Smoking at Guadalajara International Airport (Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla) – GDL – 2026

Looking for a place to smoke at Guadalajara International Airport? GDL is Mexico’s third-busiest airport and has designated outdoor smoking areas.

Terminal 1

Terminal 2

Outside Terminals

General Information

Mexico’s General Law for Tobacco Control (Ley General para el Control del Tabaco), enacted in 2008 and strengthened in 2023, bans smoking in all enclosed public spaces and workplaces, including airports. The 2023 amendments expanded the ban to include outdoor areas of restaurants, bars, and public buildings, making Mexico one of the strictest countries in Latin America for tobacco control. At airports, smoking is restricted to designated outdoor areas only. Mexico City’s local regulations are even stricter, prohibiting smoking within public buildings and their immediate surroundings. Fines for violating the smoking ban range from 1,000 to 10,000 times the minimum daily wage. E-cigarettes and vaping devices were banned for sale and distribution in Mexico by presidential decree in 2022, though possession for personal use is technically not criminalized.

Terminal 1

• Outdoor smoking area outside the departures entrance
• Additional area on the arrivals level near the exit doors and taxi rank
• Terminal 1 handles most domestic and some US flights
• No indoor smoking rooms or post-security access

Terminal 2

• Outdoor smoking area outside the terminal entrance
• Terminal 2 is newer and handles additional international flights
• Clean outdoor areas with ashtrays and seating

Outside Terminals

• Designated zones with signage at both terminal entrances
• The area between terminals has some outdoor space during transfer between buildings

General Information

• Guadalajara’s pleasant climate (warm and dry) makes outdoor smoking comfortable for most of the year
• The airport is smaller than Mexico City, with shorter security lines averaging 10-20 minutes

Mexico Smoking Regulations

Mexico’s General Law for Tobacco Control (Ley General para el Control del Tabaco), enacted in 2008 and strengthened in 2023, bans smoking in all enclosed public spaces and workplaces, including airports. The 2023 amendments expanded the ban to include outdoor areas of restaurants, bars, and public buildings, making Mexico one of the strictest countries in Latin America for tobacco control. At airports, smoking is restricted to designated outdoor areas only. Mexico City’s local regulations are even stricter, prohibiting smoking within public buildings and their immediate surroundings. Fines for violating the smoking ban range from 1,000 to 10,000 times the minimum daily wage. E-cigarettes and vaping devices were banned for sale and distribution in Mexico by presidential decree in 2022, though possession for personal use is technically not criminalized.

Tips for Smokers at Guadalajara International Airport

• Guadalajara Airport has outdoor-only smoking areas. The designated zones outside each terminal entrance are easy to find at GDL.
• GDL is a mid-size airport with two terminals. Security re-screening is faster than at Mexico City, typically 10-20 minutes, making smoke breaks more manageable.
• Guadalajara’s climate is warm and dry with mild winters, so outdoor smoking is comfortable year-round at the airport.
• If connecting between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, a shuttle or walkway connects them. Plan 15-20 minutes to transfer and find a smoking area.