The invention relates to a side wall air inlet/outlet infrared air sensor, which comprises a sensing head, a signal acquisition module, a signal processing module and a signal display module, and is characterized in that the sensing head has a side wall air inlet/outlet and comprises a dustproof cover 1, a cavity 2 which has a side wall air inlet/outlet and functions of an optical channel and an air chamber, a reflector 3, a reflector 4, a thermopile detector 5, an infrared light source 6, a condenser lens 7, a heating resistor 8 and a signal amplification circuit 9, wherein an optical path is an 'n'-shaped folded optical path consisting of a first through hole 10, a second through hole 11, a third through hole 12, the reflector 3 and the reflector 4. As a side wall air inlet/outlet mode is adopted, the air in the air chamber and the air in the outside form good convection currents directly, the inside and outside air exchange time is shortened, and the response time is short; and dueto the multiple reflection of the light in a transmitting process, the optical path is prolonged and the resolution is improved. The sensor is expected to be widely used for real-time air monitoring on various occasions.