Traveling as a smoker will never be the same.
Between airlines, countries, customs limits, and tracking down your preferred brand at some sketchy overseas convenience store…it all adds up before you’ve even started packing.
Here’s the bright side:
Planning ahead goes a long way. Following a pre-travel checklist ensures smokers can skip the stress, spend less money on cigarettes, and just enjoy the vacation.
Let’s dig into what to do BEFORE you leave…
- Stock Up Before Departure
- Know Your Customs Limit
- What You’ll Actually Need To Pack
- Buy Cheap Cigarettes Online Before Traveling
- Know Smoking Rules and Airline Policies
- Know Destination Smoking Laws
Stock Up Before Departure
You don’t want to run out of cigarettes.
Getting stuck in another country without your preferred brand is one of the worst travel situations to find yourself in. High prices, unanticipated cravings, and tobacco that just tastes…different.
Avoid it by padding your supply before you go.
Buying cheap cigarettes online before traveling is the easiest way to stock up. Not only will online shops have more brands available than local stores (including popular Canadian cigarette brands), you’ll also save money by buying in bulk before leaving home. Cigarette taxes vary drastically from place-to-place around the world. Data from national averages shows that the average smoker (1 pack per day) spends $2,190 USD a year on cigarettes in the US. Purchasing cheaper cigarettes online before your flight helps reduce that cost significantly.
Travel smarter by filling up before you land.
Know Your Customs Limit
Customs is serious business.
Every country has a limit to how many cigarettes you can bring through border security duty-free. Fly over the mark and your bags could be searched, fined, or cigarettes confiscated.
Knowing the allowance before you pack makes that frustration totally avoidable.
Most countries allow travellers to bring:
- 200 cigarettes (one standard carton) for most international flights
Countries that allow more include:
- 400 cigarettes
- Australia ONLY allows travellers to bring 50 cigarettes into the country duty-free. Much lower than most.
The US allows travellers entering the country to bring 200 cigarettes without paying duty. If you exceed that limit, you’ll pay duties on the additional cigarette amounts.
Play it safe and know the specific amount before loading up.
What You’ll Actually Need To Pack
Packing cigarettes for travel isn’t just stuffing a few extra packs in your carry-on.
Here’s a smoker’s packing checklist you can follow:
- Pack enough cigarettes for your trip based on daily consumption + buffer
- Bring a good lighter ✔ Note: lighters are banned in checked luggage for many countries, but allowed in carry-ons
- Pack a portable ashtray ✔ Many public outdoor areas in Europe require smokers to use a personal ashtray
- Bring nicotine patches or gum for long haul flights where you can’t smoke for 10+ hours
- Consider bringing a hard-case cigarette holder. They keep packs fresh and aren’t easily crushed in luggage.
You’ll also want to know your airline’s policy on lighters before packing one in your bags.
Lightweights, this will all fit in your pockets and bag’s miscellaneous compartment.
Buy Cheap Cigarettes Online Before Traveling
Saving money on cigarettes is where most travellers miss out.
Purchasing cheap cigarettes online before travel takes the guesswork out of buying cigarettes abroad. No more last-minute searching at the airport, getting ripped off at the hotel mini-bar, or finding out your brand of choice isn’t available.
Here’s what to look for when choosing where to buy cigarettes online:
- Variety of cigarette brands including international cigarettes
- Shipping times that arrive well before your flight
- Clear pricing that aren’t hidden at checkout
Travelers spent $35.87 billion on international duty-free tobacco sales in 2021. That number goes to show you how many people buy cigarettes while abroad. But just because every airport has a duty-free shop doesn’t mean you have to buy there. Pricing at airport stores changes based on location — and once you’re past security, you’re stuck with them. Online shops take the risk out of paying too much by allowing you to order in advance.
Bonus: Duty-free shops at airports typically sell cigarettes by the carton. Not ideal if you don’t smoke that much.
Know Smoking Rules and Airline Policies
Nobody likes getting smoked out — on planes specifically.
Every commercial airline has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to smoking onboard. That includes inside airplane bathrooms. Smoking can land you a hefty fine and, if you’re lucky, criminal charges. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.
Electronic cigarettes? Same rules apply.
Despite what you may think, most airlines don’t allow vaping onboard either. You can carry your vape device in your hand luggage, but won’t be allowed to use it at any time during the flight. This includes the restroom. Vape batteries are required to be kept in carry-on luggage at all times due to fire hazards.
Keep these airline smoking rules in mind:
- No smoking. Not even a herbal cigarette.
- Devices can be carried on, but cannot be used onboard
- Smoking areas are extremely limited at airports. Some airports (i.e. the US) have ZERO smoking areas.
Give yourself plenty of time for long layovers if you need to smoke. Certain airports in Asia and the Middle East offer indoor smoking areas airside. Most don’t.
Know Destination Smoking Laws
Welcome to Grandpa Territory.
This little-known section of your travel packing checklist is more important than you think.
Did you know every country has different smoking laws? Unpaid fines from smoking where you’re not supposed to are 100% avoidable if you do a little homework before you land.
Here’s the breakdown of smoking laws by destination:
- Europe → Indoors? Not cool. Patios, outdoor restaurants, and designated smoking areas are everywhere.
- Asia → It changes drastically from country to country. Japan has designated outdoor smoking areas in most cities. Singapore wants you to enjoy your vacation — but not if you’re smoking in public. They start fines at $200 SGD.
- USA/Canada → Depends on the city or province you’re visiting. Some cities ban smoking within 10ft of a building entrance.
- Middle East → Smoking policies will vary depending on the country you visit. It’s allowed in designated areas in the UAE.
Try to find smoking laws for the city you’re visiting. Countries often have national laws that aren’t reflected locally.
That’s A Wrap
Hopefully there’s a better idea now of what to do before traveling as a smoker. Quick recap:
- Buy cigarettes online before you depart
- Know the customs allowance at your destination
- Pack extra cigarettes & accessories you’ll need
- Understand the airline’s policies on smoking & lighters
- Learn about your destination’s smoking laws
Following this checklist will eliminate almost every problem smokers face when traveling abroad. Do it once, make it habit, and future travels will thank you.
