Uruguay Airport Smoking Areas

By , Author, Air Travel Writer · Updated

Yes, you can smoke at Uruguay’s airports, and the place to do it is outdoors before security. Uruguay is one of the world’s tobacco-control pioneers, so the terminal is smoke-free and your spot is the open air outside the building, landside, before you pass through the checkpoint.

The airport that matters here is Carrasco International Airport (MVD) in Montevideo, the country’s single iconic gateway.

How Uruguay Airport Smoking Works

Smoking in Uruguay is an outdoor-only affair. National law makes every enclosed public and workplace 100% smoke-free under Law 18,256, in force since 2006, which means there is no indoor smoking room and no airside smoking lounge anywhere in the terminal. Your smoking happens outside, on the landside curb before security.

That layout shapes the whole journey. You can step out for a cigarette while you are still landside, and once you pass the checkpoint you are committed to a smoke-free terminal until you land. Connecting passengers who want to smoke have to exit to the outdoor area and then re-clear security to get back airside, so build in extra time for that round trip.

Vaping is a hard no across the country. Uruguay bans the sale, import and use of e-cigarettes in public places, the rules on disposable vapes were tightened in 2025, and heated-tobacco products are banned as well. Leave the vape at home.

The Hub

Carrasco International Airport (MVD) in Montevideo is Uruguay’s main gateway, a single architecturally celebrated terminal. Smoking is at the designated outdoor areas landside, in the open air outside the terminal before security. The indoor and airside spaces are entirely smoke-free.

Tips for Smokers at Uruguay Airports

  • Smoke outdoors before security at MVD, then time your final cigarette for just before you head through the checkpoint.
  • Connecting at Carrasco? You must exit to the outdoor landside area and re-clear security to smoke, so allow extra time on a tight connection.
  • Treat the whole terminal as smoke-free once you are airside and plan your trip around that.
  • Do not bring or use a vape: e-cigarettes and heated-tobacco products are banned from sale, import and use in public places nationwide.

Uruguay Airports Compared: Indoor, Outdoor & After Security

AirportAfter securityIndoor roomOutdoor area
Carrasco International Airport (MVD)––Yes

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I smoke at Uruguay's airports?

You can smoke outdoors before security at Carrasco International Airport (MVD) in Montevideo. Light up at the designated outdoor areas landside, outside the terminal building.

Is there an indoor or airside smoking room at MVD?

No. Carrasco International is fully smoke-free indoors, so there is no indoor lounge or airside smoking room. All smoking happens outdoors before security.

Can connecting passengers smoke at Carrasco Airport?

Connecting passengers who want to smoke must exit to the outdoor landside area and then re-clear security to return airside. Plan extra time for this.

Is vaping allowed at Uruguay's airports?

No. Uruguay comprehensively bans the sale, import and use of e-cigarettes and heated-tobacco products in public places. Do not bring or use vapes at the airport.

What is Uruguay's national smoking law?

Uruguay has been 100% smoke-free in enclosed public and workplaces since Law 18,256 took effect in 2006. The country is a global tobacco-control pioneer, so all airport smoking is outdoors only.