More people are flying through Rabat-Salé Airport this year as passenger numbers continued to rise in the first half of 2026. The airport handled 1,217,574 passengers between January and June, up 14.8% from 1,060,480 during the same period last year.
June was the busiest month of the period. Passenger numbers reached 215,416, a 16.3% increase from 185,231 in June 2025.
Flight activity also increased. The airport recorded 8,663 take-offs and landings in the first six months of the year, up 17.13% from 7,396 a year earlier.
The airport grew faster than the national average. Airports across the country handled 18.83 million passengers during the first half of 2026, an increase of 8.83% compared with the same period in 2025.
Rabat-Salé Airport is expanding as part of ONDA’s Airports 2030 plan, which aims to increase the country’s airport capacity to 80 million passengers a year by 2030 through investments worth MAD 38 billion.
Work is under way on a new 69,000-square-metre terminal. The project will increase the airport’s annual capacity from 1.5 million to 5 million passengers.
The MAD 1.64 billion project will add six boarding bridges, larger commercial areas, upgraded security screening and a 1,300-space car park. The African Development Bank is among the project’s funding partners.
The airport serves the capital, Rabat, and has a single 3,443-metre runway that can handle wide-body long-haul aircraft.
The expansion supports preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal. Rabat is expected to welcome international visitors, sports teams and diplomats during the tournament.
Low-cost airlines have also expanded at the airport. Ryanair has opened an operational base and launched new direct routes to several European cities.
Passenger growth comes as the country works towards its goal of attracting 26 million tourists a year by 2030.
