Quito, EcuadorSmoking policy at Quito, Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO)
Warnings & Caveats
Smoking is banned inside the terminal building entirely. Airside smoking policies have changed repeatedly; the VIP lounge near A11/A12 reportedly stopped allowing smoking as of late 2025. Re-entry to the airside after exiting to smoke landside is not confirmed as possible.
Quito's Mariscal Sucre Airport has a strict no-smoking policy inside the terminal building, but a small number of options exist for smokers if you know where to look. The only guaranteed smoke-friendly spots are the designated outdoor areas outside the arrivals and departures halls, landside, before you clear security.
Before Security
There are designated smoking areas outside the terminal on both the arrivals and departures sides. These are open-air spots accessible to anyone, including those who have not yet checked in or who have just landed and exited the building. No specific signage details are available from sources, but travelers report finding them directly outside the main entrance doors on each side of the terminal.
Departures side: An outdoor designated area just outside the departures hall entrance.
Arrivals side: A corresponding outdoor area outside the arrivals hall.
If you have already checked in and cleared security, returning landside to use these spots may not be straightforward, as re-entry would require going back through security screening. No confirmed policy on exiting and re-entering airside exists in available sources.
After Security
The airside situation has changed over time and reports from travelers conflict somewhat. Here is what the sources say, in reverse chronological order:
February 2026: One traveler (Srukak) reported an open outdoor terrace accessible at Gate A13 on the international side, after passport control. This is the most recent report and suggests at least one airside outdoor option may exist.
September 2025: Another traveler (T.L.) reported that smoking is no longer permitted anywhere inside the terminal or in the VIP lounge, and that only the outside arrivals/departures area remains available.
June 2023: A traveler (Terrance) reported that the VIP Lounge near Gates A11/A12 had an outdoor covered terrace where smoking was permitted, with the bartender providing an ashtray.
May 2018: An earlier report from Kevin confirmed the lounge's outdoor covered seating area as a smoking option.
The conflicting 2025 and 2026 reports mean the airside situation is genuinely uncertain. The Gate A13 terrace may be a separate open-air spot distinct from the VIP lounge terrace, or reports may reflect inconsistent enforcement. If you are on an international flight, it is worth checking the terrace near Gate A13 first.
Airport transfers for Mariscal Sucre International Airport
VIP Lounge Access
The VIP lounge referenced in older reports is located near Gates A11/A12 in the international departures area. Access details such as walk-in price, Priority Pass eligibility, or lounge membership requirements are not confirmed in the available sources. Travelers should inquire at the lounge entrance about current smoking permissions before paying for access, given the conflicting 2025 report that the lounge no longer permits smoking.
Vaping Rules
No specific information about vaping policy at UIO is available from the sources reviewed. Given the general indoor smoking ban, it is safest to assume vaping indoors is also not permitted and to treat it the same as cigarette smoking.
Bottom Line
Smoke before security at the outdoor designated areas outside the arrivals or departures hall. Airside, the Gate A13 terrace is the most recently reported option, but the situation changes and enforcement is inconsistent, so do not count on it.
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