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Papua New Guinea Airport Smoking Areas

By , Author, Air Travel Writer · Updated

Papua New Guinea keeps smoking out in the open air. The country’s main gateway is genuinely non-smoking inside and after security, so the answer is to plan your last cigarette on the landside, well away from the terminal, before you check in or after you leave. Knowing this in advance keeps your trip calm and predictable.

The airport that matters here is Port Moresby International Airport (Jacksons International Airport, POM).

How Papua New Guinea Airport Smoking Works

Under the Tobacco Control Act 2016, all enclosed public places in Papua New Guinea are smoke-free, and that includes airport terminals. Port Moresby lists no indoor, airside, or designated outdoor smoking facility, and the airside Air Niugini Paradise Lounge lists no smoking area of its own.

Any smoking therefore takes place in the open air on the landside, well away from the terminal building. Individuals who breach the smoke-free rules can be fined under the Act.

Vaping is treated even more strictly. A nationwide ban on the import, sale and use of all e-cigarettes and vapes was announced on 13 May 2025 and took effect on gazettal days later, enforced by the Health Department and Customs. Do not bring vaping devices into the country at all.

The Hub

Port Moresby International Airport (Jacksons International Airport, POM) is the country’s main gateway, with separate International and Domestic terminals. Both are smoke-free indoors and airside, so the open-air landside areas, kept well clear of the terminal entrances, are where smokers head before or after their flights.

Tips for Smokers at Papua New Guinea Airports

  • Have your last cigarette in the open air on the landside before you enter the terminal to check in, since there is no facility inside or after security.
  • Once you are airside there is no smoking option, so factor that into long layovers and connections.
  • Do not bring e-cigarettes or vapes into Papua New Guinea; their import and use are banned nationwide and enforced by Customs.
  • Keep well away from terminal doorways and other travellers when you smoke outside, and mind the heavy fines for smoking in enclosed public places.

Papua New Guinea Airports Compared: Indoor, Outdoor & After Security

AirportAfter securityIndoor roomOutdoor area
Jacksons International Airport (POM)––Yes

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can you smoke at Papua New Guinea airports?

Yes — in the open air on the landside, well away from the terminal building. Papua New Guinea’s main gateway, Port Moresby (POM), is smoke-free indoors and airside under the Tobacco Control Act 2016, so plan your cigarette outside before you check in or after you collect your bags.

Is there a smoking area after security at Port Moresby Airport (POM)?

Smoking at Port Moresby is landside only, in the open air well away from the terminal entrances — plan your cigarette before you pass through security. The airport lists no indoor, airside, or designated outdoor smoking facility, and the airside Air Niugini Paradise Lounge lists no smoking area.

Can I vape at airports in Papua New Guinea?

Use the open air on the landside for cigarettes instead — vaping is banned outright. A nationwide ban on the import, sale and use of all e-cigarettes and vapes was announced on 13 May 2025 and took effect on gazettal days later, enforced by the Health Department and Customs. Do not bring vaping devices into Papua New Guinea.

What is the fine for smoking indoors in Papua New Guinea?

Enclosed public places are smoke-free under the Tobacco Control Act 2016, and individuals who breach the rules can be fined.

Where can I smoke near Port Moresby Airport?

In the open air on the landside, well away from the terminal entrances. Step outside before check-in or after you collect your bags, and keep clear of doorways and other travellers.