Prebrief

Welcome to Zakhaev International Airport,a medium-sized Multiplayer map challenging players to navigate the eponymous location inside and out. Whether you’re in the Lounge or out on the Apron, a strong knowledge of the surrounding environment will take you far, so dig in and get reacquainted with this classic environment.

Intel Card — Terminal

Tactical Overview

In team-based game modes, teams will either spawn in the Lower Lounge (north) or in Security (west).

The remainder of the map is split between the interior Terminal and the exterior Apron, each offering its own opportunities and challenges with variable sightlines and plentiful verticality throughout.

We’ve divided Terminal into six areas using the following map callouts:

• MAIN SPAWN POINT: Security
• MAIN SPAWN POINT: Lower Lounge
• ADDITIONAL AREA: Shopping (+ Bookstore, Makeup Store, Hallway)
• ADDITIONAL AREA: Dining (Upper Lounge)
• ADDITIONAL AREA: Apron
• ADDITIONAL AREA: Plane

MAIN SPAWN POINT: Security (WEST)

The Security area is a small rectangle with little cover. Any fights within its confines will be over fast, rewarding the Operator with the fastest draw and the steadiest aim. Lead with grenades when approaching enemies here for a chance to disorient and/or damage them before the skirmish begins.

Avoid passing through the metal detectors if you don’t want to give up your position through its loud chime. You can also climb onto one of the scanners for a slightly elevated view over the immediate area. Note the Kastovia Airlines office south of the scanners — this is a useful position for ambushing enemies in the vicinity as well as for its access to the east-facing customer service desk, an ideal point for sniping enemies all the way toward the Plane entrance.

MAIN SPAWN POINT: Lower Lounge (NORTHEAST)

The Lower Lounge caters to a variety of tactics, whether you’re fighting within the Terminal, looking out on the Apron, or climbing onto one of the strongest power positions on the map.

The ground floor is open, though some cover objects provide ways to stay out of view or regain composure midfight. Crouch behind the snack bar for a well-defended sightline up to the escalators and to the top of the ladder. The large glass windows can be a blessing and a curse: a blessing for those using their wide visibility to tag enemies on the Apron, and a curse for Operators focused on the interior and susceptible to incoming damage from outside. Position accordingly.

Watch for enemies appearing near the top of the escalators, as well as for any grenades they may lob down ahead of their arrival. Also note the ladder leading to a high platform overlooking the Upper and Lower Lounge. Smash the glass to get on top of Maintenance for a commanding view over the Apron, the Plane, and the Hallway.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Shopping

The Shopping area is the biggest interior space on the map, including the atrium, check-in counter, Hallway, Bookstore and Makeup Store. Though it’s a large space overall, there are plentiful cover options throughout; success here requires knowing when to dig in and when to advance.

The Bookstore passage provides a valuable shortcut between the Hallway and Shopping area. Close-quarters Loadouts perform great here and in the nearby Makeup Store. Use these spots to close the gap against long-ranged opponents and to punish enemy players running nearby in the open.

Watch for players moving in through the Dining area and the Plane, and when moving through the Hallway, be aware of the windows facing the Apron. The view is great for targeting enemies outside, but they can likewise fire shots in when you’re just trying to move through the area.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Dining

Marked by the checkered floor, Dining connects the Shopping area to the Upper Lounge. Burger Town sits in the corner, its wraparound counter and kitchen offering cover to entrenched Operators. Snipers here enjoy long sightlines to the east and south.

Use the nearby columns for cover when approaching enemies in Burger Town, and lob grenades behind the counter. When moving toward the Lounge, stay above the escalators for a height advantage, and watch the Hallway to avoid being flanked.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Apron

The sprawling Apron is similar in size to the Terminal, though the layout is very different. Large, open spaces are broken up by crates of air freight and the parked Plane. Players can use long-ranged Loadouts and stick to the map border or move up from cover to cover with more flexible midranged weapons.

Note all the windows overlooking the Apron from inside; get behind the Plane for better concealment. From here, you can take the stairs up into the Shopping area or remain inside the Plane for its strong view over the Apron.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Plane

The Plane is a useful chokepoint connecting the Apron to the Shopping area. Its advantages often outweigh the inherent risk of defending it. Use close-quarters tactics to respond quickly to incoming enemies and be willing to drop out of the Plane to escape grenades. There are three exit points available, one each in the front, side, and rear.

Use equipment to overpower the Plane. Lead with a Flash Grenade or even a Smoke Grenade to disorient enemies within. Whatever you can throw in has a good chance of being effective, so use it.

Objective Overview

Overall Tactics

Map control is paramount on Terminal. To make the most of its features, Operators should be as confident in the Terminal as they are on the Apron.

If you’re stuck on the Plane, drop out the back and hit the ground running; move through the Bookstore and break the glass in the Hallway for passage to Maintenance. Knowing your options keeps you agile and on the initiative.

Playing objective modes like Domination and Hardpoint is a great way to learn the map. In the Terminal, move near the columns and walls to stay out of sight. On the Apron, use the shipping crates for cover as you advance.

Long-ranged Loadouts do well when you’re pressed back against the perimeter, while those looking to close the gap will need to find routes that circumvent long sightlines. Keep in mind how different areas interlink; for example, the Apron looks into the Hallway and Lower Lounge, but does not overlook Dining or the greater Shopping hall.

