Smoking at Atlanta Airport: What You Need to Know Before You Fly

If you’re flying through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and wondering, “Is there smoking in Atlanta airport?”, the short answer is:

Here’s how the rules work, what changed, and what your options are if you smoke and are traveling through Atlanta.

Is Smoking Allowed in Atlanta Airport?

Current Rules Inside the Terminals

As of current airport policy and local law:

• No smoking or vaping is allowed inside any ATL terminal.
• This includes:
  • Departure gates
  • Concourses (T, A, B, C, D, E, F)
  • Food courts, lounges, and shops
  • Restrooms and corridors
  • The Plane Train and people-mover areas
• Electronic cigarettes, vapes, and similar devices are treated the same as traditional cigarettes and are also banned indoors.

ATL used to have designated smoking rooms, but these have been permanently closed. Today, the only place you can legally smoke at the airport is outside in designated outdoor areas.

Why the Smoking Rooms Closed at ATL

If you’ve flown through Atlanta for years, you might remember the old indoor smoking lounges scattered across the concourses. These are gone.

The main reasons:

• Stricter local smoke-free laws in Atlanta and Georgia
• A move to improve indoor air quality for travelers and employees
• A desire to align ATL with many other major smoke-free U.S. airports

So even if online forums or old travel blogs mention ATL smoking rooms, those references are now out of date.

Where CAN You Smoke at Atlanta Airport?

You can only smoke in outdoor areas in clearly marked spots.

Typical Smoking Areas at ATL

While exact layouts can change, travelers commonly find designated smoking areas:

• Outside the Domestic Terminal

  • Near the curbside pick-up and drop-off areas
  • Typically beyond the main doors, in marked outdoor zones

• Outside the International Terminal (Concourse F)

  • Curbside areas outside the terminal building
  • Again, only where signs indicate smoking is allowed

Look for:

• “Designated Smoking Area” signs
• Ashtrays or cigarette receptacles positioned away from doorways

If you don’t see any signage, assume smoking is not allowed in that spot.

Important Tip for Connecting Flights Through Atlanta

If you’re connecting through ATL and you smoke, plan ahead carefully.

Can You Smoke During a Layover?

You cannot smoke inside the secure area of the airport. To smoke during a layover, you would need to:

1. Exit the secure area to an outdoor designated smoking zone.
2. After smoking, go back through TSA security screening to re-enter the concourses.

This can be time-consuming and risky if:

• Your layover is short
• Security lines are long
• You’re traveling during peak times (early morning, late afternoon, or holidays)

👉 Practical advice:

• For layovers under about 2–3 hours, many travelers prefer not to risk leaving and re-clearing security unless absolutely necessary.
• If you choose to exit, build in plenty of buffer time to return to your gate.

Smoking and Vaping Rules by Area at ATL

Use this quick reference to see what’s allowed where:

How This Fits With Atlanta & Georgia Smoking Laws

If you live in Atlanta, you may already know that:

• Many indoor public places in the city and across Georgia are smoke-free.
• Airports are typically treated as strict smoke-free environments to protect employees and travelers.

At ATL, local rules and airport policy work together so that:

• Indoor spaces are 100% non-smoking.
• Only certain outdoor areas are set aside for tobacco use.

Enforcement can involve:

• Verbal warnings from airport staff or security
• Requests to put out cigarettes or vapes
• Possible fines or removal from the premises if rules are ignored

What About Vaping and E-Cigarettes?

For ATL, vaping is treated the same as smoking:

• No vaping indoors, even if there’s little visible smoke
• No use of e-cigarettes at gates, in restrooms, or in restaurants
• Only use vapes in outdoor designated smoking areas

Many travelers assume vaping might be allowed where smoking is not, but at ATL the rules are the same for both.

Tips for Smokers Traveling Through Atlanta Airport

If you’re a smoker flying in, out, or through Atlanta, these strategies can make travel smoother:

1. Time Your Smoking Around Security

• If you’re departing ATL, smoke before you go through security, in the outdoor designated areas at curbside.
• Once you’re inside the terminal and past TSA, you will not be able to smoke unless you exit and re-clear security.

2. Plan Around Long Flights or Layovers

For long-haul flights or multi-hour layovers at ATL:

• Consider whether you’ll have enough time to exit, smoke, and re-enter.
• Arrive at the airport with extra time if you know you may step outside before boarding.

3. Check With Staff If You’re Unsure

If you can’t find a smoking area:

• Ask at information desks in the Domestic or International Terminals.
• You can also ask airport staff, security, or airline agents where the nearest outdoor smoking area is located.

4. Be Mindful of Local Norms

In Atlanta, many public spaces are non-smoking, especially indoors. At the airport:

• Avoid smoking near entrances, exits, or crowded walkways unless a sign clearly allows it.
• Use ashtrays and receptacles to avoid littering, which is enforced on airport property.

Who Sets and Enforces the Rules at ATL?

The City of Atlanta Department of Aviation, which operates Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, oversees these policies. Local and state officials also influence smoke-free regulations that apply across the airport property.

If you ever need clarification about airport rules, you can contact:

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
6000 N Terminal Parkway
Atlanta, GA 30320
Main Information Line: (800) 897-1910 (commonly used by travelers for general info)

For questions about local smoking regulations more broadly, Atlanta-area residents sometimes refer to:

City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office or Department of Aviation
55 Trinity Avenue SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
Main City Information: (404) 330-6000

They can direct you to the appropriate department if you need official policy details.

In summary, if you’re asking “Is there smoking in Atlanta airport?”:
Expect a completely smoke-free experience indoors, and plan to use only the designated outdoor smoking areas before or after security when traveling through ATL.