Need to smoke at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport? As the world’s busiest airport by passenger traffic, ATL handles over 93 million travelers annually. Since January 2020, all indoor smoking areas have been closed, but five outdoor smoking zones remain available. Here’s everything you need to know about where and how to smoke at Atlanta Airport.
Atlanta Airport Smoking Policy
In January 2020, Atlanta Airport implemented the City of Atlanta’s Clean Indoor Air Ordinance, permanently closing all indoor smoking lounges. This made ATL one of the first major US airports to go completely smoke-free indoors. Smoking and vaping are now only permitted in designated outdoor areas located at least 25 feet from terminal entrances.
Violations of the smoking ban carry fines between $100 and $200. Only individuals 18 years or older may use the smoking zones.
Smoking Areas at Atlanta Airport
ATL has five designated outdoor smoking zones. Four serve the domestic terminals, while one is located at the international terminal.
Domestic Terminal North
Departures: Outdoor smoking areas outside doors N1 and N4 on the ticketing level. Look for the designated smoking zone signs near the entrance.
Arrivals: Smoking zones near baggage claim doors N8 and N10. These are convenient if you’ve just landed and need a smoke before ground transportation.
Domestic Terminal South
Departures: Designated smoking zones near doors S2 and S6 on the ticketing level.
Arrivals: Outdoor smoking area outside doors S8 and S12, near the taxi and ride-share pickup area. This spot works well if you’re waiting for your Uber or Lyft.
Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal
The international terminal has smoking areas on both the upper (departures) and lower (arrivals) levels near the terminal entrance. If you’re connecting through ATL on an international flight, plan extra time to exit, smoke, and clear security again.
Important: No Smoking After Security
There are absolutely no smoking areas inside the secure area at Atlanta Airport. Once you pass through TSA screening, you cannot smoke anywhere in the terminals, concourses, or gate areas. If you need to smoke after security, you must exit the terminal completely, use an outdoor smoking zone, and go through security screening again.
Given that ATL is one of the busiest airports in the world, re-screening can take 20-45 minutes depending on the time of day. Plan accordingly and give yourself at least an hour before your flight if you need to smoke.
Tips for Smokers at ATL
Smoke before entering security - there’s no going back easily
The domestic terminal smoking areas are closest to the main entrance
If you have a long layover (3+ hours), you might have time to exit and re-enter
Consider nicotine alternatives like patches or gum for shorter connections
TSA PreCheck can significantly reduce re-screening time if you need to exit