Smoking Areas at Greece Airports

Greece banned indoor smoking in enclosed public spaces in 2010 (Greek Law 3868/2010), with enforcement tightened significantly in 2019. The standout exception for travellers is Athens, which runs ventilated indoor smoking lounges airside; the regional and island airports are landside-outdoor, where the Greek climate keeps an open-air cigarette pleasant most of the year.

For European transit travellers, Athens is the airport that matters most. Athens Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH) handles substantial transit traffic between Western Europe and the Middle East, and its airside indoor smoking lounges work well for layovers.

How Greek Airport Smoking Works

The 2010/2019 ban prohibits indoor smoking in enclosed public spaces; ventilated smoking lounges are the permitted exception, and Athens runs them airside. In practice:

Athens: indoor smoking lounges after security, near Gate A8, Gates B12–B13, and in the C-satellite
Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Rhodes: designated outdoor areas outside the terminal, landside
Marked with clear Greek/English signage, free to use
Mediterranean climate keeps the outdoor areas usable most of the year

Enforcement of the ban tightened significantly in 2019 — Greek airports now actively monitor for violations indoors.

The Major Hubs

Athens Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH). Greece’s primary international airport, named after the early 20th-century Prime Minister. Indoor smoking lounges after security — near Gate A8, Gates B12–B13, and in the C-satellite — plus outdoor areas outside the terminal. Major transit hub for Western Europe-Middle East itineraries.

Thessaloniki Makedonia (SKG). Northern Greece’s main airport, important for Balkan connections. Designated outdoor areas by the departures upper-level entrance and the arrivals exit, landside.

Tourist Island Airports

Heraklion (HER). Crete’s main airport, serves substantial summer tourism. Outdoor areas by the departures entrance and arrivals exit, landside.

Santorini (JTR). Iconic island airport. Compact terminal with outdoor smoking areas.

Mykonos (JMK). Party island airport. Outdoor areas near the terminal entrance.

Rhodes Diagoras (RHO). Dodecanese island gateway handling close to seven million summer-charter passengers. Outdoor areas outside the terminal, landside only — no airside smoking area.

Corfu Ioannis Kapodistrias (CFU). Ionian island airport. Outdoor smoking areas.

Tips for Smokers at Greek Airports

Athens keeps airside indoor smoking lounges — easy transit smoking; the island airports are landside-outdoor
Mediterranean climate makes Greek outdoor smoking pleasant most of the year
Cigarettes in Greece are mid-priced for Europe (~€5-6/pack)
Vapes and IQOS welcome at the same designated areas
Island airports are particularly pleasant in summer; can be windy/cool in winter
Athens is the most reliable transit option year-round

Greece Airports Compared: Indoor, Outdoor & After Security

Airport	After security	Indoor room	Outdoor area
Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos) (ATH)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Heraklion International Airport (Nikos Kazantzakis) (HER)	–	–	Yes
Smoking at Rhodes Airport – RHO	–	–	Yes
Thessaloniki Airport (Macedonia) (SKG)	–	–	Yes

Last updated: July 7, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you smoke at Greek airports?

Yes — at designated areas. Greece banned indoor smoking in enclosed public spaces in 2010, with stricter enforcement starting 2019; Athens Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH) still runs ventilated indoor smoking lounges airside, near gates A8 and B12–B13 and in the C-satellite. Thessaloniki (SKG), Heraklion (HER) and Rhodes (RHO) have designated outdoor areas outside the terminal, landside. Mediterranean climate keeps the outdoor areas comfortable most of the year.

Where can I smoke at Athens Airport (ATH)?

In the indoor smoking lounges after security — near Gate A8, near Gates B12–B13, and in the C-satellite — plus at outdoor areas outside the terminal, landside. The lounges are post-security and free to use, so Athens works well for transit smokers.

Which Greek airport is best for smokers?

Athens is Greece’s most smoker-friendly airport thanks to its airside indoor smoking lounges — you can smoke during a layover without leaving the secure zone. The island airports (Heraklion, Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos) are landside-outdoor; the island climate keeps them pleasant from spring through autumn, and transit smokers there must exit and re-clear security.

Are e-cigarettes and vapes allowed at Greek airports?

Yes — vaping is legal in Greece and most airports treat it the same as smoking. Greek law on indoor vaping has tightened since 2019, restricting vaping in enclosed public spaces alongside cigarettes. At airports, use the designated smoking areas — Athens’s indoor lounges or the outdoor areas landside — for both vapes and cigarettes. Heat-not-burn devices like IQOS are sold openly.

Can I smoke during a Greek airport layover?

Yes at Athens — its indoor smoking lounges are airside, so transit passengers can smoke without re-clearing security. Thessaloniki, Heraklion and Rhodes have no airside smoking area; a layover smoke there means exiting to the landside outdoor areas and re-clearing security, so allow time for the queues.