As a large transportation hub, airport terminals have complex structures, and the evacuation efficiency becomes extremely important when an emergency occurs. To improve the evacuation efficiency of the terminal building, an improved A * algorithm has been proposed for selecting the optimal evacuation path based on the actual distribution of personnel. Firstly, the flow of personnel in the terminal building was simulated, and data on the distribution of personnel was obtained. Then the time-varying distribution of personnel in each area was considered in the cost calculation of path selection. Finally, the A * algorithm was improved in terms of traversal methods, network weights, other factors, and congested paths were replanned to avoid congestion. The results indicate that considering the distribution of passengers in the terminal improves the evacuation paths at each node, which leads to shorter evacuation time compared to traditional A * algorithm. It also allows for the avoidance of congested paths. This study can provide theoretical and methodological support for the rapid evacuation of passengers in the terminal under emergencies.