Chile Airport Smoking Areas

By , Author, Air Travel Writer · Updated

Chile has one of Latin America’s stricter smoke-free regimes, and Santiago’s airport reflects it: there is no airside or indoor smoking at all. Smoking is confined to outdoor areas just outside the terminal doors. The 2025 vaping law extended the same ban to e-cigarettes.

For international travel through Chile, Santiago (SCL) is the airport that matters, as LATAM’s hub.

How Chilean Airport Smoking Works

Chile’s smoke-free law (Ley 19.419, amended by Ley 20.660) bans indoor smoking and explicitly names airports:

  • No indoor smoking and no airside smoking anywhere at Santiago
  • Smoking is only at outdoor areas just outside the terminal doors, landside
  • Former airside options (an enclosed booth, the LATAM lounge area, a restaurant’s open-air spot) are all closed
  • Ley 21.642 (in force 20 May 2025) extended the ban to vaping

The Hub

Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL). Santiago’s airport and LATAM’s hub (Terminals 1 and 2). There is no airside smoking — the only sanctioned option is outdoors, just beyond the terminal exit doors (landside, signposted). International transit passengers staying airside have no in-airport smoking option without clearing immigration and exiting.

Tips for Smokers at Chilean Airports

  • Santiago has no airside smoking — plan to smoke before security or accept a no-smoking layover
  • The outdoor smoking areas are just outside the terminal exit doors, landside
  • Don’t expect any old “airside booth” — those are confirmed gone
  • Vaping is banned indoors and airside too (Ley 21.642, 2025) — outdoor only

Chile Airports Compared: Indoor, Outdoor & After Security

AirportAfter securityIndoor roomOutdoor area
Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport (SCL)––Yes

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can you smoke at Santiago Airport (SCL)?

Only outdoors. Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International (SCL) has no airside or indoor smoking — Chilean law bans indoor smoking in airports. Smoking is allowed only at the outdoor areas just outside the terminal doors, landside before security.

Is there smoking after security at Santiago Airport?

No — there is no airside smoking at SCL. The old enclosed airside booth, the LATAM lounge smoking area and a restaurant’s open-air spot have all closed. International transit passengers must clear immigration and exit landside to smoke, then re-clear security.

Are e-cigarettes and vapes allowed at Chilean airports?

No, not indoors or airside. Chile’s Ley 21.642 (in force 20 May 2025) legally equates e-cigarettes with tobacco, so vaping is banned in all enclosed public spaces, airports and transport. Vape only at the outdoor landside areas.

Where exactly can I smoke at Santiago Airport?

Outdoors, just beyond the terminal exit doors (travellers note the areas are signposted). There is no smoking option inside the terminal or after security.

Why is there no airside smoking at Santiago Airport?

Chile’s smoke-free law (Ley 19.419, amended by Ley 20.660) bans indoor smoking and explicitly names airports, so the airport cannot provide an indoor smoking room. Former airside options were all removed.