Royal Air Maroc: Business Class Review

17.04.2024 - 21:09 / cntraveler.com

If you've searched flights from the US to Morocco, you've likely encountered Royal Air Maroc (RAM). And, if you're like me, you may have wondered if you should book with an airline you haven't heard of before. Here's the thing: If you're headed to Morocco, there's a good chance you'll end up onboard a RAM flight.

The government-run airline has been around for more than 50 years, and connects its hub of Casablanca with destinations like Washington, DC, Montreal, and Miami (plus, western African cities, Middle Eastern hubs, and much of Europe).

When a work assignment had me heading to Casablanca for a few nights to check out the just-opened Royal Mansour Casablanca hotel, the best flight options were aboard Royal Air Maroc. I wasn't quite sure what to expect—it had never appeared in a flight search for me before—but I knew I would need a comfortable flight given the short window of time I had on the ground. I ended up skipping past a Delta and Air France route (I'm otherwise a SkyTeam die-hard), and put Royal Air Maroc, and specifically its business class product, to the test.

Long story short: I made it to Casablanca comfortable as could be. The direct route, combined with the pleasantries of business class, allowed me to land in Morocco fresh and ready to go—particularly invaluable when you can't afford to miss day of work (or, of equal importance, a day of leisure) on quick-turnaround trips. Below, details of the business class product, plus the advantages of RAM's US-Morocco route network.

RAM is one of the only airlines offering nonstop flights between the East Coast of the US and Casablanca. It’s under 8 hours between New York and Casablanca on RAM, whereas the alternatives on airlines like Air France usually total closer to 12 with a layover in Paris, for example. When you start looking at cities like Marrakesh, results vary (and connections are unavoidable), though RAM is fairly competitive on price with bigger airlines. From its Casablanca hub, travelers can connect to dozens of cities across Africa and Europe.

The airline joined Oneworld in April 2020, meaning flyers with an allegiance to the coalition (whose members include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, and Japan Airlines) can earn points on RAM flights and take advantage of other Oneworld benefits and codeshare agreements.

When I checked in at the business class counter, RAM sent an agent to escort me through airport security. On the business class flights I’ve flown in the past couple of years (Austrian, American), I’ve never seen this. A quick flash of a badge and I cut the entire security line, getting me through in a matter of minutes. I felt for the economy passengers I glided