How to Get to Morocco from Dubai and the UAE
Morocco is a straightforward trip from the UAE, with direct flights to Casablanca and good connections to Marrakech. Here are the routes, the airport to choose and what to plan for.
Morocco is a straightforward trip from the UAE, with direct flights to Casablanca and good connections to Marrakech. Here are the routes, the airport to choose and what to plan for.
Morocco sits about 6,000 km west of the UAE — roughly seven and a half to eight hours in the air non-stop — and it has become a popular destination for both Emirati nationals and the UAE’s expatriate communities. The practical questions are which route to fly, which Moroccan airport to land at, and when to go. This guide answers all three.
Note: airline routes and schedules change frequently, and visa rules can change too. Treat the route information below as a planning guide and confirm current schedules with the airline, and current entry requirements with the Moroccan consulate or the official e-visa portal, before booking.
The established non-stop route is Dubai (DXB) to Casablanca (CMN), operated by Emirates, at roughly eight hours westbound and a little longer eastbound against the prevailing winds. Royal Air Maroc has also operated this pairing at various times. Casablanca’s Mohammed V airport is Morocco’s main international gateway, so this is the standard way in.
Often cheaper and sometimes more convenient depending on where you actually want to start:
From Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Sharjah (SHJ) expect a connection in nearly all cases; Istanbul and the European hubs are usually the most practical.
This matters more than most people realise, because Morocco is large and the internal distances are real.
| Airport | Land here if |
|---|---|
| Casablanca (CMN) | You want the widest choice of flights, or an itinerary through Rabat, Meknes, Volubilis and Fes. Also the direct option from Dubai. |
| Marrakech (RAK) | Marrakech and the Sahara are your priority — which for most first-time visitors they are. Requires a connection from the UAE. |
| Fes (FEZ) | You want the medina, Volubilis, Chefchaouen and a desert route that ends in Marrakech. |
| Tangier (TNG) | You are starting in the north with Chefchaouen and Tetouan. |
| Agadir (AGA) | You want a beach holiday, or winter warmth. |
If you fly direct into Casablanca but want to start in Marrakech, the onward leg is about 240 km — two and a half hours by train from Casa-Voyageurs, three by road. That is a straightforward half-day, and Casablanca itself is worth a stop for the Hassan II Mosque, which is one of the few mosques in Morocco non-Muslims can enter. See our Casablanca guide.
Verify your own position with the Moroccan consulate or the official e-visa portal before booking, and read our fuller Morocco visa guide.
Given the flight time, a short trip is not worth it. Minimums we would suggest:
We meet clients at Casablanca, Marrakech, Fes and Tangier and build private itineraries from whichever airport your flights favour — including using the Casablanca–Marrakech leg productively rather than losing a day to it. Send us your flight options and we will tell you which airport makes the better starting point, or browse our multi-day Morocco tours.
Yes, the established non-stop route is Dubai to Casablanca, taking roughly eight hours westbound. From Abu Dhabi and Sharjah you will almost always need a connection, most practically via Istanbul, Doha, Cairo or a European hub such as Paris or Madrid. Confirm current schedules with the airline.
It depends on your passport, not your residence. UAE nationals travel visa-free, and holders of EU, UK, US, Canadian, Australian and many other passports enter visa-free for 90 days. Morocco also generally offers simplified entry to holders of valid Schengen, US, UK, Canadian or Australian visas or residence permits, so check that before applying for anything.
Casablanca has the direct flight and the widest choice, and suits an itinerary through Rabat, Meknes and Fes. Marrakech needs a connection but is the better start if Marrakech and the Sahara are your priority. Casablanca to Marrakech is a straightforward two and a half hour train ride if you land at the wrong one.
Morocco is three hours behind the UAE for most of the year, and four hours behind during the period when Morocco shifts its clocks around Ramadan. Flying west from Dubai, you effectively gain the day.
Considerably more varied. Marrakech in January is about 18 degrees by day and 6 at night, the High Atlas has snow, and Sahara nights can approach freezing. Visitors from the UAE consistently under-pack for this, so bring proper warm layers for anything between October and April.
