Morocco Hits Winter Record with 5.3 Million Seats and 17 New Ryanair Routes in 2026

[Casablanca, October 27, 2026] — Morocco has achieved a record-breaking winter aviation expansion, with Ryanair deploying 5.3 million seats across 156 routes to connect the kingdom with 14 European nations. This represents a 12 percent increase over the previous winter season, adding approximately 580,000 seats to the national network.

The expansion arrives as a strategic pivot for the low-cost carrier, which is simultaneously slashing its presence in Germany. While Morocco scales up, Ryanair has officially closed its seven-aircraft base at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), reducing its winter capacity in the German capital by 50 percent.

The Driver Behind the Shift

The divergence in regional strategy is fueled by rising operational costs in Northern Europe and aggressive tourism growth in North Africa. Ryanair cites high airport charges and aviation taxes as the primary catalysts for the Berlin withdrawal. Conversely, the Moroccan government has seen a surge in demand, with arrivals from Poland increasing by 32 percent and German arrivals rising by 14 percent during the first half of 2026.

This growth is not a reactive move to the Berlin cuts; the foundation for the Moroccan expansion was laid in December 2025 with the announcement of a dedicated base in Rabat. The Moroccan National Tourist Office is utilizing this increased capacity to decentralize tourism, pushing visitors away from traditional hubs and toward emerging destinations.

Network Impact and Route Distribution

The winter 2026 program distributes 17 new routes across three primary Moroccan hubs, with the capital city of Rabat emerging as the primary beneficiary.

Winter 2026 Route Expansion Table

Moroccan Hub	New Routes	Key New Destinations	Impact Detail
Rabat	7	Stockholm, Kraków	Highest growth share of new connections
Marrakech	5	Wrocław	Continued expansion of leisure traffic
Agadir	5	Milan, Nuremberg, Bratislava, Gdańsk	Focus on Central European markets
Total	17	Multiple European Cities	13 Moroccan airports served

While Morocco grows, Berlin faces significant losses. Ryanair has withdrawn 12 routes from BER, affecting flights to Italy (Bologna, Palermo, Pisa, Reggio Calabria, Trieste), Spain (Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote), France (Marseille), Estonia (Tallinn), Greece (Thessaloniki), and Lithuania (Vilnius).

What This Means for Travelers

For passengers, this shift results in a stark contrast in accessibility depending on their point of origin.

For those traveling to Morocco: Travelers from Central and Eastern Europe now have direct, low-cost access to a wider variety of Moroccan cities. The increase in seats typically leads to more competitive pricing and higher flight frequencies. The focus on Rabat suggests that travelers can now use the capital as a primary destination rather than a transit point to Marrakech.

For those traveling from Berlin: Passengers flying from BER will experience a significant reduction in direct low-cost options to Southern Europe and the Baltics. However, North African connectivity remains stable; the Ryanair cuts do not include Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, or Tunisia. Furthermore, travelers to Algeria have a new alternative as Air Algérie has restored direct weekly flights between Algiers and Berlin for the first time since 2014.

Tourism Trajectory and Future Outlook

The aviation surge aligns with broader economic data from the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism. Through September 2026, the country recorded 15.7 million arrivals, a 5 percent increase over 2025. More tellingly, overnight stays in classified accommodations rose by 9 percent in the first half of the year, with Rabat leading the surge at 20 percent.

The critical metric for the coming months will be whether these 5.3 million seats translate into actual passenger volume and increased tourism spend. The industry is watching closely to see if the new Polish and German routes can sustain growth during the traditional winter off-season.

FAQ: Morocco Winter Flights 2026

Are there still direct flights from Berlin to Morocco? Yes. Ryanair's 50 percent capacity cut at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) specifically targeted European routes; flights to Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Tunisia were not included in the withdrawals.

Which Moroccan city is seeing the most growth? Rabat is the primary focus of the 2026 expansion, receiving seven of the 17 new routes, including new connections to Stockholm and Kraków.

How has the flight capacity to Morocco changed? Capacity has increased by 12 percent compared to the previous winter, totaling 5.3 million available seats across 156 different routes.

What other North African options are available from Berlin? In addition to existing routes, Air Algérie has reintroduced weekly direct flights between Berlin and Algiers as of September 2026.

North Africa is no longer just a seasonal stopover; it is becoming a primary winter hub.

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