Viktor Navorski, a visitor from the fictional nation of Krakozhia, lands at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. Holding Viktor's passport, Frank Dixon, Director of Customs and Border Protection at JFK, informs him that his nation has been annexed from within. He says all flights into and out of his nation have been put on indefinite hold. He continues by saying that the new administration has sealed all the borders, making passports and visas invalid. Viktor is thus a citizen of nowhere at the moment. He claims that Viktor won't currently be eligible for asylum, refugee status, temporary protective status, humanitarian parole, non-immigrant work travel, or diplomatic visas, so Frank cannot assist him. As he says, Viktor is simply unacceptable.
He is compelled to go into the international transit lounge until it is resolved. Viktor, who had no understanding, had been given several food and shopping coupons to make it through the interim. Later, he discovers that a coup d'état (the sudden, violent overthrow of an existing government by a small group) has taken place in his home country, and that’s the reason behind his stay here in Terminal.
With only his suitcase and a can of Planters peanuts, Viktor settles in at the terminal. Unfortunately, he missed his coupons too. Viktor discovers Gate 67, which is being renovated and settles there. The idea of getting rid of Viktor consumes Frank, who is being considered for a promotion. He uses the terminal's public lavatory to take a shower after spotting Viktor wandering about in a bathrobe. He then attempts to submit a visa application via the US Customs and Border Protection Help Desk. However, the officer rejects his application and points out that he can only obtain a visa from a specific country.
Frank is adamant about getting Viktor out of the airport and making him someone else's issue the entire time. He attempts to lure Viktor out of the airport by telling the guards to stand back from the door for five minutes, but he is unsuccessful. Amelia Warren, a flight attendant, periodically stops by and unintentionally meets Viktor. When the janitor sees them, he assumes Viktor is a CIA spy and alerts his friends. By gathering the luggage trolleys to buy food for himself, Viktor finds quarters. The security officers at the airport all admired his intelligence. He then began to do this frequently. The English-language flash news concerning his nation was too complicated for him to understand. Viktor starts reading books and periodicals to acquire English in the interim.
To get Viktor to leave the terminal, Frank establishes a new role as a transportation liaison for passenger assistance and starts taking care of all the luggage trolleys now. Starving Viktor is given a lovely dinner by Enrique Cruz, a worker who provides food. He claims to be in love with Dolores Torres, a CBP officer. In exchange, he requests that Viktor see Dolores to learn more about her and help him win her love. As required by Enrique, Viktor meets Dolores to complete the visa paperwork; she provides him with her updates each day, and then he gets stuffed by Enrique. One bright day, Dolores inquires about Viktor, who requests this of him. In response, Viktor says, "Man of Mystery."
Then, to help Viktor leave the airport, Frank tries to persuade him to apply for asylum if he is worried about going back home, but this effort also fails because Viktor maintains that he is not afraid of his own country. Upon running into Amelia once more, he tries to comfort her after learning that she had broken up with a married man. She asks him out for a dinner date, but he is unable to convey the real reason why he declined. This time, he looks for work in the terminal to save money for his date. Without knowing his identity, nobody is willing to provide him with a job, which is unfortunate.
When he tiredly returns to his gate, he finds a wall being renovated and rashly remodels it. He is then employed for his remarkable work by an airport contractor and is paid under the table. Viktor, in the meantime, has become friends with and helped several passengers and workers at the airport. Again, when Viktor and Amelia meet up on occasion, he confirms their meeting. He separates Viktor and places him in the monitored zone of the jail after noticing Viktor's new position. The guards discover a man named Milodragovich traveling with four prescriptions without a medical purchase license at a station during the examination. He loses his mind as they try to take the tablets from him. Being from Russia, he was unable to understand what they were saying. Frank asks Viktor for assistance in engaging this man in conversation as he turns to face him. Recognizing the urgency of his predicament with the medication, Viktor masks the truth and informs the authorities that Milodragovich brought those for his goats.
All the terminal employees became Viktor fans after Mr. Gupta, the caretaker, and friend of Viktor, described the incident that occurred during the inspection. He began to be revered as a hero for his kindness. Waiting to ask Amelia out was a move that Viktor made effectively. He moves forward with his date plan thanks to his friend's efforts, and Amelia relates her early life. Enrique goes up to Viktor to ask him one final favor. Enrique gave Viktor a ring, which He took and gave to Dolores. With their marriage, Dolores and Enrique begin their new lives.
Amelia once again heads to see Viktor, but unfortunately, Frank takes Amelia aside and asks her about Viktor and his enigmatic peanut can. When Frank reveals the truth about Viktor, Amelia confronts him in his improvised residence because she realizes he hasn't been completely honest. He tells her that the Planters peanut can contain a replica of the "A Great Day in Harlem" photograph. His late father was a jazz fanatic who had sworn to obtain the signatures of all 57 musicians depicted in the famed image after learning about it in a Hungarian newspaper in 1958. He passed away before receiving the final one, played by tenor saxophonist Benny Golson. To do this, Viktor traveled to New York. Following the tale, Amelia kisses Viktor.
His friends awaken Viktor after nine months to tell him that Krakozhia's conflict is over and he may now depart the airport with a green stamp. In the meantime, Amelia had requested a one-day emergency visa for Viktor from her "Ex," with whom she broke up and who was a married government official with whom she had been having an affair. Viktor is dismayed to hear that she has restarted her relationship with the man throughout this process to get a visa for him.
When he shows it to Dolores at customs, Viktor is informed that Frank must sign the emergency visa. However, Frank is determined to promptly send Viktor back to Krakozhia now that his passport is once again valid. Viktor says that he wants to go to New York. In particular, Frank threatens that if Viktor tries to enter New York, he will send caretaker Mr. Gupta Rajan back to India to face charges of attacking a police officer years ago. Viktor finally decides to head back home because he can't stand for this to happen. Gupta learns of this, but instead of letting Viktor return home, he rushes in front of the aircraft to ensure his expulsion and relieve Viktor of the responsibility.
Viktor had ample time in the terminal, and all the workers rushed to send him off with their presents out of love. Viktor was allowed to depart the airport despite Frank's orders for his officers to apprehend him. Amelia pulls up in another cab as Viktor is getting into his own, and they exchange a quick smile and look. Moments after Viktor's cab has departed, Frank, who was rushing to stop Viktor before stepping into New York City, himself pulls up to the taxi stand. After having a change of heart, Frank informs his officers that they need to deal with incoming travelers when one of his police officers approaches and proposes that they quickly cordon off. When Viktor gets to the hotel where Benny Golson is performing in New York, he finally gets the last autograph. He enters a taxi and says, "I'm going home," to the driver.
