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Fez — Rabat-Sale Airport’s long-awaited new terminal is nearing completion, bringing one of Morocco’s most closely watched transport upgrades into its final stretch.
The project is part of a broader effort to modernize airport infrastructure as Morocco prepares for rising passenger demand and major international events in the years ahead, namely the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
The Rabat-Sale works as a major upgrade tied to the “Rabat, City of Light” development program, centered on a new 69,000-square-meter terminal equipped with six telescopic boarding bridges, upgraded commercial areas, advanced digital systems, additional aircraft parking positions, and a two-level parking facility with 1,300 spaces.
The airport’s annual capacity would rise sharply from around 1.5 million passengers to 5 million.
That growth target comes as passenger traffic is already climbing fast.
According to figures attributed to ONDA, Rabat-Sale Airport handled 2,169,189 passengers in 2025, up 25.69% from 1,725,812 in 2024.
A wider airport strategy taking shape
Rabat-Sale’s upgrade is unfolding within Morocco’s larger “Airports 2030” strategy, which aims to expand national airport capacity from 34 million passengers in 2024 to 80 million by 2030.
Officials have linked that push to tourism growth, service modernization, and preparations connected to the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Rabat-Sale is a model for a more digital passenger journey, with contactless processing and updated airport technologies that Morocco hopes to extend across other national platforms.
The project, however, has not moved without complications. The terminal was initially expected years ago, but delays followed changes within the construction consortium, pushing completion back well beyond the original schedule.
Even so, the fact that the terminal is now close to opening gives the project renewed significance.
