Yes, you can smoke at Providence T.F. Green Airport (PVD) in the designated outdoor areas outside the terminal, along the curb near the entrances. The terminal interior is smoke-free.
How Providence Airport Is Laid Out
PVD operates from a single passenger building, the Bruce Sundlun Terminal (the airport was officially renamed Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport in 2021; the IATA code stays PVD). Two concourses branch off it — the North Concourse with 14 gates and the South Concourse with 8 gates, roughly 22 gates in all — with check-in, security and departures on the upper level and baggage claim on the lower level. A roughly $125 million terminal modernization, reconfiguring the international-arrivals area and adding seating and restrooms, is due to break ground in late 2025; PVD was among the fastest-growing US airports for passenger growth in 2025. None of this changes the smoking setup: every gate is a short walk from the curb, and all smoking is outdoors.
Outside the Terminal
Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the PVD terminal. Designated smoking areas are located outdoors along the terminal frontage, on the curbside arrivals and departures level near the doors. Step out of the building and look for the marked spots set back from the entrances.
PVD is a compact single-terminal airport, so the outdoor areas are a short walk from the gates. There is no indoor smoking lounge, and e-cigarettes are treated the same as cigarettes inside the building.
Rhode Island Setback Rule
Under Rhode Island’s Public Health and Workplace Safety Act, smoking is banned inside enclosed public places and must take place away from entrances. At PVD this means the designated areas sit clear of the terminal doors — keep a reasonable distance from the entrances when you light up.
After Security
The smoking areas are landside. If you have already passed the checkpoint, you will need to exit, smoke outside, and re-clear TSA security before your flight. Allow extra time, since re-screening can add 20 to 40 minutes at busy periods.
For USA airport smoking rules, state vape rules, lighter rules at TSA, and other federal/state info, see our USA smoking guide.
Summary
| Area | Smoking | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Inside terminal | No | Smoke-free under Rhode Island law, including e-cigarettes |
| Outdoor curb areas | Yes | Marked zones set back from entrances |
| After security | No | Exit, smoke, then re-clear TSA |