Yes, you can smoke at Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK) in the designated outdoor spots on the curbside outside both terminals. The terminals are smoke-free indoors, so smokers use the marked areas near the ground transportation pickup, set back from the entrance doors.
How Oakland Airport Is Laid Out
The airport is now officially branded Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, the name the Port of Oakland adopted in 2025 and kept under an April 2026 settlement with San Francisco; the airport code stays OAK, and the terminals, gates and smoking areas are unchanged by the rebrand.
OAK has two terminals: Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Terminal 1 handles every airline except Southwest — Alaska, Delta, Hawaiian, Allegiant, Sun Country, Volaris, Viva Aerobus, JSX and Advanced Air among them. Terminal 2 is Southwest’s, and Southwest is far and away the airport’s biggest operator. Per the airport’s own guidance, the two terminals connect after security by a walkway, so you can enter at either checkpoint and reach a gate on the other side.
The BART station connects directly to the terminals via the Oakland Airport Connector, a people mover that drops you off between the two terminals. This makes OAK one of the most transit-accessible airports in the country.
Terminal 1
Smoking areas: Outdoors at the curbside — step out of the ground-level exits to the marked areas away from the doors. After security: Smoke-free; exit and re-clear the TSA checkpoint.
Terminal 1 handles the non-Southwest carriers at OAK, including Alaska, Delta, Hawaiian and Volaris. The outdoor smoking areas are reached from the ground-level exits: step outside to the curbside departures or arrivals frontage and look for the marked spots set back from the doors.
Terminal 2
Smoking areas: Outdoors at the curbside, same as Terminal 1. After security: Smoke-free; exit and re-clear screening.
Terminal 2 is Southwest’s terminal, with its own check-in hall, checkpoint and gates. The outdoor smoking areas sit on the curbside outside the building, a short walk from the exits.
Outside the Terminal
The designated outdoor smoking areas at OAK are along the curbside areas outside both terminals. You will find them near the ground transportation pickup areas, set back from the entrance doors. The areas are marked with signage and ashtrays.
Oakland enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate year-round, so stepping outside for a smoke is rarely uncomfortable. Mornings can be foggy, especially in summer; temperatures stay moderate even in winter. Rain is possible from November through April, and the smoking areas are not covered.
E-Cigarettes and Vaping
Vape in the same outdoor designated smoking areas as cigarette smokers, on the curbside outside either terminal. E-cigarettes follow the smoking rules everywhere indoors at OAK, including gate areas, restrooms, restaurants and the BART connector. TSA allows vape devices in carry-on bags, never in checked luggage.
Summary
| Area | Smoking Allowed | Location Details |
|---|---|---|
| Inside Terminal 1 | No | Entire building smoke-free |
| Inside Terminal 2 | No | Entire building smoke-free |
| Terminal 1 curbside | Yes | Designated areas away from entrances |
| Terminal 2 curbside | Yes | Designated areas away from entrances |
| BART connector | No | Smoke-free enclosed walkway |
| Restaurants and lounges | No | All indoor dining is smoke-free |
For USA airport smoking rules, state vape rules, lighter rules at TSA, and other federal/state info, see our USA smoking guide.