Dalian, ChinaSmoking policy at Dalian, Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport (DLC)
Warnings & Caveats
No smoking inside the terminal at any point. Vaping inside the terminal is prohibited; use outdoor zones only. Only tobacco-flavoured e-cigarettes are legal in China since November 2022. Note: lighters are banned in Chinese airports; wall-mounted cigarette lighters are typically provided in designated smoking areas.
Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport (DLC) is a landside-only airport for smokers. There are no smoking facilities after security, so if you need a cigarette once you have cleared the checkpoint, you will have to exit the terminal and re-clear security. All designated smoking areas are outdoors, before security, near the terminal entrances and exits.
Before Security
Designated outdoor smoking zones are located at the curbside near the departures entrance and outside the arrivals exits. These are standard mainland Chinese airport setups: open-air, marked with signage in both Chinese and English, free to use, and typically equipped with standing ashtrays. Dalian's climate is temperate but can be genuinely cold in winter (temperatures regularly drop below freezing from November through March), so outdoor smoking in the colder months requires a coat.
Outdoor zone at the departures level entrance (curbside)
Outdoor zone outside the arrivals exit
After Security
There are no smoking rooms or designated smoking areas inside the secure airside zone at DLC. Once you have passed through security, you cannot smoke until you land or exit the terminal. If you are on a long layover (three hours or more), exiting and re-clearing security is feasible, but factor in the time for security re-screening.
Vaping
China has regulated e-cigarettes under a state monopoly since November 2022. Only tobacco-flavoured vapes are legal; all other flavours are banned. At DLC, vaping is treated the same as smoking and must be done in the designated outdoor zones before security. Do not vape inside the terminal.
Transit and Layovers
If you are transiting through Dalian with a short connection, be aware that any smoke break means leaving the secure zone entirely. Budget at least 30 to 40 minutes for the round trip including security re-screening. For short connections this is not realistic.
Bottom Line
Smoke before you clear security at DLC. There is nothing airside, so plan accordingly and allow extra time if you need a break during a layover.
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