São Paulo - Guarulhos International Airport (GRU)

GRU is a tough airport for smokers. Brazilian federal law bans smoking in all enclosed public spaces, so there are zero free smoking areas inside any terminal. Terminals 1 and 2 have nothing airside at all. Terminal 3 is the only terminal with any airside options, and both of them cost money to access.

Before Security

Your best free option is to step outside the terminal before you clear security. All three terminals have exits to the kerb or drop-off areas where you can smoke in the open air. Keep in mind:

• Once you go through security, you cannot come back landside without exiting the secure zone entirely.

• If you have a tight connection, this is not realistic. Budget at least 30-40 extra minutes to exit, smoke, and re-clear security.

• Travelers on connecting international flights who cannot clear Brazilian immigration will have no landside access and no free smoking option whatsoever.

After Security

Airside smoking is only possible in Terminal 3, and only through two paid venues. There is nothing in Terminals 1 or 2 once you are past the security checkpoint.

Smoking Options in Terminal 3

1. TRYP by Wyndham Hotel Smoking Garden

The TRYP Hotel sits inside the secure area of Terminal 3 and has an open-air garden where smoking is permitted. It is a proper outdoor terrace with blue chairs, potted tropical plants, a large umbrella for shade, and lamp posts. The space is open 24 hours. Access is not free: you pay at the hotel reception for day-use entry. The price has risen steadily over the years. As of February 2026, a traveler reported paying R$210 (approximately USD $39) for access. Follow signs inside Terminal 3 to the hotel lobby and pay at the front desk.

2. Bleriot Bar Smoking Terrace

Also located post-security in Terminal 3, the Bleriot Bar has an outdoor smoking terrace. Earlier traveler reports put the entry fee at around USD $20, which included bar access and unlimited time. Pricing may have changed since those reports (2017-2019), so confirm on arrival. The bar is in the Pier area of Terminal 3.

Transit and Layovers

If you are transiting between two international flights and cannot enter Brazil, you are effectively stuck airside. Your only options are the two paid venues in Terminal 3 above, or nicotine alternatives (gum, patches). If your connection passes through Terminal 1 or 2 with no access to Terminal 3, there is genuinely no airside smoking option available to you.

Vaping

No specific vaping policy is mentioned in any available source for GRU. Brazil has a national ban on the sale of e-cigarettes, and it is reasonable to assume vaping is treated the same as smoking inside the terminals. Treat it as prohibited indoors and use the same paid outdoor areas if needed.

Bottom Line

Smoke before security if you can; once airside in Terminals 1 or 2 you have no options at all. In Terminal 3, the TRYP Hotel garden (currently around R$210 / USD $39) is your most reliable paid airside option.