Yes, you can smoke at Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) at the designated area outside the main terminal entrance, on the landside forecourt before security. The airport’s own guidance is that smoking and vaping are “only permitted outside the main terminal entrance,” and it advises passengers to smoke or vape before passing through security — there are no smoking areas anywhere beyond the checkpoint.
The Designated Smoking Area
The single smoking spot at LBA sits directly outside the main terminal entrance. Step out of the entrance doors, move clear of the doorway, and use the designated area — it serves both departing passengers heading in to check-in and arriving passengers coming out to the forecourt.
LBA is the highest airport in England, sitting at 681 ft on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, and the forecourt is exposed — bring a jacket for a winter smoke break, and expect wind and rain to reach the smoking area for much of the year.
Enforcement is strict: the airport warns that anyone found smoking or vaping in a non-smoking area may be denied travel, and smoking is also strictly forbidden on the apron, in boarding areas and near aircraft.
After Security
The airport advises passengers to smoke or vape before passing through security, and that advice is worth taking literally: once you are through the checkpoint there is nothing until you land. From the departure lounge, a smoke break means exiting the secure area, walking out of the main entrance, smoking at the designated spot and re-clearing security — realistic only with a long wait before boarding, and not worth attempting close to your departure time.
LBA’s traffic is overwhelmingly point-to-point holiday and city-break flying, so few passengers connect here. If you are joining KLM’s Amsterdam service to connect onward, note that Schiphol’s designated smoking area on Jan Dellaertplein is landside, before security — so the LBA shelter is your last easy cigarette until you have fully arrived at the far end.
Terminal Layout
LBA operates a single terminal in Yeadon, about seven miles northwest of Leeds city centre, handling around 4.2 million passengers a year. Jet2, headquartered at the airport, is by far the largest operator, joined by Ryanair, TUI, Wizz Air, Aer Lingus and KLM. The £100-million LBA:REGEN regeneration programme, under way since autumn 2023, is expanding the terminal’s security, dining, retail and arrivals areas — no indoor smoking facility is part of the plans, so the outside-the-entrance area remains the only option.
In the news (2026): after a summer of terminal fire alarms that passengers blamed on covert smoking, travellers are calling on LBA to bring back a dedicated smoking area. The airport says the most recent alarm was a false alarm not caused by smoking, and has signalled no change of policy.
Vaping and E-Cigarettes
Vape at the same designated area outside the main terminal entrance — e-cigarettes follow exactly the same rules as cigarettes at LBA, with vaping prohibited inside the terminal, in toilets, on walkways and in boarding areas. The airport’s guidance extends to prescribed medical cannabis vapes: vaping them inside the terminal is not permitted, and it suggests travelling with alternatives such as cannabis oil instead. Since June 2025 disposable vapes can no longer be sold anywhere in the UK, so pack a refillable device from home rather than counting on buying one at the airport.
Summary
| Area | Smoking Allowed | Location Details |
|---|---|---|
| Outside the main terminal entrance | Yes | Designated landside area; clear of the doorway |
| Inside the terminal | No | Smoke-free throughout, including toilets and walkways |
| After security / departure lounge | No | Smoke or vape before security, per the airport’s advice |
| Boarding areas and apron | No | Strictly forbidden near aircraft |
| Vaping | Outdoor area only | Same rules as cigarettes, including medical cannabis vapes |
For United Kingdom airport smoking rules, vaping rules, and other general info, see our United Kingdom smoking guide.