Austin, United States
Smoking policy at Austin, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
Warnings & Caveats
Smoking within 25 feet of any terminal entrance or exit is prohibited under Texas law. Fines start at $25 for violations in restricted areas, with higher penalties for repeat offenses. E-cigarettes and vaping devices are banned throughout the entire airport, including outdoor areas. Exiting the secure zone to smoke means re-clearing TSA; allow at least 15-20 minutes.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) is entirely smoke-free indoors. The only places you can smoke are designated outdoor areas located outside the terminal buildings, and you must stay at least 25 feet from any entrance or exit. There are no indoor smoking rooms, no airside smoking facilities, and e-cigarettes and vaping devices are banned throughout the airport, including outdoors.
Before Security
Four designated outdoor smoking spots are confirmed at AUS, all landside and accessible before you clear TSA:
Baggage Claim area, Barbara Jordan Terminal - outside on the lower/arrivals level
Departures level, Barbara Jordan Terminal - outside on the upper/departures curb
Level 3, Red Garage - a spot near the parking structure adjacent to the terminal
Near Door C1, Departures, Barbara Jordan Terminal - a signed area close to the C concourse entrance on the departures level
All four locations are marked with "Designated Smoking Area" signs and equipped with ashtrays. Look for the signage; the spots are positioned beyond the 25-foot buffer zone required by Texas law.
After Security
There are no smoking facilities of any kind past the security checkpoint. Once you are airside, you cannot smoke anywhere in the concourses, gate areas, restaurants, or restrooms. If you need to smoke after clearing security, you will have to exit the secure zone entirely, find one of the outdoor designated areas, and then re-clear TSA screening. Budget at least 15 to 20 minutes for the re-entry process, more during busy travel periods.
There are no paid airline lounges or independent lounges at AUS that offer a smoking room or smoking terrace, so paying for lounge access is not a workaround here.
Vaping Rules
E-cigarettes and vaping devices are prohibited throughout the airport, both indoors and in the outdoor designated smoking areas. This is explicitly stated in airport policy and applies to all terminals.
Transit and Connecting Flights
If you are connecting through AUS on an international itinerary, you will need to clear U.S. customs and immigration, exit the secure area to reach a designated outdoor smoking spot, and then go back through TSA security for your onward flight. Factor this into your layover time carefully.
Bottom Line
Smoke before you go through security at one of the four signed outdoor spots; once airside, there is no option at all, and vaping is banned everywhere on airport property.
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