San Francisco Airport (SFO) Smoking Area

There are no indoor smoking rooms or lounges, and there are no smoking zones in the post-security areas of San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Smoking and using vapes/e-cigarettes are allowed outdoors only in special areas on landside (pre-security), at least 20-25 feet away from the entrances/exits and operable windows of the terminals. If you are a smoker planning a trip to SFO, here is everything about where you can smoke in the airport and what the laws of California State have to do with that.

SFO Smoking Policy: Basic Facts

In fact, SFO is a smoke-free airport. All terminal buildings of the airport — Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Terminal 3, and the International Terminal — are 100% smoke-free indoors. It means that smoking is prohibited in ticketing areas, baggage claim, boarding areas, airline lounges, restaurants, washrooms, and even on the AirTrain (SFO’s monorail that connects all terminals and parking areas).

It is not an idiosyncrasy specific to SFO but rather follows California’s long-standing laws requiring public buildings and workplaces to be smoke-free indoors. The enforcement at SFO is strict, and this is evident in its signs. You will find “No Smoking” notices all around the terminals, accompanied by directional signs guiding you to the outdoor designated smoking areas.

E-cigarettes and vape pens are considered equal to regular cigarettes under the above policy. The local ordinances of San Francisco regarding vaping reinforce the state laws; hence, do not make the mistake of believing that your vape pen exempts you.

Where are the Designated Smoking Areas?

Since SFO does not have any smoking rooms after security, all legal smoking locations are outdoors and pre-TSA security. If you pass through security, then there are no smoking locations until you land. The designated smoking areas are mostly found.

• Curbside on the Departures Level, near passenger drop-off areas
• Curbside on the Arrivals Level, near passenger pick-up areas
• At the International Terminal, outdoor areas are said to exist near Doors 1 and 16 on the departures level, and near Doors 1 and 2 on the arrivals level, with extra seating and ashtrays near Doors 5 and 13

All these areas are situated at least 20 feet – according to some sources, 25 feet – away from entrances, exits, and operable windows, following the California distance rules for smoking outdoors near public facilities. You should check for signs saying “Smoking Area” or ask airport personnel, as the ashtrays’ location may change due to construction work at the terminal.

Considering that terminal design and the exact numbers of doors can be modified without prior notice and that SFO has been under renovation during the past few years, the best course of action is to find out about the existing smoking zones by asking the airport personnel or checking for the official SFO signage on your travel day, rather than depending entirely on any internet site, such as this one.

The Reason for Lack of Other Smoking Options

There are also passengers coming in from airports in Asia, the Middle East, or certain parts of Europe who are surprised to learn that there is no ventilated smoking area in the secure area at SFO because many large airports around the world have it. SFO does not have this area, and this is not because of the airport but because of the health policy in California.

According to a 2017 CDC review of the 50 busiest airports in the world, smoke-free policies at the national, municipal, or airport authority level reduce exposure of nonsmoking passengers and employees to secondhand smoke in airports, and it noted that even designated or ventilated smoking areas may allow secondhand smoke inhalation by nonsmoking travelers and employees. The policy in California is similar and thus explains why SFO has no ventilated indoor smoking lounge like many of the major hub airports in Asia and Europe.

Also Read: Denver Airport Smoking Area

Planned Smoker Breaks at SFO: Timing is Key

Since all legal smoking areas at SFO are located prior to the security checkpoint, a smoke break during a layover involves exiting the secure area and going through TSA again prior to your second flight. This is perhaps the most crucial detail that needs to be known by all connecting passengers.

A few useful recommendations:

• Allow more time for everything. For those who both check in and fly out, it is recommended to plan at least 2.5–3 hours before the flight to complete the whole process.
• Find out about the duration of your layover before exiting the gate area. Should your connection be shorter than 90 minutes, then exiting and re-entering security will put you in danger of missing your connecting flight.
• Check your flight status. Before you exit the airport, keep track of your gate or boarding time in the airline app or on departure boards.
• Avoid smoking right outside of the entrance “for just one time.” You are not allowed to stand right outside of a terminal door but rather go to the designated smoking area because of the 20-foot buffer zone.
• Don’t smoke outside terminals “this one time.” Staying right by the entrance of a terminal rather than walking to the designated smoking zone can result in getting warned or fined due to breaking the 20-foot buffer policy.
• Absolutely do not smoke inside the airport – no matter if it is in the restrooms, the empty corner of a gate, or a lounge.

Conclusion

As far as SFO is concerned, its attitude towards smoking is tough and dictated by California laws: no smoking indoors, no smoking past the security checkpoint, and all smoking outdoors at distances of at least 20 feet from doorways. Hence, for any smoker, it is always advisable to remember one basic principle: be well prepared and informed.

Frequently Asked Questions