Yes, Dublin Airport (DUB) has a designated outdoor smoking area accessible after security. The Garden Terrace in Terminal 1 is located on the upper level near gates 101-224, behind Starbucks, and features a small bar serving draught beers. Both terminals also have outdoor smoking areas before security, outside the departures entrances.
Smoking Policy at Dublin Airport
The airport has designated outdoor smoking areas both before and after security. It calls the Terminal 1 departures area a smoking and vaping area; for the other areas and for heated tobacco it publishes no vaping rule, so ask staff.
Terminal 1 – The Garden Terrace (After Security)
The after-security smoking area is The Garden Terrace, an outdoor beer garden on the upper level of the Terminal 1 departures area, partially covered.
How to find it:
After clearing security, head towards gates 101-224
Look for signs pointing to “Food Court 2”
Take the escalator up one level
The Garden Terrace is located behind Starbucks
The terrace has a small bar serving draught beers, ciders and bottled drinks, with tables and seating.
Terminal 2 – No Smoking Area After Security
Terminal 2 does not have its own smoking area after security. Smoke before security, at the outdoor area outside the Terminal 2 departures entrance.
Travellers have described an airside walk from Terminal 2 to The Garden Terrace of about 10-15 minutes each way: signs for “lounges” on the lower floor, then past the DAA, Aer Lingus and Etihad lounges, about 30 minutes round trip. On 5 October 2026 a reader departing from Pier 4 (gates 400s) could not find that link and was told by five staff members that there is no connection between the terminals after security. Dublin Airport publishes no route between the terminals for departing passengers, so ask staff in Terminal 2 before you count on reaching the terrace, and smoke before security if they say there is none.
Before Security Smoking Areas
Both terminals have designated outdoor smoking areas before security:
Terminal 1: Outside the departures entrance, refreshed in September 2026 with new seating and privacy walls
Terminal 2: Outside the departures entrance
They are before security, so use them before you check in or go through screening.
US Pre-Clearance Warning
Dublin Airport is one of the few European airports with US Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance. Important: If you’re flying to the United States and proceed through US pre-clearance, you will not be able to access any smoking areas. There are no smoking facilities in the US pre-clearance zone, and once you enter, you cannot exit back to the regular departures area. Have your last cigarette at The Garden Terrace before you enter US pre-clearance.
Vaping at Dublin Airport
The airport calls the refreshed outdoor area outside Terminal 1 departures a smoking and vaping area. For The Garden Terrace, the Terminal 2 area and heated tobacco products (like IQOS) it publishes no vaping rule, so ask staff before you use one; the terminal buildings themselves are smoke-free.
News: New Smoking Area Planned for 2026
In late December 2025, Dublin Airport operator DAA said it hoped to announce plans for a new smoking area inside the terminal, a facility passengers have asked for over several years. No date or location has been announced, and Terminal 1’s Garden Terrace is still the airside smoking area, so plan around it. In September 2026 the airport refreshed the smoking area outside Terminal 1 departures with new seating and privacy walls; that area is before security. We will update this page when the new one opens.
Summary
| Area | Smoking | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal 1 airside — The Garden Terrace | Yes | Outdoor beer garden, upper level near gates 101-224, behind Starbucks |
| Terminal 2 airside | Ask staff | Travellers described a 10-15 minute airside walk to the Garden Terrace; a reader departing from Pier 4 on 5 October 2026 was told there is no connection |
| Before security, both terminals | Yes | Outdoor areas outside the Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 departures entrances; the Terminal 1 area was refreshed in September 2026 |
| US pre-clearance area | No facilities | Smoke at the Garden Terrace first; there is no way back out once inside |
| Vaping and heated tobacco | Terminal 1 departures area; elsewhere ask staff | The airport calls the Terminal 1 landside area a smoking and vaping area and publishes no vaping rule for the others |
For Ireland airport smoking rules, vaping rules, and other general info, see our Ireland smoking guide.