Cebu, Philippines
Smoking policy at Cebu, Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB)
Warnings & Caveats
Smoking is strictly prohibited outside designated areas. Minors (under 18) are not permitted in smoking rooms or IQOS lounges. No food or drink is allowed inside the enclosed smoking rooms (signage visible at T1 smoking area door). Lighters may be confiscated at security in Terminal 3; lighters are provided inside the T3 smoking room.
Mactan-Cebu International Airport (CEB) is one of the more smoker-friendly airports in the Philippines, with designated smoking facilities in all three terminals both before and after security. The key rule is that smoking is only permitted in designated areas, and the options differ meaningfully between Terminal 1 (domestic), Terminal 2 (international), and the newer Terminal 3.
Before Security
Landside smoking is restricted to designated outdoor areas outside the terminal buildings. No specific landside spots are named in traveler reports, but the general policy across all terminals is that you must use a marked outdoor zone rather than smoking freely on the curb or in the check-in hall.
After Security
This is where CEB genuinely stands out compared to most Southeast Asian airports:
Terminal 1 (Domestic): There is a smoking area in the pre-departure zone, reported near Gate 10, described as an open terrace with no seating. Signage is clear. A separate IQOS Lounge / Vaping Lounge is also present in the pre-departure area, with multiple signs pointing toward Gates 6-8 and also near Gate 8 according to IQOS Philippines. As of July 2024, this lounge accepts other vape devices in addition to IQOS. The lounge is free to enter for departing passengers and features comfortable seating, IQOS product displays, and a charging station.
Terminal 2 (International): A Smoking Deck is located airside near Gate 16, with seating available. This is an enclosed glass terrace area. The IQOS source notes this space has been rebranded as a DSVA (Designated Smoking/Vaping Area). Directional signs inside T2 clearly point to a Smoking Room in the direction of Gates 16-17. A separate outdoor terrace area in the international departures zone also provides wooden bench seating in a covered open-air space.
Terminal 3: As of October 2025, there are two separate airside rooms: one for vaping and one for smoking. Both are well signed. Notably, lighters are provided inside the smoking room since security often confiscates them at the checkpoint.
IQOS Lounges
Philip Morris operates branded IQOS Spaces at both T1 and T2. The T1 IQOS Space is in the pre-departure area near Gate 8, accessible to domestic passengers at no charge beyond your boarding pass. The T2 IQOS Space is a larger facility with an outdoor terrace, benches, and umbrellas, also free to enter with a valid boarding pass. Both lounges allow IQOS heated tobacco use and, per the July 2024 update, other vape devices as well.
Vaping Rules
Vaping is permitted in the designated vaping lounges and IQOS Spaces in T1, T2, and T3. It is not permitted in general smoking areas or anywhere outside the marked zones. The Philippines sets the legal age for tobacco and nicotine product use at 18.
Transit and Layovers
If you are transiting through T2 on an international connection, the airside Smoking Deck near Gate 16 is accessible without re-clearing security, so you can smoke without exiting the sterile zone.
Bottom Line
CEB offers solid airside smoking options across all three terminals, with free-to-enter designated rooms and IQOS lounges past security. Plan your smoke before boarding rather than relying on landside areas, and in T3 remember to grab a light inside the room since security may have taken your lighter.
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