Brussels, Belgium
Smoking policy at Brussels, Brussels Airport (BRU)
Warnings & Caveats
Fines may be issued for smoking anywhere in the terminal outside the designated rooms or outdoor forecourt zones. The A/T65-67 smoking room in Pier A is inaccessible to Schengen passengers until approximately 14:00 each day. You cannot move between Pier A and Pier B airside without a valid boarding pass for a gate in the destination pier. Allow at least 10 extra minutes if you plan to smoke airside before boarding, as queues can form at peak times. Smoking rooms may occasionally close for maintenance; the Gate A30 room is the fallback when others are shut.
Brussels Airport (BRU) operates under Belgian law, which bans smoking everywhere inside public buildings including airports, unless you are inside a specially designated, ventilated smoking room. That same rule covers e-cigarettes and vapes. The airport does provide a handful of options both landside and airside, but the airside picture is more complicated than it first appears, especially if you are flying within the Schengen zone.
Before Security
Landside smoking is straightforward: head outside. Sheltered areas with ash bins are available directly in front of the terminal on both the Arrivals and Departures forecourts. These are open-air, free to use, and accessible to anyone before check-in or after landing. There are no indoor smoking facilities on the landside side of the terminal.
Arrivals forecourt: Outside the arrivals hall, sheltered bins provided.
Departures forecourt: Outside the departures entrance, same setup.
If you exit airside to smoke before your flight, you can re-enter through security, but budget at least an extra 10 minutes and keep your boarding pass handy.
After Security
There are three enclosed, ventilated smoking rooms airside. All three are free to enter and require only a valid boarding pass to be in the secure zone.
Pier A, Gate A30 (Schengen zone): The most reliably accessible room for Schengen passengers. Located on the Topaz Platform, next to Bar Rouge and near Gate A30. Go past Gate A31 and look for the booth on the left-hand side downstairs. Confirmed open as of July 2025. Note that signage in the terminal is reportedly sparse, so follow the green smoking area icons.
Pier A, Gates A/T65-67 (non-Schengen section): This room sits in the non-Schengen part of Pier A, used primarily for Africa and USA flights. Until approximately 14:00, this area is closed off to Schengen passengers entirely. After around 14:00, when the non-Schengen zone reopens, Schengen travelers can access it. If your flight departs in the morning, do not count on this room.
Pier B, Gate B17: Located mid-pier near the Topaz area in Pier B. Confirmed active as of June 2026, with one traveler noting it is not too small but the interior can be dirty. Lift access is available. Keep in mind that you cannot cross from Terminal A to Pier B without a valid ticket for a Pier B departure, so this room is only useful if your gate is in Pier B.
Vaping Rules
E-cigarettes and vapes follow exactly the same rules as traditional cigarettes at BRU. You may only vape inside the designated smoking rooms or outside in the forecourt areas. Vaping anywhere else in the terminal is prohibited under Belgian law.
Transit and Layovers
If you are connecting and your layover is entirely within the Schengen zone, your only reliable airside option before 14:00 is the Gate A30 room. The A/T65-67 room is off-limits until mid-afternoon for Schengen passengers. If you are on a non-Schengen itinerary, both Pier A rooms and the Pier B room may be accessible depending on your gates.
Bottom Line
Smoke outside before security if you can; airside, Gate A30 is your most dependable option for Schengen flights, while Pier B Gate B17 serves Pier B passengers. The A/T65-67 room is only usable by Schengen travelers after around 14:00.
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