Smoking at Barcelona–El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport – BCN

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Yes, Barcelona–El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport (BCN) lets you smoke at open-air terraces after security in the Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 boarding areas, plus designated outdoor areas outside each terminal before security. Unusually for a Spanish airport, the airside terraces mean you do not have to leave the secure zone for a cigarette during a connection.

Barcelona joins a small group of airports with open-air smoking after security — see Singapore Changi’s open-air smoking gardens after security and Auckland Airport’s open-air smoking deck after security.

Jump to: Terminal 1 · Terminal 2 · Before security · Layovers

Terminal 1 Smoking Terraces (After Security)

Terminal 1 is Barcelona’s newer main terminal, handling most full-service international and domestic carriers. AENA keeps two open-air smoking courtyards inside the T1 boarding area, both on Floor 1:

  • North courtyard (Floor 1): an outdoor terrace in the T1 boarding area with seating and food outlets alongside.
  • South courtyard (Floor 1): a second open-air terrace on the same level.

Both sit within the main Schengen boarding zone (the A, B and C gates), a level down from the departures floor and close to the terrace food court near the C-gates. Signage is faint — follow the outdoor-terrace or coffee-shop signs, and ask staff if you lose the thread.

One routing detail matters for non-Schengen flights: passengers departing the Level 3 D and E gates pass through passport control, and there is no terrace beyond it on that level. Have your last cigarette on the Floor 1 terrace before you head up to passport control and your gate.

Terminal 2 Smoking Terrace (After Security)

Terminal 2 — split into modules T2A, T2B and T2C — serves mainly low-cost and regional carriers. It keeps one open-air smoking terrace on Floor 1 of the boarding area, past security, confirmed open through late 2025. The terrace is smaller than the T1 courtyards; seating and a nearby bar make it a comfortable spot between flights.

As at T1, this is an outdoor courtyard — BCN has no enclosed indoor smoking rooms in either terminal.

Before Security (Landside)

  • Terminal 1: outdoor smoking area on the departures level (Level 3) outside the main entrance, with another on the arrivals level (Level 0) near the exit.
  • Terminal 2: outdoor areas outside the T2A, T2B and T2C module entrances; the shuttle-bus stops between T1 and T2 also have open-air space.

All designated areas have ashtrays provided by AENA. T1 and T2 are not walkable between each other — they are linked by a free shuttle bus, so clear security at the terminal your flight departs from.

Smoking During a Barcelona Layover

BCN is one of the few AENA airports where a connection does not send you back through security for a cigarette. If your inbound and onward flights both use Terminal 1, the Floor 1 North and South courtyards are steps from the Schengen gates; a Terminal 2 connection has its own Floor 1 terrace. The Mediterranean climate keeps the terraces pleasant for most of the year, which makes Barcelona a relaxed place to wait out a layover.

Vaping and heat-not-burn devices such as IQOS are treated the same as cigarettes — use the open-air terraces rather than vaping inside the terminal.

For Spain airport smoking rules, vaping rules, and other general info, see our Spain smoking guide.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I smoke at Barcelona Airport?

Yes. Barcelona El Prat has open-air smoking terraces after security in the boarding areas of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, plus designated outdoor areas outside each terminal entrance before security.

Is there a smoking area after security at Barcelona Airport?

Yes. BCN has open-air smoking terraces in the boarding areas on Floor 1 of Terminal 1 (the North and South courtyards) and on Floor 1 of Terminal 2. They are outdoor courtyards, not indoor rooms, so you can smoke without leaving the secure zone.

Where is the smoking area at BCN Terminal 1?

Terminal 1 has two open-air smoking courtyards on Floor 1 of the boarding area, called the North and South courtyards, within the main Schengen gate zone near the terrace food court. Before security, there is an outdoor area on the departures level (Level 3) outside the main entrance.

Where is the smoking area at BCN Terminal 2?

Terminal 2 has one open-air smoking terrace on Floor 1 of the boarding area, past security, confirmed open through late 2025. Before security, outdoor areas sit outside the T2A, T2B and T2C module entrances.

Can I smoke during a layover at Barcelona Airport?

Yes. If your connection stays within Terminal 1 or within Terminal 2, that terminal’s Floor 1 terrace lets you smoke without re-clearing security. T1 and T2 are not linked airside, so a terminal change means exiting landside and screening again.

Can I vape at Barcelona Airport?

Yes — vaping and heat-not-burn devices such as IQOS are allowed in the same open-air smoking terraces as cigarettes, both airside and landside. Use the outdoor terraces rather than vaping inside the terminal.