Royal Air Maroc Targets Africa Hub Status with Epic 2026 Route Blitz

Royal Air Maroc (RAM) is aggressively expanding its network to solidify its role as Africa’s premier connecting carrier, with a series of new direct routes set to launch throughout 2026. 

Centred on its hub at Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport, this growth initiative will significantly improve links between Africa and key markets in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and across the continent, creating new avenues for tourism, trade, and cultural exchange.

Travel News Africa reports that, starting in April 2026, RAM will introduce direct flights to Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo and Tripoli in Libya, enhancing North-South and intra-African connectivity. At the same time, new services to Beirut in Lebanon and the Spanish destinations of Alicante and Bilbao will expand options to the Mediterranean and European leisure markets.

The expansion accelerates in June 2026 with the addition of Casablanca to Palma de Mallorca, a popular Balearic Islands hotspot, and Verona in Italy, starting June 20. These routes target rising demand for summer travel and the need for seamless connections for passengers from sub-Saharan Africa.

RAM is also advancing previously announced routes, including a January 2026 launch to St. Petersburg, Russia, which opens opportunities to attract outbound tourists from a market increasingly interested in African experiences.

A standout milestone is the inaugural nonstop flight from Casablanca to Los Angeles on June 7, 2026. Operated three times weekly on Boeing 787 Dreamliners, this roughly 12-hour service marks the first direct link between Africa and the U.S. West Coast, facilitating travel for business, leisure, and diaspora communities while enabling multi-destination trips combining Africa and North America.

To support surging demand, RAM will boost frequencies on existing long-haul routes to São Paulo, Miami, Washington, and Dubai, offering greater flexibility for travellers across Africa and beyond. This reinforces Casablanca’s emergence as a vital gateway hub for the continent.

RAM CEO Hamid Addou emphasised the strategic importance of this phase. “Since 2023, we’ve incorporated about 10 new aircraft, boosted frequencies on key routes, and launched nearly 20 international services. In 2026, we’ll add at least 10 more routes, bolstering Morocco’s global links and advancing economic and tourism goals.”

Backing this growth is RAM’s fleet modernisation plan, introducing advanced long-haul aircraft with premium cabins for superior comfort. From a current fleet of around 60 planes, the airline aims for 200 by 2037, enabling sustained expansion.

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For Africa’s tourism sector, RAM’s initiatives represent a pivotal shift toward better global integration. Enhanced direct access to Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and intra-African destinations will simplify inbound tourism, streamline business mobility, and support diaspora visits, driving visitor numbers, investments, and event hosting across the continent.

This positions RAM as an ideal ally for African tour operators and hospitality stakeholders, enabling access to diverse source markets and innovative itineraries. Reduced travel times and complexities promise higher arrivals and economic ripple effects.

Royal Air Maroc is improving Morocco’s airline industry with its bold plans, better planes, and improved passenger services, which will boost African tourism and the economy and help connect Morocco more with the world.

Nigeria’s aviation sector in 2025 is experiencing notable growth, with domestic carriers such as Enugu Air, United Nigeria Airlines, and Air Peace expanding their fleets and routes, alongside infrastructure upgrades at airports such as Lagos (Murtala Muhammed International). 

However, there is no direct expansion of new routes from Royal Air Maroc to Nigeria in this expansion; RAM already operates daily flights from Casablanca to Lagos, focusing instead on other African destinations such as Pointe-Noire and Tripoli. Broader African aviation trends show a recovery, with increased capacity and regional integration through initiatives such as the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). Still, Nigeria faces persistent challenges, including high operational costs, ageing infrastructure in some areas, security concerns, stringent visa processes, and economic factors that drive up airfares.

Improved air connectivity profoundly impacts tourism. Overall, hubs like Casablanca facilitate easier inbound flows from Europe, the Americas, and Asia, boosting intra-continental travel and supporting economic diversification. RAM’s expansions, including the groundbreaking Los Angeles route, can indirectly benefit Nigeria by offering smoother one-stop connections for international visitors heading to West Africa, encouraging multi-destination itineraries that include Nigerian cultural sites, festivals, and ecotourism spots.

In Nigeria, specifically, enhanced global links through partners like RAM could increase tourist arrivals despite domestic hurdles such as inadequate roads and power supply. Better connectivity drives job creation in the hospitality sector, stimulates local economies through visitor spending, and promotes Nigeria’s untapped potential in cultural and eco-tourism. 

However, realising this requires addressing visa rigidity, safety marketing, and infrastructure gaps to compete with peers like Kenya or South Africa, potentially unlocking billions in revenue and positioning Nigeria as a West African tourism powerhouse.

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FAQs

1. When does the new Casablanca to Los Angeles flight start?  

The nonstop service launches on June 7, 2026, operating three times weekly with Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

2. What are some of the key new routes RAM is adding in 2026?  

New destinations include Pointe-Noire (Congo), Tripoli (Libya), Beirut, Alicante and Bilbao (Spain), Palma de Mallorca, Verona (Italy), and previously announced St. Petersburg (Russia).

3. How will this expansion benefit African tourism? 

It improves direct access for international visitors, simplifies connections for sub-Saharan travellers, and supports multi-destination trips, potentially increasing arrivals and economic growth.

4. Does Royal Air Maroc fly directly to Nigeria?  

Yes, RAM currently operates daily direct flights from Casablanca to Lagos, providing strong connectivity for Nigerian travellers via its hub.

5. What is RAM’s long-term fleet goal?  

The airline plans to grow its fleet from around 60 aircraft today to 200 by 2037, supporting further route and frequency expansions.