Yes, you can smoke at Imphal Bir Tikendrajit International Airport (IMF) in the open-air zones at the front of the terminal — the forecourt by the main entrance and the curbside drop-off and pick-up lanes. Imphal runs a single passenger terminal and the smoking spots here are outdoors, so light up before you check in and clear security.
Outside the Terminal
The front of the terminal is your smoking zone at IMF. As you approach the departures entrance you will find open kerbside space along the drop-off lane where travellers step aside to smoke; look for an ashtray or signage near the doors. Because Imphal is a compact regional gateway for Manipur and the wider Northeast, the walk from the check-in hall back out to the forecourt takes only a minute or two, so it is easy to step outside before joining the security queue.
After Security
The Airports Authority of India lists a “Smoking Zone” among Imphal Airport’s facilities and does not publish where it is or whether it sits airside. The dependable, confirmed option remains the open air in front of the terminal, so finish your cigarette outside before you go through screening. Once you are in the departures hold area, plan to wait until you reach your destination — there is no re-entry to the landside forecourt after security. If you cannot locate the outdoor zone, ask airline ground staff or the terminal information desk to point you to it.
A new integrated terminal is under construction at Imphal — delayed by the 2023 unrest, the expansion is now in its final phase with completion targeted by the end of 2026. It will lift capacity from about 1.39 to 5 million passengers a year and enable 24-hour operations; a smoking zone is listed among the new terminal’s planned amenities, with no location published yet.
Smoking Zones at Imphal Airport — Summary
| Area | Smoking zone | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal forecourt | Open-air zone by the main departures entrance | Before check-in; look for ashtrays/signage |
| Curbside drop-off | Kerbside drop-off and pick-up lanes | A few steps from the doors |
| Airside (after security) | AAI lists a smoking zone but no location | Smoke outdoors before screening to be safe |
Heading on to another Northeast hub? See our guide to Guwahati Airport (GAU) smoking zones.
For India airport smoking rules, the PECA vape ban, lighter-machine instructions, and other rules, see our India smoking guide.