Yes, you can smoke at Kaohsiung International Airport (KHH) at marked outdoor areas on the forecourts of both the International and Domestic terminals, all of them landside and before security. Since 1 January 2025 the entire interior of both terminals has been smoke-free, so there is no indoor lounge and no airside smoking room here; every option is a short walk outside the doors.
Kaohsiung’s two adjoining terminals share one compact building, so the smoking areas are easy to reach whichever door you use. Together they offer six marked outdoor areas, and none is more than a minute or two from the terminal doors. Below is where to find them.
International Terminal
The International Terminal has four designated outdoor areas, split across two levels:
- Level 1 (arrivals kerb): east-side coach and large-bus parking bay
- Level 1 (arrivals kerb): under the west-side pedestrian overpass
- Level 3 (departures kerb): east-side flower-bed area (added February 2025)
- Level 3 (departures kerb): west-side flower-bed area (added February 2025)
If you are departing, the two Level 3 flower-bed spots by the departures drop-off are the closest to check-in. If you have just landed, the Level 1 bays by the bus parking are a few steps from the arrivals exit. All four are open-air and unsigned in places, so look for the standing ashtrays. Travellers arriving by metro reach the same landside level: the Kaohsiung International Airport MRT station (R4, Red Line) exits into the terminal’s public area, so you can step outside to any of the forecourt areas before checking in.
Domestic Terminal
The Domestic Terminal, next door, has two designated outdoor areas, both on the forecourt:
- East-side parking lot
- West-side passenger parking lot
There is no smoking anywhere inside the domestic hall or beyond its security check, so light up on the forecourt before you go in. Because the domestic and international buildings sit side by side, either terminal’s outdoor areas are within an easy walk if the nearer one is busy.
Connecting Through Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung has no airside or transit smoking area in either terminal, so there is nowhere to smoke without leaving the secure zone. On a connection you would clear immigration into the landside arrivals hall, step out to one of the outdoor forecourt areas, then re-clear security and immigration for your onward flight. Build in time for the re-screening, or skip the cigarette if your layover is tight. Travellers changing planes at Taiwan’s main hub instead should see our guide to smoking at Taipei Taoyuan Airport.
Vaping and E-Cigarettes
E-cigarettes and heated-tobacco vapes are banned nationwide in Taiwan under the 2023 Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act, so you cannot vape anywhere at Kaohsiung Airport, indoors or outdoors. Bringing a vape into the country is itself an offence, and airport security can confiscate the device. Stick to conventional cigarettes in the outdoor areas, and carry your own smokes: there is no airside tobacco kiosk once you are past security, and lighters are subject to the usual cabin-baggage limits.
Summary
| Area | Smoking Allowed |
|---|---|
| After security (airside) | – |
| Indoor (terminal interior) | – |
| Outdoor (designated forecourt areas) | Yes |
For Taiwan’s airport smoking rules and the nationwide e-cigarette ban, see our Taiwan airport smoking guide.