Western Europe leads international flights to Morocco this winter

Air travel to Morocco is growing, with new data from OAG, a global travel analytics company, showing that Western Europe now dominates international flight capacity to the country. 

Around 6.4 million seats have been scheduled for the winter 2024 season, covering October 2024 to March 2025. This is a 19% increase compared to winter 2023 — an additional one million seats.

North America’s flight capacity to Morocco also rose by 19 percent, while routes from Central and Eastern Europe recorded a larger 45 percent year-on-year increase.

According to aviation expert Deirdre Fulton, who reviewed these figures, this growth is part of a broader trend in Morocco’s tourism sector. 

In 2024, the country received 17.4 million international visitors, making it the most visited destination in Africa that year. 

Fulton linked this growth to improved air connectivity, marketing efforts, and the range of destinations available within Morocco.

France is the largest individual market, with airlines scheduling 2.3 million seats for the 2024 winter season. 

Spain follows with over 1.1 million seats. Other markets showing strong growth include the UK, with over 45 percent more seats than last year, as well as Portugal, Switzerland, and Spain, all growing by more than 27 percent.

The rise in international seat capacity is mainly driven by low-cost airlines. Carriers such as Ryanair, easyJet, Air Arabia Maroc, Jet2.com, and Transavia are leading the expansion. 

Ryanair added more than 325,000 seats this winter — a 67% increase compared to easyJet’s growth. 

It also launched 24 new international routes from Western Europe and now operates 11 domestic routes within Morocco, six of them without competition.

While Marrakesh and Casablanca are the most popular destinations, other cities are seeing notable increases. Agadir, Tangier, and Rabat all recorded over 30 percent growth in seat capacity this winter. 

Ryanair holds the largest share of European capacity in these cities, including 48% in Tangier, 38% in Rabat, and 36% in both Marrakesh and Agadir. In contrast, easyJet is more active in Agadir, Marrakesh, and Rabat, while Air Arabia Maroc serves about 32 percent of seats to Tangier.

The report said that Morocco’s mild winter climate attracts travelers during the off-season. With the Africa Cup of Nations in 2025 and the FIFA World Cup in 2030 on the horizon, international interest is expected to grow further.