Yes, you can smoke at Kenmore Air’s Lake Union Seaplane Terminal (LKE) in Seattle outdoors, on the open waterfront and at least 25 feet from the doors. This is a small floatplane terminal on the South Lake Union waterfront, not a conventional airport — and that changes how a smoke break works.
Outside the Terminal
The terminal is a compact waterfront building on the south shore of Lake Union (opened in 1993, in the shadow of the Space Needle) where you board directly off the dock onto the floatplane — Kenmore Air’s de Havilland Beavers and Otters. Scheduled flights run to the San Juan Islands (Friday Harbor, Roche Harbor, Eastsound and Deer Harbor on Orcas, and Lopez) and to Victoria’s Inner Harbour in British Columbia. Your smoking spot is the open waterfront area outside the building; keep well away from the entrance doors, any windows that open, and the boarding dock where passengers gather. The building itself is smoke-free.
Washington’s Smoking in Public Places Act is the rule behind that setback: it requires 25 feet of clearance from entrances, opening windows, and ventilation intakes of any no-smoking building, so stand well back from the terminal. Vaping follows the same 25-foot rule.
Unlike a major airport, these seaplane flights have no TSA security checkpoint, so you can step out and back in freely before boarding with nothing to re-clear. Plan to arrive around 30 minutes before a domestic departure (more for international Victoria flights) and have your smoke before check-in or boarding.
Summary
| Area | Smoking | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal building (indoors) | No | Smoke-free under Washington law |
| Boarding dock | No | Keep clear of waiting passengers |
| Outdoor waterfront | Yes | 25 ft from doors, windows, vents |
| Security checkpoint | None | No TSA screening for seaplane flights |
For USA airport smoking rules, state vape rules, lighter rules at TSA, and other federal/state info, see our USA smoking guide.