Casablanca sets sights on global hub status
Royal Air Maroc has unveiled an ambitious growth plan that will see Casablanca connected to nine new cities across Europe, Africa and the Americas in 2026, reinforcing the economic role of Morocco’s largest city and widening travel options for business and leisure alike.
The flag carrier confirmed its schedule on 15 December, outlining a pair of inaugural flights to Saint Petersburg and Los Angeles, five additional medium-haul routes and two strategic links within southern Europe and northern France, all timed to arrive as fresh aircraft join the fleet.
Fresh destinations unveiled for 2026
Under the plan, Casablanca–Saint Petersburg will open in January 2026, granting Morocco a direct bridge to Russia’s cultural capital, while the much-anticipated Casablanca–Los Angeles service is pencilled for June, marking RAM’s first nonstop reach to the U.S. West Coast.
April will see five more gateways: Bilbao and Alicante in Spain, Beirut in Lebanon, Tripoli in Libya and Pointe-Noire in the Republic of the Congo, each intended to diversify passenger flows and support the airline’s stated goal of making Casablanca a continental transit powerhouse.
Strengthening European presence
Two months later, 20 June 2026, Verona joins RAM’s Italian portfolio, complementing existing flights to Rome, Milan, Bologna, Naples, Catania, Turin and Venice, a network the company believes positions it competitively against Mediterranean rivals courting northern Italian traffic.
In France, a Casablanca–Lille route is due in July, strengthening links with one of Morocco’s largest diaspora communities and providing a northern alternative to RAM’s busy Paris and Lyon services, which already feed significant two-way tourist and family travel.
CEO outlines growth blueprint
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Hamid Addou called the move “a key step” in a multi-year growth blueprint that has already delivered ten additional aircraft, higher frequencies on long-haul sectors and almost twenty new international routes since 2023.
Addou insisted the 2026 expansion rests on a dual track: scaling the medium-haul network throughout Europe, North Africa and the Middle East while enlarging long-haul operations as new wide-bodies equipped with upgraded cabins, better connectivity and improved comfort standards progressively enter service.
Pointe-Noire and African outreach
For Central Africa, the scheduled Pointe-Noire flight represents the headline item, offering the Republic of the Congo added access to Moroccan tourism, investment and banking circles, while giving passengers a one-stop alternative for onward journeys to Europe or North America via Mohammed V International Airport.
RAM did not release seat counts or fare levels for Pointe-Noire, but stressed that the African addition aligns with Morocco’s broader push to bolster south-south partnerships and expand trade corridors with high-growth economies across the continent.
Long-haul frequency upgrades
Long-haul frequency increases are also on the radar, centred on São Paulo, Miami, Washington and Dubai, all of which the carrier designates as strategic because they feed large diasporas and deliver valuable cargo flows ranging from perishables to automotive components.
The company said the incoming long-haul aircraft will feature refurbished cabins, higher comfort standards and connected onboard services aligned with global benchmarks, signalling a deliberate bid to meet the expectations of premium and tech-savvy travellers on intercontinental routes.
Data-led route selection
While RAM’s 2026 roadmap stands out for its geographic spread, the airline emphasised that each destination was selected on clear traffic projections, diaspora data and tourism cooperation agreements, a data-driven approach the management credits for the profitability of routes launched since 2023.
RAM underlined that the expansion supports the Kingdom’s economic and tourism prominence, echoing national objectives to strengthen foreign visitor arrivals while opening additional export channels for Moroccan goods.
Casablanca’s geographic advantage
Company executives regularly cite the geographic advantage of Casablanca, lying at the crossroad of Atlantic, Mediterranean and Saharan corridors, as a natural springboard for travellers moving between West Africa, Europe and the Americas, an advantage the new routes are designed to amplify.
Experience informs rollout
The carrier said earlier frequency increases on Miami and Washington routes provided operational insight into demand patterns and connection scheduling, experience that will inform the ramp-up plan for Saint Petersburg, Los Angeles and the five April launches.
Countdown to ticket sales
Ticket sales for the new flights are expected to open progressively once regulatory approvals are secured, with customer support advising travellers to monitor the carrier’s digital platforms for finalised timetables, promotional fares and information on revised baggage policies.
Until then, the airline continues to focus on operational reliability through the busy end-of-year season, confident that the planned 2026 route blitz will cement Casablanca’s position as a preferred African gateway and affirm Royal Air Maroc’s upward trajectory on the global aviation stage.
Flexible timeline ahead
Addou said coordination with airports and authorities will continue through 2025 to align infrastructure and marketing ahead of the inaugural flights.
Addou also indicated that the schedule could grow beyond the nine confirmed additions if further aircraft deliveries are finalised on time, underscoring the flexible nature of the company’s network planning.