French Polynesia keeps things easy for travelling smokers: its single international gateway sits in a tropical, partly open-air terminal where you can light up airside in a lounge smoking area and again at the open-air curb on the way in or out. Plan your cigarette around the Air Tahiti Nui lounge airside, and you are sorted.
The airport that matters here is Faa’a International Airport / Tahiti International Airport (PPT) in Papeete.
How French Polynesia Airport Smoking Works
French Polynesia has one airport built for international travel, so the rules are simple to follow. Airside, the only smoking option is a semi-enclosed area inside the Air Tahiti Nui lounge, fitted with glass doors, a plant wall and benches. Landside, smoking is open-air at the curb and forecourt outside the terminal.
French and local tobacco law applies: smoking is banned in enclosed public spaces, which is why the airside option sits inside a ventilated, semi-enclosed lounge space rather than the main concourse. Vaping is restricted the same way smoking is in enclosed public spaces. Disposable single-use vapes are banned, and in late August 2025 the Assembly of French Polynesia voted to extend the prohibition to all e-cigarettes and their derivatives — confirm the current status before travelling with a device.
The Hub
Faa’a International Airport (PPT), known locally as Tahiti International Airport, is the sole gateway for the whole territory. Airside, lounge access opens up the semi-enclosed Air Tahiti Nui smoking area, reached with Poerava Business or Club Tiare Gold status, or by buying a paid Lounge Pass. Landside, the open-air curb and forecourt are where smokers gather, and travellers report a dedicated open-air smoking area beside the domestic-zone food court, opened in 2024.
Tips for Smokers at Tahiti Airport
- Have your last cigarette landside at the open-air curb before you clear security, since beyond the curb there is no landside smoking spot.
- Airside, head for the Air Tahiti Nui lounge: its semi-enclosed smoking area with glass doors and a plant wall is the only after-security option.
- No premium ticket? A paid Lounge Pass gets you into the lounge and its smoking area, so factor that cost in if you want to smoke after security.
- Check the current vaping rules before you travel — disposables are banned, and the Assembly voted in late August 2025 to extend the ban to all e-cigarettes.
French Polynesia Airports Compared: Indoor, Outdoor & After Security
| Airport | After security | Indoor room | Outdoor area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faa'a International Airport (PPT) | Yes | – | Yes |