as cigarettes | No separate rule published |
For Cape Verde airport smoking rules, the vape ban, and every other Cape Verde airport, see our Cape Verde smoking guide.