Yes, you can smoke at Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) — outdoors on the curb outside the terminal, and unusually for a regional airport, on an airside outdoor terrace if you have Premium Lounge access. The terminal building itself is smoke-free.
How Melbourne Airport Is Laid Out
MLB has a single passenger terminal. A roughly $60 million expansion completed around 2022–2023 added about 86,000 square feet, three new gates, a four-lane security checkpoint and an international arrivals area, bringing the building to roughly nine gates so it could receive international flights. Domestic service is led by Allegiant, with Delta to Atlanta, American Eagle to Charlotte and seasonal Sun Country to Minneapolis; the international service is TUI Airways, flying seasonally to several UK airports (Gatwick, Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast and Newcastle). There is no Ireland service here — Aer Lingus flies to Orlando’s larger MCO airport, not Melbourne.
Marketed as a low-stress alternative to busy Orlando International, MLB is the rare regional airport with a genuine after-security smoking option, described below.
Outdoor Smoking Before Security
Smoke in the designated outdoor areas on the curb outside the terminal, near the entrances and exits on the departures and arrivals frontage. Keep clear of the doors so smoke does not drift inside. This is the standard option for arriving passengers after baggage claim and for departing passengers before check-in.
Airside Smoking Terrace (Premium Lounge)
MLB is one of the few US airports with an airside smoking option. The MLB Premium Lounge, located past security in the departures area, has an outdoor smoking terrace reached from inside the lounge. Access is via Priority Pass membership, premium TUI tickets, or a paid walk-in pass (around $40 for adults), and it is open to both domestic and international departing passengers, reached through the lounge rather than as a general airside area.
The big caveat is availability: the lounge runs limited daytime hours and is closed for the winter season (roughly December through April, when international flying is paused), so the terrace is not always open. Confirm the lounge and its smoking terrace are open before you pay for access.
Without lounge access, there is no other post-security smoking spot: you must leave the secure area, smoke on the curb, then re-clear the TSA checkpoint before your flight.
Florida Setback Rule
Under the Florida Clean Indoor Air Act, smoking is banned inside the terminal. Use the marked outdoor curbside areas and stand clear of the doors.
E-Cigarettes and Vaping
Vaping is treated the same as smoking at MLB: no e-cigarettes inside the terminal. Use the outdoor curbside areas, or the Premium Lounge terrace if you have airside lounge access and it is open. The terrace is the only post-security spot for either smoking or vaping.
Summary
| Area | Smoking | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal building | No | Smoke-free indoors |
| Curbside (landside) | Yes | Outdoor area near entrances, keep clear of doors |
| Premium Lounge terrace (airside) | Yes | Eligible lounge guests only; confirm hours first |
| After security (no lounge) | No | Exit and re-clear TSA to smoke |
For USA airport smoking rules, state vape rules, lighter rules at TSA, and other federal/state info, see our USA smoking guide.