Yes, smoking is permitted at Manchester Airport (MAN): there is a smoking area after security on the upper level of the Terminal 2 departure lounge, and the terminal buildings have smoking areas outside that you can use before check-in and after arrivals. Manchester is one of the UK airports with a smoking area past security. Terminal 1 is closed: as of 19 November 2025 its airlines moved to Terminals 2 and 3.
Manchester’s long-haul routes often connect through the Gulf — check Dubai Airport’s smoking rooms after security or smoking at Doha Hamad International.
What Changed in November 2025
As of 19 November 2025 all the airlines that served Terminal 1 moved to Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, and the airport says Terminal 1, which first opened in 1962 and is joined in places to Terminal 3, can now fully close. Terminal 3 is now dedicated to Ryanair and is being expanded into the space Terminal 1 vacated.
For smokers, this leaves one smoking area after security on the airport’s pages: the one on Terminal 2’s upper level.
Terminal 2 Smoking (Airside + Landside)
- Airside smoking — outdoor area on the upper level of the departure lounge, after security: the airport’s directions are to take the escalators or lifts in the central area opposite World Duty Free.
- Landside smoking — smoking areas outside the terminal building, for use before check-in and after arrivals.
For connecting passengers and travellers with airside-only access, the Terminal 2 area is the option at MAN.
Terminal 3 Smoking (Landside Only)
Terminal 3, now dedicated to Ryanair, has:
- Landside smoking areas outside the terminal, to use before check-in.
- No smoking area after security — the airport says there are no outdoor smoking areas in the airside section of Terminal 3 and recommends the designated areas outside the terminal before you go through check-in.
The security re-entry adds time to any smoke break, especially at peak times.
Layovers and Transit
- Through Terminal 2: the upper-level area is reachable without leaving security; the walk depends on your pier, so allow for it before boarding.
- Through Terminal 3 (Ryanair): under 90 minutes is tight; leaving security to smoke and re-clearing it eats most short layovers.
- Between Terminals 2 and 3: Terminal 2’s area sits behind Terminal 2’s own security, so ask airport staff whether a Terminal 3 boarding pass is accepted there before you plan a detour for a smoke.
Vaping
Manchester Airport’s rule is that the use of e-cigarettes is forbidden within the airport. It publishes no exception for its smoking areas and no rule for heated-tobacco devices such as IQOS, so ask staff before you use either.
Summary
| Area | Smoking | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal 2, after security | Yes | Outdoor area on the upper level of the departure lounge; escalators or lifts opposite World Duty Free |
| Terminal 2, landside | Yes | Smoking areas outside the terminal, before check-in and after arrivals |
| Terminal 3, after security | No | No outdoor smoking area airside, in the airport’s words; smoke before check-in |
| Terminal 3, landside | Yes | Smoking areas outside the terminal, before check-in |
| Terminal 1 | Closed | Its airlines moved to Terminals 2 and 3 as of 19 November 2025 |
| Inside the terminals | No | The airport says you cannot smoke within any terminal building |
| Vaping | Ask staff | The airport forbids the use of e-cigarettes within the airport |
For United Kingdom airport smoking rules, vaping rules, and other general info, see our United Kingdom smoking guide.