Passenger Terminal

Two security lanes, one small hall, and short walks to every gate

Passenger Terminal T1 at Cherif Al Idrissi Airport runs as a single open hall where check-in desks, security, passport control, and the boarding area all sit within roughly a one-minute walk of each other. Traffic is light, with just a handful of departures most days, mainly Royal Air Maroc, RAM Express, and Air Arabia Maroc flights linking Al Hoceima with Casablanca and a few seasonal European routes. The whole place feels more like a small bus station than a big hub, and that works in your favor for speed.

Check-in for Royal Air Maroc and RAM Express usually opens around two hours before departure, but several Flightradar24 reviewers report moving from the terminal door through check-in and security to the gate in under 15 minutes on quiet days. Desks sit directly opposite the main entrance, so you can see the security checkpoint from the check-in line. Baggage belts and passport control are just a short walk beyond, with almost no chance of getting lost or ending up in the wrong zone.

Security and passport control run with only a couple of lanes, but Google Maps reviews repeatedly call them “rapides,” even during Schengen summer flights to France or the Netherlands. One French review mentions that the whole process felt “tout est rapide” from counters to boarding, though they also warn that “pas grand-chose à faire” once airside. Plan on 20–30 minutes total even if a Royal Air Maroc Boeing 737 and an Air Arabia Maroc A320 bank overlap.

Food is the weak spot: several reviews say there is “pas de restaurant” in T1 and only a very minimal café or snack stand once you pass security. Multiple passengers rate food and retail around 60% on Flightradar24 and advise not to expect more than packaged snacks and soft drinks at the gate area. If you want anything beyond chips and a soda before your Royal Air Maroc flight to Casablanca, eat in town first.

The better option sits landside: Google Maps comments point to a small café or kiosk in the public area with more drink and snack options than the airside stand. Regulars check in, grab a coffee or water at this landside spot, then head through security about 45–60 minutes before boarding. Prices aren’t heavily marked up by big-airport standards; think normal café rates instead of hotel-lobby levels, but bring some cash in Moroccan dirhams just in case card terminals act up.

Once airside, the waiting zone is basic: rows of metal or plastic chairs, a few power outlets, and direct sightlines to every boarding door. One Flightradar24 reviewer said they sat near the boarding area, used the airport Wi‑Fi comfortably, and had no trouble staying online until their Al Hoceima–Casablanca flight boarded. Don’t expect duty free or branded shops; multiple Google reviewers mention “très peu de services,” so plan your reading material and snacks ahead of time.

Boarding for the narrowbody flights usually starts around 30–40 minutes before departure, often by walking across the apron rather than using jet bridges. With such a compact layout and only T1 in play, gate changes are announced over loudspeakers and visible from almost any seat in the hall. The smart move here: arrive 75–90 minutes before flight time, check in, have a quick landside coffee, then head through security about an hour before departure so you spend as little time as possible in the bare airside area.