Smoking at Edinburgh Airport – EDI

EDI ★ - (0) ✓ Verified Jun 2026 Help Smokers — Contribute to this page
By , Author, Air Travel Writer · Updated

Yes, smoking is permitted at Edinburgh Airport at designated outdoor smoking shelters near the main terminal entrances. Edinburgh is Scotland’s busiest airport and the UK’s sixth-busiest overall, handling around 16 million passengers annually. The terminal is smoke-free indoors, and the airport has operated outdoor-only since the indoor ban.

The Designated Smoking Shelters

Edinburgh’s smoking facilities are a series of outdoor shelters:

  • Location: near the main terminal entrances, on the forecourt.
  • Signposted: yes — directional signs lead from the terminal exits to the shelter locations.
  • Specific door references: not published. The airport added explicit signage following the 2006 indoor ban, but current guidance directs passengers to follow the signs rather than naming specific doors.

The shelters provide protection from Scottish weather (rain, wind), which is a meaningful consideration year-round.

What the Tram Plaza Canopy Is (and Isn’t)

Edinburgh has an 800-square-metre tensile-canopy structure over the Edinburgh Trams plaza, built by Broxap. This is a transport shelter, not a smoking area:

  • It covers the tram stop and the walkway between the terminal and the trams.
  • Smoking is not permitted under or around the canopy.
  • The designated smoking shelters are separate, away from the tram plaza.

Travellers sometimes mistakenly assume the covered tram area is smoking-permitted because of the shelter — it isn’t.

Edinburgh Trams and Bus Connections

Edinburgh has the best public transport of any UK airport:

  • Edinburgh Trams — direct from the airport tram stop to Princes Street in 30 minutes, every 7-10 minutes.
  • Lothian Buses Airlink 100 — direct to the city centre, similar timing, slightly cheaper.
  • Both are non-smoking, with no smoking permitted at the stops or along the drop-off areas.

Smoke at the designated shelter before boarding either service.

Layovers and Transit

Edinburgh handles a balanced mix — UK domestic, European short-haul, and transatlantic to/from North America (United to Newark and Chicago, Delta to JFK and Atlanta, Air Canada to Toronto). For smoker connections:

  • Under 90 minutes: tight given the round trip from gate to shelter and back through security.
  • 90 minutes to 3 hours: comfortable.
  • 3+ hours: comfortable. Edinburgh’s landside facilities include pubs and restaurants.

Vaping

Edinburgh Airport applies an indoor ban that includes vaping. The designated outdoor shelters are the only places vaping is permitted on airport property.

Heat-not-burn devices (IQOS, glo) follow the same rule.

For United Kingdom airport smoking rules, the vape ban, and other general info, see our United Kingdom smoking guide.

Last updated:

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I smoke at Edinburgh Airport?

Yes — at designated outdoor smoking shelters near the main terminal entrances, signposted from the terminal exits. Edinburgh is Scotland’s busiest airport and the UK’s sixth-busiest overall. There is no airside smoking; all indoor smoking facilities are closed. Specific door numbers for the smoking shelters are not published; follow the directional signage on arrival.

Where exactly is the smoking shelter at Edinburgh?

Yes — the designated outdoor smoking shelter is signposted from the main terminal exits, with directional signs leading from the terminal doors to the shelter location. Edinburgh Airport added explicit smoking-area signage following the 2006 indoor ban, but the airport does not publish specific door numbers in current guidance. Look for the signs on arrival or exit.

Is the tram plaza covered area a smoking area?

No — the 800m² tensile-canopy structure over the Edinburgh Trams plaza (built by Broxap) is a transport-shelter canopy, not a designated smoking area. It covers the tram stop and adjacent walkway. Smoking near the tram stop and along the drop-off areas is prohibited; the designated smoking shelters are separate and signposted from the terminal exits.

Can I smoke during an Edinburgh layover?

Yes, by exiting security and re-clearing. Edinburgh handles primarily point-to-point UK domestic and short-haul European traffic, plus some long-haul to North America (United, Delta, Air Canada to several US cities). Transit smoking is workable for 90+ minute layovers; under 90 minutes is tight given the security re-entry cycle.

Are vapes and e-cigarettes allowed at Edinburgh Airport?

Yes — at the same designated outdoor smoking shelters as cigarettes. Heat-not-burn devices follow the same rule. Indoor vaping is prohibited everywhere in the terminal under Edinburgh Airport’s policy. Bringing vapes through EDI is fine.