Ponta Delgada João Paulo II Airport (PDL)

Ponta Delgada João Paulo II Airport (PDL) has a straightforward policy for smokers: smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the terminal or airside, full stop. Your only option is to smoke outside the building, either before you enter or after you collect your bags on arrival.

Before Security

Smoking is permitted outside the terminal building in designated outdoor areas before you pass through security. If you are departing, plan to have your smoke before entering the terminal, as there is no way to step back outside once you are airside. The airport is a compact, single-terminal facility, so the outdoor areas are a short walk from the entrance doors.

• Designated outdoor smoking spots are located outside the terminal building on the landside.

• Ashtrays are provided in these areas.

• The airport is open to the public from 05:00 to 00:00, so smoking areas are accessible during those hours.

After Security

There are no smoking facilities of any kind once you have passed through security. No smoking rooms, no smoking lounges, and no outdoor terraces are available airside. Arriving passengers must wait until they have fully cleared baggage reclaim and exited to the landside before smoking.

Vaping Rules

Electronic cigarettes and vaping devices are also prohibited inside the terminal and in all indoor areas, in line with Portuguese airport regulations. Vaping is treated the same as traditional smoking and is only permitted in the outdoor designated areas outside the terminal.

Transit and Layovers

If you are transiting through PDL and need to smoke, you will need to exit security, smoke outside, and re-enter through security screening. There is no confirmed information available about whether re-entry is straightforward or whether transit passengers are permitted to exit and re-enter. Given the small size of the airport, this is worth checking with your airline or airport staff on the day.

Bottom Line

Smoke before you enter the terminal. Once airside, there are zero options, and no paid lounge or smoking room exists to help you out.