---
title: "Smoking at Praia Nelson Mandela International Airport – RAI"
canonical: "https://www.airportsmokingzones.com/cape-verde/rai-smoking-at-praia-airport/"
language: "en-us"
description: "Open-air smoking outside the terminal, landside, is permitted under Law 8/X/2022 at Praia Nelson Mandela Airport (RAI); no designated area is published."
lastmod: "2026-09-25T00:00:00Z"
---

<!-- asz-markdown:99023e8e7dad5e6326eee45eb4d18fe3ab4ecc9abf00eed87be57dfeea5a6f62 -->

# Smoking at Praia Nelson Mandela International Airport – RAI

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](https://www.airportsmokingzones.com/cape-verde/).

## Useful Links

- [Praia Nelson Mandela International Airport – official airport page](https://www.caboverde-airports.cv/aeroportos/aeroporto-internacional-nelson-mandela/)

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Are there smoking areas at Praia Nelson Mandela Airport (RAI)?

Yes — 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.

### Can I smoke inside Praia Nelson Mandela Airport?

The terminal interior is non-smoking under Law 8/X/2022; the open-air landside area outside the building is the only sanctioned option.

### Is there a smoking area after security at Praia Airport?

Smoking facility after security is not confirmed at RAI; the sanctioned option is the open-air landside area outside the terminal.

### Where exactly can I smoke at Praia Airport?

The airport publishes no location map for open-air smoking; no specific spot is documented beyond landside, outside the terminal building.

### Can I vape at Praia Nelson Mandela Airport?

The airport publishes no separate rule for e-cigarettes at RAI; the open-air landside option applies.

### Is smoking allowed in the departures hall at Praia Airport?

The enclosed departures hall is non-smoking; the open-air landside area outside the terminal building is the only sanctioned smoking option.