Private jet to Marrakesh

Marrakesh lies on the plain below the High Atlas, a city of red walls, souks and courtyard houses, with the snow-capped mountains visible from the rooftops in winter. Private flyers come for long weekends in a riad inside the walled medina, golf and hotels in the Palmeraie, weddings and company events at the foot of the Atlas, and winter sun when northern Europe is dark.

Business jets land at Marrakech Menara, about 5 km south-west of the medina, where a separate business aviation terminal handles passport and customs control. The runway takes every business jet, but every movement needs a slot, handling is compulsory and a landing at night needs prior approval. Morocco is outside the EU and Schengen, so a passport is required. As a broker, we compare aircraft from operators across Europe and Morocco and plan the slot, the handler and the walk to a riad that no car can reach.

Tell us the route, dates, number of guests and where you are staying, in the medina or outside the walls, and we will reply with aircraft, slot times and the transfer.

What makes the city worth a private flight

Flight times from European cities

Non-stop times in a Phenom 300 light jet, taken from the main price table, including taxi, climb and descent:

• Madrid 1:55 h and Barcelona 2:22 h.
• Nice 3:01 h, Geneva 3:12 h.
• Paris Le Bourget 3:20 h, Milan Linate 3:22 h.
• London Farnborough 3:31 h, Brussels 3:40 h.
• Frankfurt 3:47 h, Munich 3:50 h.
• Vienna 4:11 h, Hamburg 4:17 h.

The route runs over France and Spain without closed airspace on the way. From most of western Europe a light jet flies non-stop, while from Copenhagen, Stockholm and Warsaw the distance calls for a midsize jet such as the Citation Latitude, which needs 4:27-5:06 h. From New York the flight takes 7:01-7:24 h non-stop, from Dubai 7:20-7:44 h, with the routing confirmed by the operator.

Prices for private flights to Marrakesh

Each price is for the whole aircraft, one way, plus handling, airport charges and passenger taxes, with an aircraft available near the departure airport. The flight time refers to the first aircraft in each row.

From the European hubs

Madrid is the cheapest hub at EUR 13,000 for a Phenom 300, Barcelona costs EUR 15,000. From Nice, Geneva and Paris the same aircraft costs EUR 17,000-18,000, from London EUR 19,000. Larnaca is too far for a light jet, so the Latitude is the smallest aircraft quoted from Cyprus.

From Iberia and the Canary Islands

Short sectors where a turboprop or a light jet keeps the price down:

From other Moroccan cities

Whether a foreign aircraft may carry passengers between two Moroccan airports is confirmed in writing by the operator before the quote; often a local turboprop flies the domestic leg, and fuel on domestic flights carries VAT:

From Scandinavia and Poland

From the Gulf and New York

The price follows the flight time, where the nearest free aircraft is based and the season: Christmas, New Year, Easter and the film festival weeks are the busiest. For a weekend the aircraft can wait at Menara with the crew in a hotel; for a week or more two one-way flights are usually cheaper. A same-day return with a few hours in the city usually exceeds one crew's duty time, so a crew rest or a second crew is priced in. Moroccan airport and handling charges are listed in the quote. The departure country adds its own tax: Italy EUR 200 per passenger, since every Italian city is more than 1,500 km away; Austria EUR 12; France its solidarity tax per passenger; Germany, Norway and the UK departure taxes. Aircraft under 5.7 t pay no UK Air Passenger Duty, jets from 20 t with fewer than 19 seats pay the higher rate and other jets the standard one for the distance. Sweden has no passenger tax.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

Typical trips and their cost

Price per seat

The aircraft is booked as a whole, so the cost per person falls with each passenger. Rounded one-way figures:

Calculator

Enter the route, date and passengers, and the calculator sends an indicative price to your e-mail within minutes.

Marrakech Menara airport for private flights

Marrakech Menara (RAK, GMMX) is run by ONDA, the state company that operates most Moroccan airports, and it is the busiest airport in the country for private aviation. It lies just beyond the built-up area, south-west of the city at 471 m above sea level. The single runway, 10/28, is 3,100 m long with an ILS approach, so length is no limit for any business jet. The airport is open 24 hours, but a landing at night needs prior approval, which the handler requests together with the slot.

Private passengers use a separate business aviation terminal, where Jetex and Swissport receive the aircraft, with a lounge and passport and customs control in both directions. Slots are given in half-hour blocks and handling is compulsory. Parking is allocated first come, first served, so a stay of several days is agreed before the aircraft leaves Europe. On hot summer days the operator checks the take-off weight against the heat and the elevation, so that luggage and fuel for the return fit.

Other airports in the region

Menara is the right choice for almost every trip to the city. These airports serve as alternates or suit a programme outside it; distances are straight-line from Menara:

Which aircraft suits the trip

Golf bags and the luggage for a riad need different planning: the aircraft takes them easily, but in the medina every bag is pushed on a handcart through narrow lanes, so travel light if you stay inside the walls. For a group with clubs or wedding outfits, one of the midsize jets gives the larger hold.

To discuss the aircraft, the night approval or parking at Menara, leave your phone number and a consultant will call you.

