---
title: "Smoking at Liberia Guanacaste Airport – LIR"
canonical: "https://www.airportsmokingzones.com/costa-rica/lir-smoking-at-liberia-guanacaste-airport/"
language: "en-us"
description: "Open-air smoking outside the terminal at Liberia Guanacaste Airport (LIR) is permitted under Costa Rica's Ley 9028; no indoor or airside area is confirmed."
lastmod: "2026-09-25T00:00:00Z"
---

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# Smoking at Liberia Guanacaste Airport – LIR

Yes — open-air smoking outside the terminal building, landside, is permitted under Costa Rica’s Ley 9028; Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) publishes no designated area, and no smoking facility after security is confirmed.

LIR sits just outside Liberia, the capital of Guanacaste province, and is the gateway airport for the Pacific beach resorts, administered by Vinci Airports. It has a single passenger terminal.

## Outside the Terminal, Landside

Open-air smoking outside the terminal building, landside, is permitted under Ley 9028, which bans smoking inside enclosed spaces such as the terminal. LIR publishes no designated smoking area.

## After Security

The terminal at LIR is smoke-free past the checkpoint under Ley 9028, and no smoking facility after security is confirmed.

## Vaping

Ley 9028 treats e-cigarettes the same as cigarettes, so vaping at LIR follows the same rule — not permitted inside the terminal, open-air only landside.

## Summary

| Area | Smoking | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Indoor terminal | No | Smoke-free under Ley 9028 |
| After security / airside | No | No smoking facility after security is confirmed |
| Outdoor, landside | Permitted | No designated area published |
| Vaping | Landside only | Ley 9028 treats e-cigarettes as tobacco |

Costa Rica’s main gateway, [Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)](https://www.airportsmokingzones.com/costa-rica/sjo-smoking-at-san-jose-airport/) near San José, follows the same national-law pattern.

For Costa Rica’s airport smoking rules and vaping law, see our [Costa Rica airport guide](https://www.airportsmokingzones.com/costa-rica/).

## Useful Links

[Guanacaste Airport — official site](https://www.guanacasteairport.com/)

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Are there smoking areas at Liberia Guanacaste Airport (LIR)?

Yes — open-air smoking outside the terminal building, landside, is permitted under Costa Rica’s Ley 9028\. LIR publishes no designated area, and no smoking facility after security is confirmed.

### Is there a smoking area after security at Liberia Guanacaste Airport?

The terminal at LIR is smoke-free past the checkpoint under Ley 9028, and no smoking facility after security is confirmed. Smoke outside the terminal building before you go through.

### Where can I smoke at Liberia Guanacaste Airport?

Outside the terminal building, landside, where Ley 9028 permits open-air smoking. There is no signed or confirmed spot — LIR does not publish a designated area.

### Are e-cigarettes and vapes allowed at Liberia Guanacaste Airport?

Ley 9028 treats e-cigarettes the same as cigarettes, so vaping at LIR follows the same rule: not permitted inside the terminal, open-air only landside.

### Can I smoke during a layover at Liberia Guanacaste Airport?

Only if your itinerary lets you clear immigration and re-check in — LIR has no confirmed airside smoking facility, so a pure airside connection means a smoke-free wait between flights.

### How busy is Liberia Guanacaste Airport?

The airport’s operator reported a record 1,910,354 passengers in 2024, a 16% increase on 2023\.