Fez — Royal Air Maroc is set to turn Tetouan into a new gateway for northern Morocco, launching a regional mini-hub at Tetouan–Sania R’mel Airport from March 27, 2026. 

The move introduces six nonstop European routes alongside reinforced domestic links to Casablanca, signaling a shift toward more decentralized air connectivity across Morocco. 

Developed in coordination with the Office National Marocain du Tourisme (ONMT), the Tetouan base is part of Royal Air Maroc’s broader expansion push, which has already seen the airline roll out around twenty new international routes in recent years as its fleet steadily grows.

Why Tetouan, and why now

Royal Air Maroc says the decision reflects rising demand from northern Morocco, an area historically reliant on Tangier or Casablanca for international travel. By anchoring aircraft directly in Tetouan, the airline aims to shorten travel times for both tourists and members of the Moroccan diaspora, while easing pressure on larger hubs.

The strategy also fits into the carrier’s long-term network design: Casablanca Mohammed V Airport remains the central global hub, but regional bases are increasingly being used to capture local demand and feed the wider network more efficiently.

The airline plans to introduce at least ten additional international routes in 2026 and has set an ambitious target of expanding its fleet from roughly 60 aircraft today to nearly 200 by 2037. For Royal Air Maroc’s leadership, Tetouan represents a practical step toward that scale-up.

Direct Europe without detours

Once operational, the mini-hub will connect Tetouan directly to Paris, London, Brussels, Barcelona, Madrid, and Malaga. 

The routes are designed to eliminate the need for transfers through Tangier or Casablanca, a change expected to appeal strongly to visiting friends and relatives travelers as well as short-stay tourists.

On the domestic side, Royal Air Maroc will strengthen the Tetouan–Casablanca corridor by adding three weekly frequencies on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, in addition to existing Friday and Sunday flights. 

The goal is to maintain fast access to the airline’s long-haul network while giving northern travelers more scheduling flexibility.

Aircraft choice and network logic

All flights from the Tetouan base will be operated with Embraer 190 jets, configured for around 100 passengers. The aircraft’s 2–2 seating layout, without a middle seat, is positioned as a comfort upgrade on short and medium-haul routes, while also matching demand levels on regional and niche markets.

Schedules have been structured to allow smoother onward connections through Casablanca, reinforcing the hub-and-spoke logic that underpins Royal Air Maroc’s network.

Tourism, territory, and balance

For the ONMT, the Tetouan project aligns with a broader effort to spread tourism flows more evenly across Morocco. Improved air access to the Mediterranean coast and the wider Tangier–Tetouan–Al Hoceima region is expected to support higher-value tourism while reducing overconcentration in a few entry points.

The Tetouan mini-hub also complements Royal Air Maroc’s wider 2026 roadmap, which includes new long-haul services from Casablanca to destinations such as Los Angeles, Saint Petersburg, Bilbao, Alicante, and Pointe-Noire.