Smoking at Cayman Islands Airports (GCM)

Smokers in the Cayman Islands use the designated smoking areas outside the terminal at Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM), Grand Cayman’s main gateway. The terminal building itself, and the area immediately around it, are smoke-free under the territory’s Tobacco Law.

For international travel to the Cayman Islands, Owen Roberts (GCM) is the airport that matters, handling the vast majority of visitors to Grand Cayman; Charles Kirkconnell International (CKC) on Cayman Brac serves the smaller sister island under the same national rules.

How Cayman Islands Airport Smoking Works

The Tobacco Law, enacted in 2008, and enforced by the Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA) as a high priority:

Bans smoking inside airport terminals and their immediate surroundings at both Owen Roberts International and Charles Kirkconnell International — this explicitly includes electronic cigarettes
Designated smoking areas exist outside both terminal buildings, per the CIAA’s own published policy
No area past the security checkpoint is confirmed for smoking at either airport
E-cigarettes are treated the same as tobacco under the CIAA policy — not indoors, not in the immediate surroundings

Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM)

The Cayman Islands’ main airport, in George Town on Grand Cayman, handling the large majority of the territory’s international arrivals and departures through a single terminal building. Grand Cayman’s smoking areas sit outside the terminal, as published in the CIAA’s own smoking policy — the building and its immediate surroundings are smoke-free, including for e-cigarettes.

Tips for Smokers at Cayman Islands Airports

Owen Roberts International is smoke-free inside the terminal and its immediate surroundings — use the outdoor designated areas
No confirmed smoking area exists past security at either Cayman Islands airport
E-cigarettes follow the same rule as tobacco — outdoor designated areas only
The same policy applies at Charles Kirkconnell International on Cayman Brac for onward inter-island travel

Cayman Islands Airports Compared: Indoor, Outdoor & After Security

Airport	After security	Indoor room	Outdoor area
Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM)	–	–	Yes

Last updated: August 18, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you smoke at Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM)?

Yes — at the designated smoking areas located outside the terminal, as set out in the Cayman Islands Airports Authority’s own published smoking policy. The terminal building and its immediate surroundings are smoke-free.

What is the Cayman Islands' airport smoking law?

The Tobacco Law, enacted in 2008, bans smoking — including electronic cigarettes — inside airport terminals and their immediate surroundings. It applies at both Owen Roberts International on Grand Cayman and Charles Kirkconnell International on Cayman Brac, and the Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA) treats enforcement as a high priority.

Are e-cigarettes and vapes allowed at Cayman Islands airports?

Yes — at the same designated outdoor smoking areas as cigarettes. The CIAA’s policy names electronic cigarettes specifically as covered by the indoor ban, so vaping is not permitted inside the terminal or its immediate surroundings.

Where can I smoke at Owen Roberts International Airport?

At the designated smoking areas outside the terminal building, as set out in the CIAA’s published policy. No area past the security checkpoint is confirmed for smoking.

Does Charles Kirkconnell International Airport (Cayman Brac) have smoking areas too?

Yes — the same CIAA policy and the 2008 Tobacco Law apply at Charles Kirkconnell International on Cayman Brac, with designated smoking areas outside that terminal as well. Owen Roberts on Grand Cayman handles by far the greater share of the territory’s traffic and is the airport most visitors use.