While Africa was once considered an overlooked and undervisited continent, changing travel trends are bringing larger and larger numbers of overseas visitors to many of the 54 countries on the continent.
The United Nations recorded a 12% increase in international visitors to African nations in the first half of 2025 while countries like Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt saw the biggest increases.
Airlines have also been quick to respond to this increased demand with new routes. British low-cost carrier EasyJet launched a new flight to Luxor International Airport (LXR) in Egypt last year while United Airlines has been running a flight between Newark Liberty (EWR) and Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK) since March 2025.
Royal Air Maroc to launch new flight from LAX in June 2026
The flag carriers of both Egypt and Morocco have both, in turn, also sought U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) permission to launch new flights to their countries from Los Angeles.
While Egyptair is not expected to launch the flight to Cairo International (CAI) until 2027, Royal Air Maroc just announced that it will start a new flight to Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) in Casablanca in June 2026.
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With flights to most African countries from the U.S. either leaving from the East Coast or connecting through Europe or the Middle East, this will be the only direct flight to the African continent from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) since 2019 when Ethiopian Airlines canceled its flight to the city from Addis Ababa.
The flight will run on a 274-seat Boeing 787-8 widebody jet with 18 lie-flat business class seats for higher fare travelers. It will span 5,205 nautical miles or 9,640 kilometers and take just over 12 hours and 20 minutes on flights leaving three times a week on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Royal Air Maroc is the state-owned flag carrier of Morocco.
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What to know about the new flight between Casablanca and Los Angeles
The flight from Casablanca to LAX will leave at 4 a.m. local time to arrive the next day at 8:20 a.m. while service back to LAX will leave at 10:20 a.m. to arrive at 5:25 a.m. The start date also comes four days before the 2026 World Cup begins on June 11 in a 39-day event across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
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Los Angeles is among the cities hosting the matches and will presumably welcome fans both from Morocco and other nearby countries in northern Africa. As Royal Air Maroc is part of the Oneworld network, the new route will also allow U.S.-based status holders on airlines such as American and Alaska Airlines to earn miles on their travels to Morocco.
The expansion adds a fourth city to Royal Air Maroc’s U.S. network as it currently flies into JFK, Miami International Airport (MIA) and Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Washington.
“More than just a new destination, this route symbolizes efforts to bring Morocco closer to major global economic, tourist, and cultural hubs, reinforcing the kingdom’s dynamic international openness,” Royal Air Maroc Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Hamid Addou said in a statement.