Yes, you can smoke at Valencia Airport (VLC) — airside, after security, on the open-air terrace on the lower level of the departures area, plus at designated outdoor areas outside the terminal doors, landside. The terminal interior is smoke-free.
Valencia Airport, in Manises just west of the city, is the Valencian Community’s main gateway and one of Spain’s busier regional airports, handling holiday and city-break traffic across Europe. It runs from a single passenger terminal, so once you are through security the airside terrace below is your option; landside, you smoke outside the building.
After Security (Airside)
The airside smoking spot is an open-air terrace reached from the departures area. Travellers report it sits on the lower level: from the main departures floor you take the escalator down and turn right, and the terrace is at that end. It is a step-outside area rather than an enclosed lounge, so you smoke in the open air and can return to the gates without leaving the secure zone.
The one catch is that it is easy to miss. Signage pointing to the terrace is faint, and reviewers note it is tucked away from the main passenger flow, so if you cannot spot it, ask a member of airport staff to point you toward it. Once you know where it is, it is a short walk from the boarding gates.
Because this is the only smoking option past passport control and security, transit and departing passengers should use it rather than trying to leave and re-enter. Exiting to the landside outdoor areas would mean clearing security again before your flight.
Before Security (Landside)
Smoking is not allowed anywhere inside the terminal, so before check-in and security you smoke outside the building. There are designated outdoor areas by the terminal doors on both the departures level and the arrivals level, with ashtrays provided. Valencia’s mild Mediterranean climate keeps these comfortable for most of the year.
Arriving passengers should note the same rule: wait until you have cleared passport control, collected your bags, and stepped outside the arrivals hall before lighting up. The nearest spot is simply the marked area outside the doors you exit from.
Vaping
Vaping is treated the same as smoking at Valencia. E-cigarettes are not allowed inside the terminal, so use the airside terrace or the outdoor areas outside the building for both cigarettes and vapes. Do not vape in the toilets — it can set off the smoke detectors.
Summary
| Area | Smoking | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor terminal | No | Smoke-free throughout |
| After security / airside | Yes | Open-air terrace on the lower level of departures (right at foot of the escalator); faint signage |
| Outdoor (landside) | Yes | Designated areas outside the terminal on departures and arrivals levels |
For Spain’s airport smoking rules and vaping law, see our Spain airport guide.