Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA)

Queen Beatrix International Airport in Oranjestad, Aruba has a limited but real set of smoking options for travelers. The most reliable airside smoking spots are designated smoking lounges at Gate 3 and Gate 6, both located after security, but there is an important catch that every smoker should know before counting on them.

Before Security

Smoking before security is restricted to designated outdoor areas outside the terminal building. No indoor landside smoking is permitted. The airport map (image index 3) confirms "Smoking Areas" are listed among terminal services, and the layout suggests these are at ground-floor exterior access points. If you need a cigarette after checking in but before clearing security, head outside the terminal entrance and look for the marked zones.

After Security

There are two smoking lounges airside, at Gate 3 and Gate 6. These are the only post-security smoking facilities in the terminal. However, access is not guaranteed for all passengers:

• Gate 3 is located in the section of the terminal serving US-bound flights (the US Departures area, visible on the terminal map).

• Gate 6 is in the non-US departures section of the first floor.

• According to a traveler report from February 2020, when large flights to the United States or the Netherlands are departing, those gate areas are closed off to passengers not ticketed on those specific flights. If you are flying to the US or Holland, you will almost certainly have access. If you are on any other flight, access is described as "hit or miss."

The terminal map (image index 3) clearly marks smoking areas as a service category, and the gate-level floor plan diagrams (image indices 1 and 2) show the positions of Gate 3 and Gate 6 respectively, confirming their locations within the secured departures area.

Vaping Rules

No specific vaping policy for AUA is mentioned in available sources. Treat vaping the same as smoking and use only the designated areas to be safe.

Transit and Layovers

If you are transiting through Aruba, your access to the Gate 3 or Gate 6 smoking lounges will depend on which gate area your onward flight departs from and whether a large US or Dutch flight is boarding at the time. Plan accordingly and do not rely on airside access if you are on a smaller regional route.

Bottom Line

Smoke outside before security if you want a guaranteed option; airside access at Gate 3 and Gate 6 exists but can be blocked depending on which flights are boarding, so check your gate assignment and build in time.