United becomes only US airline with service to Morocco: On board the inaugural flight
Mongolia. Greenland. Senegal. Sicily.
First, though, is Morocco.
A United Airlines jet landed in Marrakech Friday morning, becoming the only U.S. airline to launch regularly scheduled service to the country.
The flight comes just weeks after United garnered a flurry of headlines over an intriguing — and borderline obscure — series of new destinations unveiled for 2025.
Over the next year, the Chicago-based carrier will launch service to far-flung places, from Greenland to Palau – staking out a claim among U.S. airlines as the leader for taking travelers beyond the most tried-and-trafficked overseas destinations.
United's strategy is now firmly taking hold, with Marrakech the latest milestone in its bold international gambit.
United launches Marrakech service
Inside EWR’s Terminal C Thursday night, the sounds, sights and smells of an airline inaugural flight filled the gate area, starting nearly three hours before this much-anticipated flight took off.
“We’re making history,” proclaimed Patrick Quayle, United's senior vice president of network planning and alliances, while speaking to an enthusiastic crowd ahead of the flight.
Marrakech is located in central Morocco, about 150 miles south of Casablanca, where most U.S. travelers have typically flown if they’re headed to the North African country — the northern tip of which sits mere miles from the southernmost point in Spain.
The city is known for its bustling markets, or souks, inside its historic, walled-off Medina. There's also an established high-end hotel sector that got a boost this summer with the long-awaited opening of a Park Hyatt property.
Travelers — and the travel industry — are taking notice; look no further than a Canadian airline's recently added service to Marrakech from Montreal, which this year was a finalist at an aviation event for the illustrious title of "sexiest new airline route."
Morocco is also set to be among multiple countries hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
That increasing allure of Marrakech to U.S. travelers is what landed the city a multiyear spot on Quayle’s “shortlist,” he revealed in March when United announced it would become America’s first airline to serve the destination with regular nonstop service.
Inaugural festivities
Passengers lucky enough to land a spot on UA Flight 628 Thursday evening didn’t have to wait for arrival to get a taste of their destination’s local cuisine.
Gateside, the airline’s catering team served up Moroccan classics, from stuffed grape leaves to spiced lamb meatball sliders, chicken skewers and tea.
There were also plenty of spots to grab a photo or some United gear as keepsakes.
Fifty minutes before departure, after a ribbon-cutting to symbolize the start of the new route, it was time to board.
United is flying its “High J” Boeing 767-300ER on the route.
The jet typically flies to Europe every summer but will cater to premium leisure travelers during the winter months.
It features a whopping 46 Polaris pods, 22 Premium Plus recliners, 43 Economy Plus seats and 53 standard economy seats.
On board
On board, there seemed to be genuine excitement among the cabin crew and the many United team members who made the inaugural trek.
“This is my first inaugural. I’m so excited. I feel very honored,” I heard one flight attendant tell a passenger.
At each seat, there were mementos to mark the occasion.
In my Polaris pod, beyond the Saks Fifth Avenue bedding and Therabody amenity kit, I found a commemorative boarding pass, a postcard, a luggage tag and a stuffed bear with a pin donning the American and Moroccan flags.
Quayle himself handed out pajamas specially made for the inaugural flight.
Also custom-made for the route: the dinner menu.
It wasn’t just the design of the menu that stood out. Appetizer options included cold smoked duck or a trio of dips (I opted for the latter, featuring baba ghanoush, mahamari and chickpea hummus).
Following a Moroccan salad, the crew served up savory braised chicken tagine that I selected in a close call over the Moroccan spice-rubbed lamb rack and the Chilean seabass.
A boisterous welcome in Morocco
Aside from some mild turbulence early in the flight, the overnight trek east across the Atlantic was uneventful. After seven hours and one minute of flying time, we touched down at RAK at 10:07 a.m. local time.
Deplaning down airstairs moments later, passengers got a literal red carpet welcome in Marrakech, flanked by music, dancing and greetings from local dignitaries.
Part of a larger international strategy
United will serve this seasonal route during the winter months before shifting its High J aircraft back to Europe to meet the strong summer season demand there.
But its footprint in Africa seems to be headed in a clear upward trajectory.
“Back in 2019, we didn’t have a single flight to Africa,” Quayle pointed out Thursday. “We’re now the fastest-growing airline from North America to Africa with six destinations. It’s pretty incredible."
Value check: Are airline credit cards worth it anymore?
In 2024, United's total seats flown to the continent are set to rise a modest 5.3% over 2023, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium. The growth is even more stark this winter when, between October and March, the addition of Marrakech will help boost United's seats to Africa by some 31% over a year ago, Cirium shows.
Could more be coming? And might any of those be as unique as the ones United announced earlier this month? Trying something new, of course, carries some level of risk. United experienced some growing pains, for instance, amid a dramatic scaling up of its transpacific network.
But executives say travelers want these fresh, different options — particularly after a summer that saw suffocating crowds at some popular European tourist destinations.
“We look across the globe; we look for new destinations, we look for hot destinations, and destinations, most importantly, destinations we can make money in. We have a really good track record of this,” Andrew Nocella, United's chief commercial officer, told Wall Street analysts on last week’s third-quarter earnings call, touting the benefits of United’s hubs in New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., as key drivers in an international-centric strategy it sees as a centerpiece of its business.
“Those hubs just simply unlock the ability to fly to places like Marrakech, or Greenland, or other places that we’ve added recently to the map,” Nocella added. “We’ll make sure we’re growing profitably, but expect more to come on this front.”
Related reading:
- United Airlines MileagePlus: Guide to earning and redeeming miles, elite status and more
- Best United Airlines credit cards
- United Premier status: What it is and how to earn it
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- United basic economy: What you need to know about bags, seats, boarding and more
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.