Smoking policy at Bogota, El Dorado International Airport (BOG)
Warnings & Caveats
Smoking inside all airport areas is prohibited by regulation of the Secretary of Health. Violations can result in fines under Colombian law. Transit passengers who exit to smoke must clear full security screening again before boarding their connecting flight.
If you smoke, the situation at El Dorado is straightforward but inconvenient: all smoking inside the terminal buildings is strictly prohibited, and your only option is to step outside to designated outdoor areas before going through security. There are no smoking rooms, smoking lounges, or any indoor facilities for smokers anywhere in the airport.
Before Security
Designated outdoor smoking areas are available outside the terminal buildings, landside. You'll need to exit the terminal entirely to use them. The exact locations of these outdoor spots are not mapped in detail by any current source, but they are described consistently as being outside the terminal entrances. Look for signage near the exit doors.
Exit the terminal through any main departure entrance
Find the designated outdoor smoking zone near the building exterior
Re-enter through the main entrance when done (no security re-screening required landside)
After Security
There are no smoking areas of any kind past the security checkpoints, airside. Once you clear security, you cannot smoke until you land at your destination or exit the secure zone entirely. No airline lounges at BOG are known to offer smoking facilities either.
Transit and Connecting Flights
This is the most important point for transit passengers: if you have a connecting flight and want to smoke, you must exit the terminal into Colombia, use the outdoor smoking area, and then go back through the full security screening process before your next flight. This takes meaningful time, so factor in at least 45 to 60 minutes if you plan to do this during a layover. Do not attempt this if your connection is under 90 minutes.
Vaping Rules
The official airport policy quoted on the El Dorado website covers smoking broadly, and vaping is not addressed separately in any available source. Given the blanket indoor ban, it is safest to treat vaping the same as smoking and only use e-cigarettes in the outdoor designated zones.
Bottom Line
Smoke outside before you enter the terminal or before you clear security. Once airside, there is no option, paid or free, to smoke anywhere at BOG.
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