Avram Iancu Cluj International Airport (CLJ)

Cluj Airport (CLJ) is genuinely smoker-friendly by Romanian standards. Both the Schengen and Non-Schengen departure areas have dedicated, enclosed smoking rooms airside, so you do not need to exit and re-enter security just to have a cigarette before your flight. Landside, smoking is restricted to designated outdoor areas outside the terminal building.

Before Security

Smoking is not permitted inside the terminal building in the public (landside) zone. You need to step outside to designated outdoor smoking spots. The airport's official guidance directs passengers to use these signposted areas to keep the terminal clean. No specific outdoor location names or distances from the entrance are published, but the areas are described as signposted.

After Security

This is where CLJ stands out. There are two separate airside smoking facilities, one for each departure zone:

• Schengen Departures smoking lounge: Located on the upper floor of the Schengen restricted area, near boarding gates A6-A7. A traveler update from July 2024 confirmed this area was operational. The lounge is a glass-walled, enclosed "Salon Fumatori" branded with Sobranie London signage, with distinctive wave-form seating inside. It is free to use for any passenger who has cleared Schengen security.

• Non-Schengen Departures smoking room: Located on the upper floor of the Non-Schengen restricted area, near boarding gates B3-B4. Earlier traveler reports (2019-2022) placed this room near gates B5-B6, but the airport's current official information lists it at B3-B4. The room is a standalone enclosed glass cabin labeled "Spatiu de Fumat / Smoking Room" with yellow and blue branding, ventilation overhead, and a clearly marked exit sign.

Both facilities are free of charge and accessible to any departing passenger who has passed through the relevant security checkpoint.

Smoking Lounges

The Sobranie-branded Smoking Lounge in the Schengen area (near gates A6-A7) is the more visually prominent of the two, with a large glass frontage, wave-form designer seating, and capacity for a dozen or more people at once. It functions as a free, open-access smoking room rather than a paid lounge, despite the lounge-style branding and decor.

Separately, the airport also has a Business Lounge (airside, near gates A6-A7 in the International Terminal, and opposite gates A2-A3 in the Domestic Terminal) that is accessible for a walk-in fee starting at approximately 15 EUR for 4 hours, or via lounge membership programs. The Business Lounge listing does not specifically confirm smoking is permitted inside it, so do not rely on it as a smoking option.

Vaping Rules

No specific vaping policy is published by the airport. Romanian law generally treats e-cigarettes similarly to tobacco in public indoor spaces, so it is safest to assume vaping is only permitted in the designated smoking areas.

Transit and Layovers

If you are transiting between a Schengen and a Non-Schengen flight, access to the smoking areas depends on which security zone you are in at the time. There is no published information about cross-zone transit smoking access.

Bottom Line

Smoke airside without paying a penny: both departure zones have free enclosed smoking rooms past security, near the gates. Just make sure you are in the right zone (Schengen A6-A7, Non-Schengen B3-B4) and allow time to find them on the upper floor.