Yes, Abha International Airport (AHB) has designated indoor smoking rooms for passengers. Saudi airports are required to provide designated smoking rooms, so Abha has designated areas after security in the departures zone, with outdoor smoking available before security.
Abha International Airport serves the Asir region in Saudi Arabia’s southwestern highlands. Sitting at roughly 2,200 m elevation, Abha has a notably cool, mild climate by Saudi standards and is a growing domestic summer-tourism destination (the Asir mountains and Soudah), supported by Vision 2030 tourism investment. The airport handles mainly Saudia and flynas domestic traffic plus regional and seasonal international flights through a single main terminal that has been progressively expanded.
Smoking Policy at Abha Airport
Under Saudi Arabia’s Anti-Smoking Law (Royal Decree M/56, 2015), smoking is prohibited in enclosed public places, but airports are required to provide designated smoking rooms. Abha follows the same model as Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam — ventilated indoor smoking rooms airside, with smoking elsewhere in the terminal (gate areas, restaurants, corridors) prohibited and subject to fines. Tobacco carries a 100% excise tax in Saudi Arabia.
Airport Layout
Abha operates a single main passenger terminal handling domestic, regional and seasonal international flights, with one departures concourse and arrivals hall. The terminal has been expanded over time to handle rising Asir tourism demand. Smoking provision is concentrated airside within that terminal, with outdoor areas before security.
Smoking Areas
Departures (Airside)
In line with Saudi airport policy, designated indoor smoking rooms are provided after security in the departures area. Follow the smoking-pictogram signage from the gate concourse to the nearest room; the rooms are ventilated and clearly marked, in keeping with the approach at the larger Saudi airports. Smoking in the open gate areas is not permitted.
Outside Terminals
Designated outdoor smoking is available outside the terminal building before security and on the arrivals forecourt. Unusually for Saudi Arabia, Abha’s highland location means mild temperatures for much of the year, so the outdoor areas are comfortable far more often than at the kingdom’s lowland airports, though the airside rooms remain the all-weather option.
E-Cigarettes and Vaping
E-cigarettes became legal in Saudi Arabia in 2019. They may be used inside the designated smoking rooms at Abha Airport, but not in the general terminal areas. Vape devices and liquids can be bought in the city and at some airport shops.
Tips for Smokers at Abha Airport
- Smoke airside in the designated rooms — follow the smoking-pictogram signage from your gate
- Outdoor smoking before security is comfortable here thanks to the cool highland climate
- Expect busier rooms during the summer Asir tourist peak (June–August)
- Duty-free pricing beats local tobacco, which carries a 100% excise tax in Saudi Arabia
- The terminal is compact; one airside smoke break covers most domestic layovers
- Keep your boarding pass handy — stepping back landside means clearing security again
Summary
| Area | Smoking Allowed | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Departures area (post-security) | Yes | Indoor rooms | Designated rooms per Saudi airport policy |
| Outside terminal | Yes | Outdoor | Before security; mild highland climate |
| General terminal areas | No | — | Indoor ban; fines for violations |