Airport terminal

An airport building where passengers check in, pass through security, board or leave aircraft, and access travel services.

Passenger check-in: The process of confirming a passenger’s travel and accepting baggage before departure. Airline counters and self-service kiosks handle this step before passengers enter secure areas.
Airport: A site with runways and facilities for aircraft operations and passenger or cargo transport. The terminal is one part of the wider airport system.
Hub-and-spoke network: A transport network that routes traffic between smaller points through a central hub. Hub terminals must handle concentrated connecting-passenger flows between flights.
Pier terminal: An airport terminal layout with long passenger concourses extending from a central building. Piers concentrate gates along narrow branches rather than around a central satellite.
Airport capacity: The maximum traffic an airport can handle over a given period under defined operating conditions. Terminal bottlenecks can limit passenger throughput even when runways have spare capacity.
Airport security: Measures that screen people and belongings to prevent prohibited items from entering secure aviation areas. Security checkpoints separate public terminal space from departure areas.
Airport concourse: A passenger circulation area in an airport that connects gates with other terminal facilities. Concourses organize movement from shared terminal areas to boarding gates.
Airport transfer: A passenger’s movement between flights during one journey, sometimes requiring a change of terminal. Transfer routes determine how terminals connect secure zones and concourses.
Satellite terminal: A separate airport gate building connected to the main terminal, often by an underground passage or train. Satellites move gate capacity away from the main terminal’s central footprint.
Airport expansion: The enlargement of airport infrastructure to accommodate increased traffic or new operations. Growing passenger demand often prompts terminal extensions or replacement buildings.

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