Smoke outside the terminal building at Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), Sint Maarten’s only airport, on the Dutch side of the island in Simpson Bay. The airport does not publish an indoor or airside smoking area, and travellers described a former airside smoking room as closed in July 2025.
How Sint Maarten Airport Smoking Works
Sint Maarten has no comprehensive national law banning smoking in privately-run venues; the island’s tobacco ordinance targets government-managed public buildings, so airports, restaurants and bars largely set their own rules:
- No indoor or airside smoking area — SXM’s former smoking room, between gates C3 and C4, was described by travellers as closed in July 2025
- Smoking is at the outdoor areas around the terminal building, landside
- E-cigarettes follow the same practical rule as cigarettes — no indoor option, so use the outdoor landside areas
The Airport
Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM). Sint Maarten’s only airport, in Simpson Bay. Sint Maarten Airport’s smoking area is the outdoor space around the terminal, landside — smoke before you clear security, since the former airside smoking room between gates C3 and C4 was described as closed by multiple travellers in 2025.
Tips for Smokers at Sint Maarten Airport
- Plan to smoke before check-in or security — travellers described the former airside smoking room as closed in July 2025
- E-cigarette rules are unregulated indoors nationally; with no indoor smoking area at the airport, treat vaping the same as smoking and use the outdoor areas
- Connecting passengers have no airside smoking option and would need to exit and re-clear security to reach the outdoor areas
- Check current status on arrival, since travellers have described the smoking room’s condition changing more than once in recent years
Sint Maarten Airport Compared: Indoor, Outdoor & After Security
| Airport | After security | Indoor room | Outdoor area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) | – | – | Yes |