--- title: "Smoking at George Airport – GRJ" canonical: "https://www.airportsmokingzones.com/south-africa/grj-smoking-at-george-airport/" language: "en-us" description: "George Airport (GRJ) has an airside smoking room in the Bidvest Premier Lounge, plus outdoor smoking landside under South Africa's tobacco law." lastmod: "2026-09-25T00:00:00Z" --- # Smoking at George Airport – GRJ Yes, George Airport (GRJ) has an enclosed smoking room inside the airside Bidvest Premier Lounge. The open air outside the terminal building, landside, is also available for smoking under South Africa’s Tobacco Products Control Act. George Airport sits on South Africa’s Garden Route, roughly halfway between Cape Town and Gqeberha, and has repeatedly won awards for the best airport in Africa in its passenger-size category. ## Indoor Smoking — Bidvest Premier Lounge (Airside) The Bidvest Premier Lounge sits airside in the main terminal: clear security, take the stairs to the next floor, and the lounge is immediately ahead. Its facilities include a smoking room alongside baby-change facilities, complimentary light meals and snacks, beverages, TV and Wi-Fi, across 58 seats. Rates and access mirror ACSA’s other regional lounges — book online (around R255, valid for two hours before departure) or pay at the door (around R283), or use the short walk-in rate for a quick visit. It operates Monday to Friday 07:00–19:00, Saturday 08:30–15:00 and Sunday 08:30–19:00, with hours subject to change around the flight schedule. ## Outside the Terminal (Landside) South Africa’s Tobacco Products Control Act restricts smoking in enclosed public spaces, leaving the open air outside the terminal building available for landside smoking — the same legal default already established across South Africa’s airports. The airport does not publish a marked, signed or designated spot, so treat this as the general legal default rather than a marked facility. ## Vaping South African airports generally treat vaping like smoking, with no separate rule published for George. Use the Bidvest Premier Lounge smoking room airside, or the open air outside the terminal, landside. ## Summary | Area | Smoking | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | Bidvest Premier Lounge (airside, after security) | Yes | Paid access, any passenger; smoking room listed as a lounge feature | | Outside the terminal (landside) | Yes | Open-air default under South Africa’s Tobacco Products Control Act; no marked area published | | Rest of the terminal (check-in, arrivals) | No | Non-smoking indoors outside the lounge | | Vaping | Yes | Same areas as cigarettes | For South Africa airport smoking rules, vaping rules, and other general info, see our [South Africa smoking guide](https://www.airportsmokingzones.com/south-africa/). ## Useful Links - [George Airport (official ACSA site)](https://www.airports.co.za/airports/george-airport) ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can you smoke at George Airport (GRJ)? Yes — the Bidvest Premier Lounge, airside, has an enclosed smoking room among its listed features, and the open air outside the terminal building, landside, is available under South Africa’s Tobacco Products Control Act. ### Can I smoke inside George Airport (GRJ)? Yes — the Bidvest Premier Lounge, airside past security, has an enclosed smoking room among its listed lounge features. The rest of the terminal is non-smoking indoors. ### Is there a smoking area after security at George Airport? Yes — the Bidvest Premier Lounge, one floor up from security in the main terminal, has a smoking room and takes any passenger, regardless of airline, for a paid walk-in rate or a booked visit. ### Do I need lounge access to smoke at George Airport? Only for the airside smoking room — the Bidvest Premier Lounge charges for walk-in and online entry, since it is a commercial lounge rather than a free facility. Landside, the open air outside the terminal is available under South Africa’s Tobacco Products Control Act, with no purchase needed. ### Can I vape at George Airport? South African airports generally treat vaping like smoking, with no separate rule published for George. Use the Bidvest Premier Lounge smoking room airside, or the open air outside the terminal, landside. ### How do I get to the smoking room at George Airport? Clear security in the main terminal, then take the stairs to the next floor, where the Bidvest Premier Lounge is immediately ahead. It operates Monday to Friday 07:00–19:00, Saturday 08:30–15:00 and Sunday 08:30–19:00; hours can shift with the flight schedule.