Uzbekistan’s law specifically allows airside smoking rooms at airports, so Tashkent — the main hub — has a designated smoking area after security plus a lounge smoking cabin. Two practical warnings make this country distinctive: vapes are banned nationwide with severe penalties, and lighters are confiscated at security, so carry matches.
For international travel through Uzbekistan, Tashkent (TAS) is the airport that matters.
How Uzbek Airport Smoking Works
Uzbekistan bans smoking in most public places but has an explicit airport exception:
- A designated airside smoking area in Tashkent’s Terminal 2 after security
- The Anjir Business Lounge (airside, opened 2025) has an enclosed glass smoking cabin
- Outdoor designated areas landside
- E-cigarettes and vapes are banned nationwide (import, sale, purchase, storage, transport) with penalties up to five years’ jail; heated tobacco is excluded
- Lighters are confiscated at security — carry matches
The Hub
Tashkent International Airport (TAS). Uzbekistan Airways’ hub and the main international gateway. Travellers report a designated smoking area in Terminal 2 after security — toward Gate B12, down the stairs and to the left (signage toward B2 can be misleading). The Anjir Business Lounge (airside, opened February 2025) has an enclosed glass smoking cabin. Outdoor designated areas are landside.
Tips for Smokers at Uzbek Airports
- Tashkent has an airside smoking area — you can smoke without leaving the secure zone
- Carry matches — lighters are confiscated at security
- Do not bring a vape to Uzbekistan — e-cigarettes are banned nationwide, with serious penalties
- The airside smoking area is toward Gate B12 — ignore the misleading signs toward B2
Uzbekistan Airports Compared: Indoor, Outdoor & After Security
| Airport | After security | Indoor room | Outdoor area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tashkent International Airport (TAS) | Yes | Yes | Yes |