The year in Marrakesh

Weather and holidays shape demand more than anything else:

Ramadan moves about 11 days earlier every year. During the fasting month restaurants and shops change their hours, city life moves into the evening and Morocco sets its clocks one hour back, so flight and transfer times are checked in local time. March and November are the wettest months, though rain is light by northern standards.

From Menara to the medina, the Palmeraie and the Atlas

Most riads stand in lanes too narrow for cars. The driver stops at the nearest gate or square, and a member of the riad's staff meets the guests there and leads the way while the luggage follows on a handcart; the walk takes a few minutes or a quarter of an hour, depending on the house. Send the exact address and the reception's phone number with the booking. After dark the lanes around Jemaa el-Fnaa fill with crowds, so we plan arrivals to reach the riad before evening.

Empty Legs to and from Marrakesh

Many winter trips to Morocco are one-way bookings, so aircraft return north without passengers. Such flights are offered at a fraction of a normal charter. Where they usually appear:

The operator fixes the date and time, and at Menara the slot and, for a late arrival, the night approval still apply. Send your direction and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights, with passport details ready, and we will tell you when a matching flight comes up.

Flying with a dog or cat

Your pet travels in the cabin with you. Entering Morocco is straightforward; the return needs more planning, because Morocco is not on the EU list of countries with simplified rules:

• Microchip, implanted before the rabies vaccination.
• Rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel.
• Health certificate from a vet shortly before departure; a vet checks the animal on arrival.
• Rabies antibody test at least 30 days after the vaccination, done and recorded in the EU pet passport before leaving: the animal then returns without the 3-month wait.
• Up to five dogs, cats or ferrets on a private trip; Morocco bans certain fighting dog breeds.

Each operator has its own rules on animals, so tell us the species, breed and weight with the request. Not every riad takes animals, so we confirm with the house or hotel before booking.

Passports, permits and customs

Checklist

• Passports for everyone, valid well beyond the trip; ID cards are not enough.
• Passenger names and passport numbers early, for the permit and the slot.
• Exact riad or hotel address and reception phone number.
• Planned landing time: after dark means a night approval.
• Number of golf bags and suitcases, and how much needs to go through the medina.
• Pet documents with the antibody test already recorded.
• No drones without authorisation.
• Company name and VAT number for the invoice.

Booking a flight

1. Tell us the dates, passengers, luggage and the address: a riad in the medina, a hotel in the Palmeraie or a venue in the Atlas.
2. You receive 2-4 options with operator, cabin photos and the price for the whole aircraft, plus parking or two one-way flights for longer stays.
3. You sign the contract with the operator; the handler applies for the landing permit, the slot and, if needed, the night approval.
4. We send passport copies and the passenger list to the handler and agree the meeting point with the riad.
5. At Menara the handler takes you through the business aviation terminal, and the car drives to the hotel or the nearest gate of the medina.

Our team

Charlotte McKinney

Commercial Director

charlotte.m@jets.flights

Henry Richter

Head of Aviation Department and Data Protection Officer

henry.r@jets.flights

Emma Miller

Director of Development

emma.m@jets.flights

Liam Bishop

Senior Aviation Consultant

liam.b@jets.flights

Oliver Davis

Aviation Consultant

oliver.d@jets.flights

Anna Laurent

Aviation Consultant

anna.l@jets.flights

Private jet to Marrakesh: questions and answers

• • How much does a private jet to Marrakesh cost?

  • A Phenom 300 costs from EUR 13,000 one way from Madrid. From Paris the same aircraft costs EUR 18,000 and from London EUR 19,000, always for the whole aircraft. From Malaga or Faro a turboprop starts at EUR 8,500. Handling, parking and departure taxes come on top.

• • Does a light jet reach Marrakesh from London without a stop?

  • Yes, a Phenom 300 needs about 3:31 h from Farnborough. From Scandinavia and Poland a midsize jet is used instead.

• • Is there a private terminal at Menara?

  • Yes, a separate business aviation terminal where Jetex and Swissport handle the aircraft, with passport and customs control on site.

• • Can we land late in the evening?

  • The airport works 24 hours, but a night arrival needs prior approval, which the handler requests with the slot.

• • Can the car drive to our riad?

  • Usually not. The driver stops at the nearest gate of the medina, and riad staff guide you the last stretch while the bags follow on a handcart.

• • Do I need a visa?

  • Not for UK and most EU citizens staying up to 90 days, but a passport is required; ID cards are not accepted.

• • What is the time difference?

  • Morocco is on UTC+1: one hour ahead of London in winter and the same time in summer; the same time as Paris and Berlin in winter and one hour behind them in summer. During Ramadan the clocks go back one hour.

• • What is the shortest notice for a flight?

  • The permit needs at least 24 working hours and the authority works on weekdays, so a Friday afternoon request is usually processed on Monday.

• • Can we combine Marrakesh with Spain or the Canaries?

  • Yes. Malaga is 1:24 h away in a CJ3 and Tenerife 1:46 h; the aircraft can fly you on and take you home from there.

• • Can I bring my dog?

  • Yes, in the cabin, with a microchip, rabies vaccination and health certificate. Have the antibody test recorded before you leave the EU to avoid a 3-month wait on return.

• • Are there Empty Legs to Marrakesh?

  • Often, from Iberia, the Canaries and Casablanca, and northbound after the winter holidays. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights.