Morocco’s Airports Target 90 Million Passengers by 2035

Rabat – Morocco is working hard towards achieving a mega airport expansion as part of its broader strategy to reinforce its air connectivity.

Last month, Morocco’s Minister of Transport and Logistics Abdessamad Kayouh announced that the country is set to invest around MAD 42 billion ($4.1) in airport expansion projects by 2030.

The 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco is co-hosting alongside Spain and Portugal, is a major catalyst for this initiative, as the North African country is determined to be a global gateway and provide smooth air transport for the crowds of football fans.

The planned investments are set to makeover major airports, such as Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Marrakesh, Fez, Tetouan, and Agadir.

More than 32 million passengers used Morocco’s airports in 2024, including international tourists and domestic travelers, Kayouh informed the House of Representatives on Monday.

Airport traffic may reach as high as 60 million passengers by 2030 and 90 million by 2035, forecasted the minister.

He added that the government is committed to creating strong domestic air transportation to link Morocco’s 12 regions for better accessibility from cities to airport and vice versa.

To make air travel more affordable, authorities instituted a subsidy scheme that grants travelers preferential rates.

The minister also spoke of actions that consolidate regional connectivity through agreements made between the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, regional councils, and Royal Air Maroc (RAM).

These include Dakhla-Oued Eddahab, Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra, Guelmim-Oued Noun, Draa-Tafilalet, the Oriental region, and Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima.

Some of the domestic lines are the Casablanca-Dakhla and the Casablanca-Laayoune flights, which fly 14 times weekly.

The newly introduced Rabat-Laayoune line has two flights a week, while Agadir-Laayoune-Dakhla runs four flights a week. Other linking routes include Casablanca-Guelmim-Tan Tan, Casablanca-Guelmim, and Casablanca-Errachidia.

Kayouh revealed that his ministry covered in 2024 one-third of the financial support allocated and total subsidies reached about MAD 60 million ($6 million). More than 2.28 million passengers have been transported by RAM through these agreements.

The minister also reported private carrier Air Arabia has upped domestic frequency to add links between Rabat to Agadir, along with those connecting Agadir respectively to Tangiers and Fez.

A new Tangier-Nador route launched two weeks ago offers two weekly flights, while Marrakech-Dakhla now operates with the same frequency.

The ministry has allocated MAD 20 million ($2 million) to support these initiatives, enabling Air Arabia to transport around 364,000 passengers on these routes.

Authorities made agreements viable under Morocco’s open-skies policy to accommodate foreign airlines in its market.

Ryanair, for example, has launched 14 flights across 11 routes linking nine Moroccan airports since March 2024. These include flights between Marrakech and Fez, Marrakech and Tangier, and Agadir with several northern and eastern cities.

With continuous investment in domestic and international air travel, Morocco’s transport sector is well-placed to keep pace with the growing demand for air connectivity while ensuring access to passengers countrywide.