🌍 T2 — International Flagship (RAM hub)

Airlines: Royal Air Maroc (all flights — SkyTeam member since 2020), Air Arabia Maroc, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, Iberia, Emirates, Qatar, Turkish, Saudia, plus most West African carriers (Africa World, ASKY) and some North American long-haul.

Vibe: The flagship — RAM Royal Lounge, Plaza Premium-style contract lounge, modern duty-free. Recently expanded for the West-Africa connection wave.

🛬 T1 — Domestic + Legacy International

Airlines: Royal Air Maroc domestic + a few intra-Maghreb/Europe flights. Older 1980s-era building, gradually phased out as T2 absorbs more capacity.

Vibe: Functional, dated, basic amenities. The ONCF train station is right underneath T1; from T2 you walk via the internal connecting passage (~5 min) or take the shuttle.

90 Days Visa-Free

EU/EEA/Swiss, UK, US, Canada, Australia, NZ, Japan, Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, GCC nationals all get up to 90 days visa-free. Just a passport with 6+ months validity. No online application, no advance pre-authorisation, no fee. Arrival passport stamp on the spot.

Arrival Card on Plane

An arrival card (carte de débarquement) is handed out on the inbound flight; complete it before landing. Hand it to immigration with your passport. Same form FR/EN/AR. Departure cards are handed at airport check-in for the return flight.

Currency Export Limit

Moroccan dirhams cannot legally be exported beyond ~1,000 MAD per person. Convert excess MAD to euros / dollars at the airport bureau before leaving. You also can’t bring large amounts of MAD into the country; exchange happens on arrival.

⭐ ONCF Train — The Default Pick

Direct ONCF (Office National des Chemins de Fer) trains from the station directly underneath T1 to Casa-Port (closer to city centre, 35 min) and Casa-Voyageurs (the main intercity hub, 45 min). ~45 MAD single (~$5), hourly during the day with extra peak departures. From Casa-Voyageurs, onward Al Boraq HSR or regular ONCF rail to Tangier, Marrakech, Fez, Rabat.

🚖 Petit Taxi — Insist on the Meter

Small red Dacia / Peugeot 207 cars. Maximum 3 passengers; uses a meter for short trips inside the city. ~250–350 MAD to central Casablanca with the meter running honestly. Many drivers refuse the meter for the airport run and quote 350–500 MAD flat.

🚙 Grand Taxi — Long-Distance

White Mercedes / SsangYong sedans. ~350–500 MAD private to Casablanca; up to 6 passengers shared. The right choice for onward travel without the train (Rabat is ~90 min, Marrakech ~3 h drive).

✨ Plaza Premium / CIP Lounge T2 (international airside)

If you eat one Moroccan thing at CMN, eat tagine (slow-cooked stew in a conical clay pot — chicken-with-preserved-lemon-olives is the classic, lamb-with-prunes the second pick). Airside restaurants serve airport-priced but legitimate versions. Pair with mint tea (atay bi naana) properly poured from a height.

Morocco produces argan oil (cosmetic + culinary), premium saffron from Taliouine, and leather goods (often from Fez tanneries). Airport prices are 30–50% higher than the medina but cheaper than Western retail. Stick to brand-name argan oil (Mademoiselle, Argania) — supermarket-grade is often diluted.

Vacuum-sealed chebakia (sesame-honey twists), briouates (small phyllo triangles), and kaab el ghazal (gazelle horns — almond-paste crescents) make excellent gifts. Travel fine in checked luggage; some types fragile but lightweight.

Ramadan dates shift on the Islamic lunar calendar (~10 days earlier each year). During Ramadan, most restaurants close during daylight hours; cafés often serve travellers and tourists during the day discreetly. The airport itself operates normally, but onward city visits are noticeably different. Build meal times around sundown.

From Casa-Voyageurs, Al Boraq HSR reaches Tangier in 2h10 (320 MAD). Al Boraq doesn’t go to Marrakech yet (that segment opens 2030+); regular ONCF Marrakech-Express runs Casa-Voyageurs → Marrakech in 3 hours (90 MAD economy). Onward Fez and Rabat also via Casa-Voyageurs.

CMN is the biggest African connection hub after Addis Ababa (ADD). RAM operates dense West African schedules to Dakar, Bamako, Abidjan, Cotonou, Lomé, Accra, Lagos, Conakry, Nouakchott, Yaoundé, Libreville. If you’re flying Europe or Americas to West Africa, RAM via CMN is often cheaper and faster than going via Addis or Lisbon.

Moroccan tap water is not safe to drink for foreign visitors. Stick to sealed bottled water (5–10 MAD at the airport), use filtered-water dispensers airside, or boil before drinking. Brushing teeth with tap is generally fine; don’t swallow.

Maroc Telecom, Inwi, Orange Maroc have kiosks in arrivals — 50–100 MAD for a 30-day data + voice tourist bundle. eSIM versions activate instantly. 4G coverage is universal across Casablanca and major cities; 5G now rolled out in central Casa.

Casablanca is more modern than Marrakech or Fez but unwanted attention can happen. Modest dress (covered shoulders + knees) is the cultural norm; the airport itself is no different from a European one. Stick to ONCF train, official taxis, or pre-booked hotel transfers — never accept a kerbside “executive transfer”. The Tourist Police office is in arrivals.