Use these connections to your advantage when moving toward objectives, but also be aware of their risks. Sometimes fighting head-on is the way to go, but other times a stealthier approach makes the longer route worth it. Move with intent and reap the rewards of Terminal’s branching possibilities.

Domination

Domination uses the full run of the map, the flags spread evenly over three major zones. In this arrangement, teams can be successful with any combination of two flags.

Though the B flag remains a dominant feature, it’s not as crucial as it is in other maps; a team can easily opt to remain inside the Terminal entirely, fighting for A and C instead.

Be willing to adjust your position when things go sideways. While it’s good to fight for your favored flags, it’s not worth falling behind in the match score. The best teams know how to move through the whole map, even if it means momentarily taking a disadvantaged position.

All flag combinations have their advantages. Taking A and C keeps the fight inside the Terminal building, which is good for teams who struggle on the Apron. With A and B, you can use the Plane to funnel between the flags, or cross through Maintenance between C and B. Find your strongest combination and fight for it.

Hardpoint

All Hardpoints appear within the Terminal on this map, making it a great mode for mastering the interior space here. Beginning with the Upper Lounge by Burger Town, teams will then need to lock down the Makeup Store, Plane, Dining, and the Bookstore. 

While the objectives may be inside, it hardly reduces the use of the outer Apron. Operators can target enemies in the Hallway from there, board the Plane, down an enemy aerial streak, and even use it as a flanking route when the action is focused inside. As long as you’re moving through the Apron for a strategic purpose, it can easily fit into a team’s effective strategy.

On the first Hardpoint in the Upper Lounge, it’s possible to land area-to-ground attacks through the large glass windows in the ceiling. Outside of that, the remaining objectives require fighting on the ground, so opt for intel-gathering or ground-based streaks. After a few matches of Hardpoint, you’ll have a much greater understanding of how best to move through the map’s interior spaces.

Cutthroat

Cutthroat turns Terminal into a tactical playground as teams move through the main hall and Apron in search of action. While it won’t take long to engage if you head straight out for the fight, there’s enough room on the map to get into an advantageous position for squads who prefer to read and respond to the opening moments of the round.

When outgunned or outnumbered, use the larger environment to back off and reposition; even with lowered health, you can still be a threat. Better yet, back off toward your teammates to bait the enemy into a trap. You might even assign one of your squad as a sniper for the sole purpose of providing long-ranged cover for their more aggressive teammates.

Don’t lose sight of the overtime flag as the round nears its time limit. The whole map is for the taking before then, but you don’t want to lose out on your hard work by allowing an enemy to capture the point and take the round win at the last second.

Search & Destroy

Search & Destroy adds two bomb sites to the map. A is located in the Upper Lounge near the Hallway and Dining. The B bomb site is directly in the Plane, tucked behind the emergency exit.

Each site offers distinct risks and advantages, and teams who can succeed at both sites will greatly increase their chance at victory.

From Security, the attacking team can rush straight into the Dining area in an A-side blitz or consider a stealthier approach using the Plane for cover while planting at B. A daring Operator might use the Hallway for its view onto the Apron to check for defenders running toward the Plane. A skirmish can break out at any moment, and getting intel keeps the initiative in your favor.

Defenders need enough Operators to withstand an Upper Lounge push while also keeping an eye out for movement on the Plane. It can be helpful to keep an Operator on the Apron, watching the Hallway for activity with quick boarding access should a bomb plant start at B.  

Top 10 Tips

1. Watch your head. Don’t think you’re safe from aerial attacks inside the Terminal building. There are large glass ceiling panes over much of the interior structure, so overhead Streaks still pose a danger to those within. Learn the safe spots and get to them when there’s trouble.

2. Stay awhile. You’ll inevitably prefer fighting inside the Terminal or on the Apron, but it’s worth getting time in each. Instead of avoiding the areas where you struggle, pick a Loadout that fits the dominant playstyle there and improve your weak spots.

3. Choose your ground. If there’s a crack shot sniper on the Apron or the enemy has the Shopping zone locked down, go another way. Terminal offers a large play area with multiple routes to your destination, so you don’t need to keep running head-on into bad encounters.

4. Board the Plane. Take advantage of the Plane’s view over the Apron and its quick access to Shopping. It’s a high-risk move, but it pays off.

5. Start in the midrange. Consider a midranged Loadout when starting out on Terminal. It’s a strong distance for many of the engagements here and will give you time to discover the spots where other weapon types might perform better.

6. Plan Your UAVs. If you’ve got the UAV streak equipped, wait for the opportune time to activate it. The intel will better serve you before a big push or in anticipation of an incoming attack.

7. Rocket blast. Get messy with free-fire Launchers by blasting enemies in the Hallway, in the Plane, on the Apron, and anywhere else where the blast radius can be directed to eliminate hostile Operators.

8. Keep climbing. Use your mantling abilities to get into advantageous positions. Climb everything in sight to take advantage of the map’s verticality by getting over and ahead of the enemy team.

9. Swap Loadouts. Though you might try for a Loadout that works throughout all of Terminal, you’ll find more success by specializing for the target area. There’s a big different between fighting on the Apron and the Plane, in Dining or Shopping. Pick what works best in the moment so you don’t have to compromise.

10. Prepare for departure. Terminal is one of the most classic maps in Call of Duty history, having appeared in multiple titles. Whether this is your first or five hundredth time here, the battle ahead is sure to be an epic one. Now, check in with your captain before departure and plan a strategy that’s sure to secure victory.

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