East Midlands Airport (EMA)

East Midlands Airport is one of the few UK airports that still provides a designated smoking area after security, making it a notably smoker-friendly option compared to most of its British counterparts. The main airside smoking spot is an outdoor courtyard on the upper floor of the departure lounge, accessed through the Castle Rock bar. Vaping is permitted in this same outdoor zone but is forbidden everywhere else inside the terminal buildings.

Before Security

Landside smoking is straightforward: you can smoke in designated outdoor areas outside the terminal building before you check in or go through security. There are no indoor landside smoking rooms. If you arrive early, use these areas before entering the terminal, as re-entry after security is not confirmed as an option.

After Security

Once you are through security, head upstairs to the main departure lounge and walk through the Castle Rock bar/restaurant. The outdoor smoking courtyard is located there, in what travellers have described as a caged outdoor area in the left corner of the upper level. This is a free-to-use area open to all departing passengers with a valid boarding pass.

A second ground-level airside area has also been reported by travellers, described as being located downstairs across from Gate 17, just past the Escape Lounge on the left. Reports from early 2024 confirm both spots were accessible, though the upper Castle Rock area is the one officially referenced by the airport itself.

Vaping Rules

The airport's official FAQ explicitly states that vaping is forbidden indoors in any airport building. The only permitted vaping location airside is the same outdoor courtyard near Castle Rock. E-cigarettes and rechargeable vape devices are treated identically to cigarettes. Note that single-use disposable vapes have been illegal to sell in the UK since 1 June 2025, so travel with a rechargeable, refillable device.

Transit and Layovers

East Midlands is a single-terminal airport, so there are no inter-terminal complications. If you are connecting through EMA, the airside smoking area near Castle Rock is accessible to all passengers in the secure zone without any additional fee or lounge membership.

Bottom Line

EMA is one of the better UK airports for smokers: a free, publicly accessible outdoor smoking area exists airside near the Castle Rock bar, and a second ground-floor spot near Gate 17 has also been reported. Smoke before security too if you want extra time, but you are not stuck landside-only here.