A split airflow system for an electrically heated smoking system for generating aerosol, the split airflow system having a downstream end, the airflow system comprising: a first channel defining a first flow route; a second channel defining a second flow route; wherein the first flow route directs ambient air from outside the system to the downstream end of the system; wherein the first channel and the second channel define a total volume of ambient air (20,21) passing through the system and the first channel provides at least 50 percent of the total volume of ambient air passing through the system, characterized in that the second flow route directs ambient air from outside the system towards a substantially flat, fluid permeable heating element before conveying the ambient air to the downstream end of the system, and wherein at least a portion of the second channel (101,103,104,105) and the heating element are arranged perpendicular to each other such that the at least a portion of the second channel directs ambient air to impinge perpendicular onto the heating element, and wherein at least a portion of the second channel (104,105) arranged downstream of the substantially flat fluid permeable heating element, is arranged in the circumference of the substantially flat fluid permeable heating element, such as to guide aerosol containing ambient air from a center of the substantially flat fluid permeable heating element radially outwardly to the circumference of the substantially flat fluid permeable heating element to the at least a portion of the second channel (104,105) arranged in the circumference of the substantially flat fluid permeable heating element. a first channel defining a first flow route; a second channel defining a second flow route; wherein the first flow route directs ambient air from outside the system to the downstream end of the system; wherein the first channel and the second channel define a total volume of ambient air (20,21) passing through the system and the first channel provides at least 50 percent of the total volume of ambient air passing through the system, characterized in that the second flow route directs ambient air from outside the system towards a substantially flat, fluid permeable heating element before conveying the ambient air to the downstream end of the system, and wherein at least a portion of the second channel (101,103,104,105) and the heating element are arranged perpendicular to each other such that the at least a portion of the second channel directs ambient air to impinge perpendicular onto the heating element, and wherein at least a portion of the second channel (104,105) arranged downstream of the substantially flat fluid permeable heating element, is arranged in the circumference of the substantially flat fluid permeable heating element, such as to guide aerosol containing ambient air from a center of the substantially flat fluid permeable heating element radially outwardly to the circumference of the substantially flat fluid permeable heating element to the at least a portion of the second channel (104,105) arranged in the circumference of the substantially flat fluid permeable heating element. wherein the first flow route directs ambient air from outside the system to the downstream end of the system; wherein the first channel and the second channel define a total volume of ambient air (20,21) passing through the system and the first channel provides at least 50 percent of the total volume of ambient air passing through the system, characterized in that the second flow route directs ambient air from outside the system towards a substantially flat, fluid permeable heating element before conveying the ambient air to the downstream end of the system, and wherein at least a portion of the second channel (101,103,104,105) and the heating element are arranged perpendicular to each other such that the at least a portion of the second channel directs ambient air to impinge perpendicular onto the heating element, and wherein at least a portion of the second channel (104,105) arranged downstream of the substantially flat fluid permeable heating element, is arranged in the circumference of the substantially flat fluid permeable heating element, such as to guide aerosol containing ambient air from a center of the substantially flat fluid permeable heating element radially outwardly to the circumference of the substantially flat fluid permeable heating element to the at least a portion of the second channel (104,105) arranged in the circumference of the substantially flat fluid permeable heating element.