Our Review of Casablanca Airport - Mohammed V (CMN)

Table of contents: Our Review of Casablanca Airport - Mohammed V (CMN) Pros and Cons of Casablanca Airport - Mohammed V (CMN) Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide) How we calculate On Time Performance Some Stats

Our Review of Casablanca Airport - Mohammed V (CMN)

All the information featured on this page was compiled and written by David Enrich, a renowned expert in aviation and airport guides, since 1999.

At Plan Your Trips, we have analyzed hundreds of airports around the world, gaining a clear understanding of what users expect when visiting an airport. With this know-how, we have created this guide, placing passengers at the forefront of everything, aiming to simplify and enhance the airport experience.

In this Guide, our goal is to present information in a manner that is both quick and reliable. Recognizing that passengers often have limited time and may be in a hurry, we strive to ensure that they do not waste time unnecessarily.

Another key focus of our guide is to highlight the strengths of the airport and also the weaknesses, and in some cases, offer recommendations to travelers. In alignment with this approach, we provide users with aggregated information on delays and on-time performance, analyzing both airlines and individual flights.

Pros and Cons of Casablanca Airport - Mohammed V (CMN)

Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport is a major gateway for Morocco and North Africa, handling millions of travelers annually. Recent years have seen significant efforts to modernize and improve its facilities, earning it recognition among the world’s most improved airports by Skytrax. However, passenger reviews on platforms like Google and Skytrax highlight both notable strengths and persistent weaknesses.

5 Pros

Recognized Improvement: The airport has been ranked among the world’s top 5 “most improved airports” by Skytrax, reflecting recent investments in infrastructure, passenger flow, and customer service.
Strategic Location and Connectivity: As Morocco’s busiest hub, it offers extensive connections to Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North America, and serves as Royal Air Maroc’s main base.
Newer Terminal 1 Facilities: The renovated Terminal 1 provides a modern, comfortable experience, with improved check-in, security, and gate areas, praised for its design and passenger flow.
VIP Lounge Quality: The Zenith Lounge, in particular, receives positive reviews for its spaciousness, catering, and amenities, providing a premium experience for eligible travelers.
Ongoing Staff and Service Enhancements: There is a visible effort to improve staff presence and assist passengers, especially during peak times, resulting in smoother operations and better guidance.

5 Cons

Cleanliness and Maintenance Issues: Many travelers report that parts of the airport, especially Terminal 2 and food courts, are outdated and not always clean, with a need for more frequent maintenance and upgrades.
Slow and Inefficient Processes: Long waiting times at immigration, security, and baggage claim are common complaints, with some passengers waiting hours for their luggage.
Staff Attitude: Multiple reviews mention unfriendly or unhelpful staff, particularly at food outlets and during check-in or security, impacting the overall passenger experience.
Limited Food and Shopping Variety: The range and quality of food and shopping options are considered average, with limited choices for special diets (e.g., vegan), and some outlets lacking in service or cleanliness.
Signage and Navigation: Poor signage and a lack of clear directions in some areas make it difficult for travelers to find their way, especially in older parts of the airport or for non-French/Arabic speakers.

In summary, while Casablanca Mohammed V Airport has made notable progress and stands out for its connectivity and improved facilities, it still faces challenges with cleanliness, efficiency, and customer service, as reflected in recent traveler reviews and industry rankings.

Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide)

Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) is Morocco’s busiest and most important air gateway, serving as a major hub for Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Located about 30 km south of Casablanca, the airport currently handles around 15 million passengers annually and is undergoing a massive transformation to meet growing demand and global standards.

Terminals and Facilities

The airport features multiple terminals, with Terminal 1 being the most modern after recent renovations. Terminal 2 is also operational, while a brand-new, futuristic H-shaped terminal is under construction, set for completion by 2029. This new terminal will double capacity, aiming to serve over 30 million passengers a year, and will feature green spaces, panoramic lounges, a large duty-free zone, an integrated hotel, and direct high-speed rail (TGV) connections to Casablanca, Rabat, and Marrakech.

Inside the terminals, you’ll find:

Duty-free shops and boutiques offering Moroccan crafts, international brands, and travel essentials.
Restaurants and cafés serving Moroccan and international cuisine, with 24-hour options for late or early flights.
VIP lounges like the Zenith Lounge, providing premium comfort, refreshments, showers, and business facilities.
Free Wi-Fi, ATMs, currency exchange, and car rental desks are available throughout the airport.

Transport to and from the Airport

Train: The airport’s underground station connects directly to Casablanca’s main stations (Casa Voyageurs, Casa Port) and other cities. Trains run hourly, with a journey time of 35–45 minutes to the city center.
Taxi: Official white taxis are available outside arrivals. The ride to downtown Casablanca takes about 45 minutes and costs MAD 250–300 (€23–28).
Car rental: Major international and local agencies operate at the airport, offering a range of vehicles for city or long-distance travel.
Road access: The airport is easily reached via the A7 motorway, with clear signage from Casablanca, Rabat, and Marrakech.

Security and Passenger Experience

Recent upgrades have improved security screening, baggage handling, and passenger flow. There’s a new international transit area, expanded check-in counters, and advanced detection systems to ensure efficient and safe processing for all travelers.

Future Vision

By 2029, the airport will feature a state-of-the-art terminal inspired by Atlantic waves and Moroccan heritage, with three levels, energy-efficient design, and seamless multimodal connections. This expansion supports Morocco’s ambition to become a leading global air hub, especially ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

In summary: Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport is a modern, expanding hub offering extensive facilities, efficient transport connections, and a strategic location for travelers to and from Africa and beyond. With ongoing investment and innovation, it is set to become one of the leading airports on the continent.

How we calculate On Time Performance

On various pages of our website, you will encounter a metric widely utilized in aviation and other forms of transportation known as OTP (On Time Performance). We believe that providing this metric assists passengers in planning their trips and exploring alternatives before purchasing their flight tickets.

We calculate the On Time Performance for all flights and airlines, when we have enough data to do so. In certain instances, it may not be feasible to accurately compute the On-Time Performance for a specific flight or airline due to inadequate or non-representative data, which could result in misleading conclusions.

Our calculation of On Time Performance and delay information solely relies on arrival times. This approach is chosen over calculating departure delays, as we consider arrival punctuality to be of primary concern to passengers.

The On Time Performance displayed on our website is calculated as follows:

On Time: Flights that arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time, or earlier. In the absence of data for a specific flight, we assume the flight arrives on time, to avoid penalizing airlines for data unavailability.
Moderate Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 15 to 30 minutes.
Significant Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 30 to 60 minutes.
Major Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay exceeding 60 minutes.
Average Delay: The average delay is calculated by considering flights that arrive early as having a delay of 0 minutes. Early arrivals do not contribute to reducing the average delay calculation