Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport (FKB)

Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport (FKB), also known as Baden Airpark, is a compact single-terminal airport in Rheinmünster. The standout feature for smokers is an outdoor beer garden located airside, past security, which gives you a proper place to smoke after clearing the checkpoint. This is genuinely unusual for a small German regional airport and makes FKB a relatively comfortable stop for smokers.

Before Security

Landside, smoking is restricted to designated outdoor areas outside the terminal building. No indoor smoking is permitted anywhere in the terminal before security, in line with German federal and state laws banning smoking in enclosed public spaces. Look for the marked smoking zones near the terminal entrance or along the exterior of the building.

After Security

This is where FKB stands out. There is an outdoor area beyond the security checkpoint described by multiple travelers as a proper beer garden, complete with seating, tables, and a bar. A traveler report from February 2020 specifically noted it as "not just a smoking area" but a full outdoor beer garden with lots of seating, accessible after security. An earlier report from March 2018 confirmed the same setup. You can step outside for a cigarette while also grabbing a drink, which is a genuine perk at a small airport like this.

No paid airline lounges with dedicated smoking facilities have been reported at FKB, and the airport is too small to host major lounge operators. The beer garden terrace appears to be the primary and most practical airside option.

Vaping Rules

No specific vaping policy for FKB has been documented in available sources. German law generally treats vaping similarly to smoking in enclosed public spaces, so sticking to the designated outdoor areas is the safest approach.

Bottom Line

FKB is a genuinely smoker-friendly small airport: head outside before security for a quick smoke, then enjoy the airside beer garden terrace after clearing the checkpoint.