Dublin, Ireland
Smoking policy at Dublin, Dublin Airport (DUB)
Warnings & Caveats
Vaping is prohibited throughout the terminal buildings and in non-designated outdoor areas. Signs explicitly state "No Smoking/Vaping in This Area" outside the marked zones. Smoking is only permitted for those aged 18 and above in all designated areas. T2 passengers using the airside T1 smoking area should allow at least 30 minutes extra (10-15 min walk each way).
Dublin Airport is one of the more smoker-friendly airports in Western Europe, but the options are specific and require some planning. The only airside smoking area is in Terminal 1, accessed via The Garden Terrace bar on the upper level. If you're departing from Terminal 2, you can still reach it, but budget an extra 30 minutes for the round trip.
Before Security
There are two outdoor designated smoking zones landside, both clearly marked with green smoking icons on the glass:
Outside Terminal 1 Arrivals: A covered outdoor strip along the terminal frontage, with standalone ashtray bollards. Open to anyone, no boarding pass needed.
Outside Terminal 2 Departures: A similar covered outdoor area on the departures kerb side of T2. Both spots are easy to find and well-signed.
Vaping is explicitly not permitted in these landside areas either. Signs at the terminal entrances read "No Smoking/Vaping in This Area" outside the designated zones, so stick to the marked spots.
After Security
Once you're through security, the picture changes significantly depending on which terminal you're in.
Terminal 1: Head through the Duty Free shop and continue past the bars, restaurants, and shops toward gates 101-224. Look for the green "Smoking Area Upstairs" sign near The Garden Terrace Bar Cafe Grill. Take the escalator up one level, turn left at the top, and you'll find the outdoor terrace. It's a large, partly covered rooftop space with tables, chairs, artificial grass, Heineken umbrellas, and a small circular bar serving draught lagers (Coors was priced at around 6.90 EUR a pint as of late 2024) and cider. The area is regularly cleaned and tends to get busy. No entry fee, no lounge membership required.
Terminal 2: There is no dedicated smoking area in T2 airside. Your only option is to walk the airside connector to Terminal 1. Follow signs toward gates 100-300, keep walking past Boots and other shops until you reach the T1 zone, then find the escalator up to The Garden Terrace. Travelers consistently report this walk takes 10-15 minutes each way, so add at least 30 minutes to your schedule if you want to smoke after clearing T2 security.
Vaping Rules
Vaping is banned throughout the terminal buildings and in non-designated outdoor areas. The signage is explicit: "No Smoking/Vaping in This Area" appears at entrances and along the terminal frontage. The Garden Terrace outdoor terrace is the only confirmed spot where vaping rules are not separately called out, but treat it as a smoking-only zone unless you confirm otherwise on the day.
Transit and Layovers
Dublin is not a Schengen member, so there is no Schengen/non-Schengen split to worry about. All airside passengers, regardless of origin or destination, can access the T1 smoking terrace freely after clearing security.
Bottom Line
Smoke before security at either terminal's outdoor zone, or head to The Garden Terrace terrace in T1 airside. T2 passengers should allow a full 30 minutes extra for the airside walk to T1 and back.
Is something wrong or outdated?
Help us keep information accurate. Submit a correction and we'll review it.
