Yes, Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY) has a designated airside indoor smoking room near Gate 12, reached by walking through the Balkoumi café, plus airside lounges with indoor smoking sections and outdoor areas landside near the terminal entrances. The indoor smoking ban is weakly enforced, and BEY genuinely provides these designated smoking rooms.
Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY) is Lebanon’s only commercial airport, located in the southern suburbs of Beirut on the Mediterranean coast. The airport handles around 8 million passengers annually and serves as the hub for Middle East Airlines. The airport provides designated indoor smoking rooms airside and outdoor areas landside for smokers.
Airport Layout
The airport has a single terminal building with two main sections. The older part of the terminal dates from the 1990s and early 2000s, while renovations and expansions have updated portions of the facility. Departures are on the upper level with security leading to the airside gate area. Arrivals are on the lower level. The airport sits along the coast, giving it a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild, rainy winters.
Smoking Areas
Landside (Before Security)
Outdoor smoking areas are located outside the terminal near the departures and arrivals entrances. Beirut’s Mediterranean climate makes outdoor smoking comfortable for much of the year, with mild winters and warm summers tempered by sea breezes.
Airside (After Security)
There is a designated indoor smoking room airside. It sits near Gate 12 and is reached by walking through the Balkoumi café; travellers report entry is free. Some reports place this smoking area across from Gate 21, via the Znood el Sett cafeteria, so the exact gate may have moved over time — confirm the current location with airport staff on the day. This gives smokers a real indoor option after passport control, without leaving the secure zone.
Lounges
Several airside lounges have indoor smoking sections. The Ahlein Comfy Lounge, open to travellers after passport control, has a smoking area inside the lounge. The Ahlein Premium Lounge includes a cigar and smoking lounge, and the Beirut Lounge has a rear smoking section. Access usually requires a lounge pass, Priority Pass, or an eligible business-class ticket — check current entry terms with lounge staff.
Summary
| Area | Smoking Allowed | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landside outside terminal | Yes | Outdoor | Near departures and arrivals entrances |
| Airside | Yes | Indoor | Designated smoking room near Gate 12 (Balkoumi café) + lounge smoking rooms |
| Lounges | Yes | Indoor | Ahlein Comfy, Ahlein Premium cigar lounge, Beirut Lounge |
| Open terminal concourse | No | N/A | Smoke in the designated rooms, not the general concourse |
For Lebanon airport smoking rules, vaping rules, and other general info, see our Lebanon smoking guide.