United Airlines has inaugurated its first direct flights between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK), becoming the only U.S. airline to offer a direct connection to the historic Moroccan city. This new route strengthens United’s presence in Africa, adding Marrakech as its fifth African destination, underscoring its commitment to boosting connectivity to the continent.
Following an impressive summer where United served nearly 48 million passengers, the airline has announced its most extensive winter schedule yet, launching October 24. United’s expanded schedule will reach up to 4,600 daily flights during peak winter season. The Newark-Marrakech service, operated on a Boeing 767-300ER with 46 Polaris Business and 22 Premium Plus seats, will run three times weekly. Flight UA828 departs Newark at 9:45 p.m., reaching Marrakech by 11:20 a.m. the following day. The return flight, UA627, departs Marrakech at 1:20 p.m., offering a 4:25 p.m. arrival in Newark, ensuring seamless connections across United’s network.
Expanding Reach in Africa
With the largest African network of any U.S. carrier, United is expanding its African services significantly. Seasonal flights from Washington Dulles to Accra and Lagos will see increased frequency this winter, and by 2025, United will add Dakar, Senegal, to its routes. Since its inaugural flights to Cape Town in 2019, United has experienced growing demand from both business and leisure travelers, driven by partnerships within Star Alliance, including Egyptair and Ethiopian Airlines, as well as a codeshare with Airlink.
Expanding Cargo Capabilities
United’s new Newark-Marrakech route offers significant benefits for its cargo division, enhancing trade links with North Africa. The direct flight will facilitate quicker transit times for Moroccan exports such as textiles, automotive parts, and agricultural products, creating efficient paths to the U.S. market for Moroccan businesses.
Strengthening U.S.-Morocco Connections
While United is now the only U.S. carrier serving Marrakech, Morocco’s Royal Air Maroc has long connected Casablanca with major U.S. cities such as New York, Washington, and Miami, along with Canadian destinations like Montreal. With the upcoming 2030 FIFA World Cup, Royal Air Maroc is poised to expand further, and Morocco’s open skies agreement with the U.S. could facilitate even more transatlantic routes. Additional North American carriers, including Air Canada and Air Transat, also operate flights from Canada to Moroccan cities, addressing the increasing travel demand between North America and Morocco.
Strategic Impact of Morocco’s Growing Air Connectivity
The Newark-Marrakech route promises to boost Moroccan tourism and trade, inviting more American travelers to discover the vibrant culture, history, and economic growth of Morocco. For United, this direct service strengthens its global footprint and capitalizes on the rising demand for travel to Africa, offering North American passengers a more direct gateway to North Africa and beyond.
