Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)

Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) is not smoke-free, but smoking is strictly prohibited by Hong Kong law everywhere except in the airport's officially designated areas. There are no confirmed landside smoking spots before security, so your only realistic options are airside after clearing immigration and security. The situation has changed considerably since COVID: many older indoor smoking rooms remain closed, and the current open spots are outdoor terraces.

Before Security

There is currently no confirmed public smoking area before security at HKG. Arrival-level smoking areas that previously existed are reported as closed. If you need to smoke before your flight, plan to clear security first.

After Security

Two main outdoor smoking areas are confirmed open as of 2025-2026:

• Sky Garden (Smokers Garden), Terminal 1, near Gate 10: This is the most accessible airside smoking spot for most departing passengers. From the main T1 departures hall, head toward Gate 10 and take the short escalators up. The Sky Garden is to the left at the top. It is an outdoor terrace with plenty of ashtrays and some greenery. Multiple traveler reports from 2023 through 2026 confirm it is open. One May 2026 report describes a large garden area up the stairs to the left of the restaurant area near Gate 10.

• Observation Deck, T1 Midfield Concourse, near Gates 201-220: This outdoor observation deck is accessible before boarding the rail transit to the main terminal, in the Midfield Concourse area. It is best suited for passengers departing from gates 201-220 (for example Gate 202, 205, or 209). A 2024 traveler report confirms it was open near Gate 202 and behind the main escalator near Gate 209.

• Near Gate 21, Terminal 1: An April 2026 report notes an outdoor smokers area past the restrooms just beyond Gate 21.

Closed or Unreliable Areas

Several older smoking rooms are currently reported as closed, including indoor rooms near Gates 25, 29, 41, 63, and 64 in T1, and smoking areas in the Midfield Concourse near Gates 202, 209, 211, and 219. The North Satellite Concourse terrace near Gates 501-510 is also listed as presently closed. Do not rely on these.

Vaping Rules

The airport does not publish a clear vaping policy. The practical advice from multiple sources is to treat vaping the same as smoking: only use e-cigarettes in the designated smoking areas, or ask airport staff before using one elsewhere.

Transit and Layovers

If you are transiting through HKG without clearing immigration, you remain airside and can access the Sky Garden near Gate 10 or the Midfield Concourse Observation Deck, depending on which part of the terminal your connection uses.

Bottom Line

Skip looking for a spot before security and head straight to the Sky Garden near Gate 10 in T1 after clearing security. If your flight departs from the Midfield Concourse (gates 201-220), the Observation Deck is your closest option.