Royal Air Maroc Adds LAX Casablanca Flights June 2026
Key points
- Royal Air Maroc will start LAX Casablanca nonstop flights on June 7, 2026, operating three times weekly on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner
- The published schedule is AT251 Los Angeles 10:20 a.m. to Casablanca 5:25 a.m. next day, and AT250 Casablanca 4:00 a.m. to Los Angeles 8:20 a.m., on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays
- Royal Air Maroc is positioning the route as the first scheduled nonstop passenger link between Africa and the U.S. Pacific Coast
- Tickets are already on sale through Royal Air Maroc and travel agencies, with the route timed ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 travel demand
- Travelers should plan around the very early Casablanca departure, and build a buffer day if they need a protected onward connection
Impact
- Where Impacts Are Most Likely
- The biggest planning friction will be at Mohammed V International early morning departures, including transport timing, check in lines, and tight onward connections
- Best Times To Fly
- If you can choose, favor the Los Angeles to Casablanca leg for overnight sleep, and avoid same day complex onward itineraries after the 4:00 a.m. Casablanca departure
- Connections And Misconnect Risk
- Treat any short connection at Casablanca as high risk, and consider overnighting in Casablanca, Morocco, if you have an important onward flight
- What Travelers Should Do Now
- If this route solves a key itinerary, book early, confirm baggage and connection rules for any onward tickets, and set fare alerts in case launch pricing shifts
LAX Casablanca nonstop flights begin June 7, 2026, when Royal Air Maroc plans to launch a new nonstop link between Los Angeles, California, and Casablanca, Morocco. The route matters most for travelers on the U.S. West Coast who want a single flight to Morocco, or who plan to connect onward through Casablanca into Africa or Europe. Travelers should lock in realistic buffers now, especially around very early departures out of Casablanca, and avoid building tight same day connections on separate tickets until the route is operating consistently.
The LAX Casablanca nonstop flights plan adds three weekly Boeing 787 Dreamliner service to Royal Air Maroc's long haul map, giving West Coast travelers a new nonstop option that the airline describes as the first direct air link between Africa and the U.S. Pacific Coast.
Royal Air Maroc's announcement, distributed as a company release on December 11, 2025, sets the launch date as June 7, 2026, with service scheduled three times per week. The carrier is explicitly tying the timing to demand around the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which FIFA says runs June 11 to July 19, 2026, across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In practical terms, this is a new nonstop that can reduce total travel time and reduce the number of misconnect points for travelers starting in Southern California.
On the published schedule, the eastbound flight is Royal Air Maroc AT251, departing Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) at 1020 a.m. PT and arriving the next day at Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) at 525 a.m. local time. The westbound return is AT250, departing Mohammed V at 400 a.m. local time and arriving back at Los Angeles International at 820 a.m. PT, also on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. AeroRoutes' schedule filing identifies the aircraft as a Boeing 787-8 on this route.
Those times have real planning consequences. The 4:00 a.m. Casablanca departure means travelers connecting from elsewhere in Morocco, or arriving late the prior evening, may be better served by staying near Mohammed V and treating the flight as an early start, rather than trying to chain multiple legs on minimal sleep. On the Los Angeles side, a late morning departure is friendly for same day positioning from other parts of California, but travelers should still assume international check in and security can spike during peak summer travel.
Background
Royal Air Maroc says the Los Angeles service fits a broader plan to expand its long haul network, increase service on other long haul gateways, and grow its fleet over time, while also reinforcing Casablanca's role as a connecting hub between Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The airline also frames the expansion as forward looking to the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which is slated to be co hosted by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal. For travelers, that context matters because route launches tied to major events can come with strong seasonal demand, price volatility, and higher load factors on peak travel days.
How It Works
A new nonstop like this typically changes two things for itinerary building. First, it can eliminate a European connection that often adds an extra airport, an extra security queue, and an extra baggage handling step. Second, it can create a more predictable "one stop" bridge for people traveling between Southern California and Morocco, plus an additional option for those connecting onward, as long as the connection is booked in a way that protects you if the first leg runs late. If you are mixing tickets, assume you may need to self transfer, recheck bags, and absorb schedule changes, especially during the first months of a new route.
If your goal is a Morocco stay, this route can make Casablanca a more convenient entry point for travelers who previously routed through east coast gateways or European hubs. For destination context and basic planning, see Adept Traveler's Casablanca, Morocco guide. For travelers building a wider Morocco itinerary, new hotel inventory is also arriving in the north, including a signed deal for a Tetouan opening later in the decade, which may matter if you plan to combine cities rather than stay only in Casablanca, Morocco. See Tetouan Lifestyle Hotel To Open In 2027. If you are comparing Morocco routings via Europe, it is also worth tracking how other carriers adjust frequencies to Moroccan gateways, including Tangier, which can change backup options in irregular operations. See Air France Expands Europe Links, Eases North America Connections.
Royal Air Maroc says tickets are available now through its website, its sales channels, and travel agencies. If you plan to travel around tournament periods, or other summer peaks, expect price swings. A basic, non glamorous move that helps is to build an itinerary that can tolerate disruption, for example, arriving a day early for a must attend event, and avoiding the last flight of the day if you have onward plans that cannot slip.