Umrah from Casablanca
What pilgrims leaving from Casablanca need to know: the flight, the visa route for Moroccans, the season and a realistic budget.
Flying from Casablanca
Casablanca is Morocco's main international gateway and a well-established departure point for Umrah, with Mohammed V International Airport running nonstop flights to Jeddah and Madinah on Royal Air Maroc and Saudia, and capacity increasing significantly around Ramadan and Hajj season. Morocco's Umrah travel trade is large and mature, coordinated in part through the Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs for Hajj specifically, with private Umrah operators handling most other trips, so check an agency's licensing before booking. The Moroccan dirham is used locally. Casablanca's climate is mild and Mediterranean-influenced for much of the year, a moderate contrast with Saudi Arabia's more intense heat, particularly in summer. Given Morocco's large diaspora across Europe, some pilgrims also compare Casablanca departures against flying from a European city where they live, factoring in visa and cost differences. Book several months ahead of Ramadan, when demand from Morocco's large Muslim population pushes fares and hotel rates up sharply.
Umrah visa for Moroccans
Morocco is not on Saudi Arabia's eVisa list, so Moroccans normally cannot self-apply online for Umrah. The route is a licensed Umrah company, or an external agent contracted through Nusuk Masar, which books the visa with an approved hotel and transport package as one file, not a visa alone. It must be used within 30 days of issue, so confirm dates with the operator first. Holders of a valid, used US, UK or Schengen visa, or GCC residents, may instead qualify for the eVisa or visa-on-arrival route, so ask the operator to check. For the 1448 AH Umrah season (31 May 2026 to 7 Apr 2027), start several weeks ahead, since checks move faster the earlier you begin.
Full visa guide for Moroccans →
When to go
Ramadan carries the greatest reward and the greatest crowds and prices; the weeks after Hajj (late Dhul Hijjah into Muharram) and the winter months (November to February) are cooler and quieter. The 1448 AH season runs from 31 May 2026 to 7 April 2027 for arrivals and departures. See the best time to perform Umrah.
What it costs from Casablanca
Your biggest variables are the flight from CMN, the hotel's distance from the Haram, and the season. Use the cost calculator for a range in MAD, then compare operator quotes line by line: visa, flights, hotel nights and category, transfers, and Makkah, Madinah transport.
Before you book
- Check that the operator is contracted through Nusuk Masar (ask for their Saudi partner's name).
- Confirm the hotel name and distance, not just "near Haram".
- Read how to avoid Umrah scams and how to choose an operator.
- Install the offline companion before you fly.