Berlin, Germany
Smoking policy at Berlin, Berlin Brandenburg Airport, Willy Brandt (BER)
Warnings & Caveats
Smoking is strictly prohibited inside the terminal buildings outside of designated areas. The Terminal 5 (former Schönefeld terminal) is presently closed and has no active smoking facilities. Vaping policy is not explicitly stated by the airport; use designated smoking areas to be safe.
BER is one of the more smoker-friendly airports in Germany. There are designated smoking rooms and lounges airside in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, so you do not have to exit and re-enter security just to have a cigarette. Before security, smoking is restricted to outdoor designated areas at the terminal entrances.
Before Security
Smoking inside the terminal buildings is not permitted at any point landside. Your only option before clearing security is to step outside to one of the designated outdoor smoking areas at the entrance level (Level E1) on the sides of the terminal entrances. The official airport website confirms these outdoor spots as the only landside option. There are reportedly four designated areas outside Terminal 1.
Outdoor designated zones on the sides of the entrances, Level E1, Terminal 1
These are accessible to anyone, including meeters, greeters, and departing passengers who have not yet checked in
After Security
This is where BER genuinely stands out. Multiple enclosed smoking rooms and lounges are available airside in Terminal 1, and at least one is confirmed in Terminal 2.
Terminal 1 airside smoking locations (Level E1 unless noted):
Between Gates B02 and B03 (confirmed by multiple traveler reports and the official airport map)
Between Gates A02 and A03 (confirmed, with apron views noted by travelers)
Next to Gate A38 (shown on the official November 2024 airport map)
Next to Gate D02, Level E2 (non-Schengen area, after passport control; confirmed by a May 2026 traveler report describing a large smoking area near Gate D1)
Terminal 2 airside smoking location:
Next to the stairs leading to Gates B30 and B31 (Level E1). This is a compact transparent smoking booth marked "for passengers only". Multiple traveler reports from 2022 through April 2023 confirm it is still operating, despite it not always appearing on the official airport website listings.
Transit and Layovers
Transferring passengers can smoke at BER. The airside rooms in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 are accessible after security, so transit travelers who remain airside can use them without any issue.
Vaping Rules
No explicit vaping policy is published by BER. As a general rule in German airports, treat e-cigarettes the same as traditional cigarettes and use only the designated smoking areas.
Bottom Line
BER is genuinely convenient for smokers: multiple free-to-use enclosed smoking rooms are available airside in both terminals, so you can smoke after security without paying for a lounge or exiting the building.
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