Airport Smoking Section: MSP Locations and Layover Rules

An airport smoking section is a designated area set by the airport operator; it is not a section of a U.S. passenger aircraft. At Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (MSP), smoking and vaping are prohibited in all interior spaces, and the marked smoking areas are outdoors. If you use one during a connection, you must leave the secure area and pass through TSA screening again.

This page explains location and travel rules, not an endorsement of smoking. Check the current airport FAQ and your airline’s guidance before you fly.

There is no smoking section on the aircraft

Title 49 of the United States Code prohibits smoking on covered passenger flights within the United States and requires the prohibition on covered passenger foreign air transportation. The law also treats use of an electronic cigarette as smoking. There is no passenger smoking section after boarding.

What an airport smoking section actually is

On the ground, the airport operator and local rules determine whether a smoking area exists and where it is located. Do not assume that a terminal has an indoor room or an area after security. Use the airport’s own website or map because old directories can be out of date.

At MSP Airport, smoking is prohibited in all interior spaces. The airport explicitly includes cigarettes, cigars, pipes, cannabis, and electronic cigarettes. MSP permits smoking only in designated outdoor areas located at least 45 feet from building entries, outdoor air intakes, and operable windows.

MSP location	Official smoking-area guidance
Terminal 1	Signed designated areas are on the Arrivals and Departures levels.
Terminal 2	Signed designated areas are at the curbside Arrivals/Departures area.
Inside either terminal	Smoking and vaping are prohibited.
During a connection	Using an outdoor area requires leaving the secure side and being screened again.

For more airport-specific guidance, see whether airports have smoking areas and the separate DFW airport smoking lounge guide.

Using a smoking section on a layover

At MSP, the designated smoking areas are outdoors. The airport tells passengers planning to smoke on a layover to bring their identification and boarding pass and allow enough time to be re-screened and reach the gate. That instruction matters more than an estimated walk because the screening line and your gate can change.

1. Check the airport’s official page. Confirm that a smoking area is currently available and note the correct terminal and level.
2. Check your boarding details. Use the boarding time and current gate, not only the scheduled departure time.
3. Keep your documents with you. MSP tells connecting passengers to bring identification and a boarding pass when leaving to smoke.
4. Exit only if you can complete screening again. Return through the operating TSA checkpoint.
5. Recheck the gate after screening. Follow the current boarding pass, airline app, or airport display.

For the checkpoint process, read the guide to airport security screening. Airport rules and checkpoint operations can change, so confirm both before walking outside.

Cigarettes, vapes, and the checkpoint

Where a device may be used is separate from how it must be packed. FAA PackSafe says electronic smoking devices must be on the passenger or in carry-on baggage. Passengers must take effective measures to prevent accidental activation of the heating element. The FAA also prohibits recharging the batteries or devices aboard the aircraft.

Those packing rules do not authorize vaping in the terminal or on the aircraft. MSP includes electronic cigarettes in its indoor prohibition, while federal law treats electronic-cigarette use as smoking on covered passenger flights. For other item-specific checks, use TSA’s current list and see what you can bring on a plane.