Yes, you can smoke at Gregorio Luperón International Airport (POP) — outdoors, landside, away from the terminal building. Dominican Republic law (Ley 48-00) bans smoking only inside enclosed public and private spaces and requires those institutions to set aside a place for smokers, so a landside outdoor spot exists; the airport’s own site just doesn’t mark one on a map.
Puerto Plata’s airport serves the resort towns of the Dominican Republic’s north coast — Puerto Plata itself, Sosúa and Cabarete — handling around 850,000 passengers a year through a single terminal. Unlike Santo Domingo’s Las Américas Airport, which keeps enclosed indoor smoking rooms, Puerto Plata publishes none.
Before Security, Landside
Smoking happens outdoors, clear of the terminal doors. No marked or designated spot is published on the airport’s own site, so look for signage near the entrance or ask ground staff. The landside Larimar Lounge, on Level 1 of the arrivals area before passport control, is a paid facility — its DragonPass listing includes a “Smoking Area” among its amenities; its Priority Pass listing for the same lounge states no smoking, including vaping. Because the two access-network listings disagree, don’t count on it; confirm with lounge staff before you pay for entry.
After Security
The airside Sala Ambar departure lounge, reached after passport control and security, is unambiguous: its Priority Pass listing states “no smoking (including vaping).” No other smoking facility is published for the airside concourse, so a departing passenger who has already cleared the checkpoint has no on-site option — smoke landside beforehand instead.
Vaping
Dominican Republic law does not clearly regulate e-cigarettes, and POP publishes no separate vaping policy for the general terminal. The one clear rule is Sala Ambar’s own no-vaping condition. Elsewhere, treat vaping like smoking and use the outdoor landside area; carry devices and spare batteries in your hand luggage, never in checked bags.
Summary
| Area | Smoking | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor, landside | Yes | No marked spot published; ask staff or check entrance signage |
| Larimar Lounge (landside, arrivals) | Disputed | Access-network listings disagree — one lists a smoking area, one does not |
| Sala Ambar lounge (airside) | No | Official listing states no smoking, including vaping |
| Airside departure concourse | No | No smoking facility published after security |
| Vaping | Yes, landside outdoor only | No published rule outside Sala Ambar’s no-vaping condition |
For the Dominican Republic’s airport smoking rules and vaping law, see our Dominican Republic airport guide.