REVIEW: Royal Air Maroc 788-2 Business Class FRA – CMN (AKA How Loyalty Pays Off Big Time)

Most Recently Updated October 26, 2026

This is part review for the aircraft but also highlights how elite status with American Airlines really pays off for me.

Travel hacking isn’t just using points and miles to fly for cheaper but I employ it also to make my travel experience better. And sometimes, it pays off in the most unexpected ways.

Lastly and perhaps most importantly, travel hacking also helps turn trips into reality. I could only justify adding Morocco onto this trip that already had me in Mexico City and Switzerland only because I could book last minute award flights!

FLIGHT INFO

HOW I BOOKED 

SHOP/BOOK AND EARN AA POINTS FOR REDEMPTION

One of the ways you can earn AA miles (especially for those who are hesitant on credit cards) is by using the AAdvantage eShopping® – basically you shop/book as you typically do with one small difference being that you do it start on the AAdvantage eShopping® portal and are rewarded with AA miles!

The AAdvantage eShopping® portal is one of the main ways that I have accumulated so many AA miles myself and these miles have been instrumental in making a number of trips happen (ie Anguilla was only because of AA miles and Hilton free night awards)

Never Used AAdvantage eShopping® Before? There’s A 1,000 Bonus Miles Promotion Going On!

• Be a member of American Airlines AAdvantage® program, if you are not already, you can join for free. Sign up here
• Use my referral link to join AAdvantage eShopping® as a new user by logging in for the first time.
• Make an eligible online purchase of $75 or more through AAdvantage eShopping® at any of their 1,200 + stores.
• How AAdvantage eShopping® works
  • Click on any of the 1,200 + stores and you’ll be taken to the store’s website.
  • AAdvantage eShopping® will add a ‘tracking cookie’ as you make your purchase on the merchant’s site 
  • Shop like you normally do and pay with any credit card – no special card needed.
  • After making a purchase, miles earned will be added to your AAdvantage® account.
• Note that the bonus miles are in addition to the miles and loyalty points that will earn from your shopping!

Terms & Conditions of New Member 1,000 Bonus Miles Promo

• It must be cumulative qualifying purchases totaling $75 or more through October 30, 2026
  • ie during the Bonus Period and note that this is net amounts after returns/adjustments
• Allow up to 10 weeks after the Bonus Period for bonus miles to post to your AAdvantage eShopping^® account.
• Remember that bonus miles are redeemable for award flights but do not earn loyalty points

HOW LOYALTY PAYS OFF

I have American Airlines Platinum Pro elite status (mainly accomplished by travel hacking) which is extremely valuable as it also gives me oneworld emerald status.

What this means is that whenever I travel with a oneworld airline partner, even on an economy ticket, I can take advantage of things like:

• Seat Selection: Enjoy enhanced or complimentary seat-selection privileges on partner airlines like British Airways and Qatar Airways
• Extra Baggage: Bring one extra checked piece (piece system) or 20 kg (weight system) above your ticketed allowance.
• Priority Airport Services: Use First Class check-in desks, priority security fast-track lanes, priority boarding, and priority baggage handling.
• First & Business Class Lounge Access: Enter oneworld First Class, Business Class, and frequent flyer lounges worldwide when departing on any same-day flight marketed and operated by a oneworld carrier, plus one guest. (Does exclude flagship/ultra-luxury lounges and some arrival lounges if flying economy)
• Priority Waitlists and Airport Standby: Higher priority if you are on a flight waitlist or standby.
• NOTE each airline has different rules, so always check directly to see how benefits will be applied – especially important to look at fare restrictions

I will discuss in each applicable section what benefit I was able to utilize for this flight

MY EXPERIENCE ON AT 811 FRA (Frankfurt, Germany) – CMN (Casablanca, Morocco)

SEAT SELECTION

When you book an award flight with one airline (in this case, AA) for a partner airlines (Royal Air Maroc – RAM), you will be issued two separate flight confirmation codes. AA automatically included both in my confirmation email but sometimes you will need to call to get the second one. Why this is important is that the RAM confirmation code is what I need in order to choose seats and check-in as RAM’s systems will not recognize the AA confirmation code.

Seat selection was easy and I was able to choose a seat in the front section of economy. This is important since I have such a tight connection and wanted to be able to get off the plane quickly to head straight to security and passport control at the Casablanca airport.

CHECK IN / SECURITY

Some great perks when having status are the extras that help make the entire flying experience better, smoother and more luxurious.  

I always try to check in online and get mobile boarding passes which I was able to do on Thursday evening as Royal Air Maroc opens up their check-in 48 hours before departure.

On Saturday, I was notified that my mobile boarding passes were not available and was unable to add them to my Apple Wallet. I decided to print the passes at the hotel and was given a different seat number 42J without explanation. When I checked a seat map for another configuration of the 788, I saw that it was still at the front of the economy section so all good – this was very important since I had such a short layover/connection.

PRO TIP: I didn’t realize this until I was flying out of Morocco but you MUST have a paper boarding pass for Moroccan airports so print out your connecting board passes if applicable!

I didn’t even look at the check-in counters while at Frankfurt but I would have been able to head straight to the business & oneworld emerald/sapphire line instead of the economy line if I needed to check-in at the airport.

Elite status also entitles me to a higher baggage allowance with an increased number of bags. For example, I would have been able to check an additional bag and both bags could weigh up to 23 kg (limit since I was flying economy)

One of my favorite oneworld emerald status perks is that I am able to use priority security (not needed when I am flying in the USA since I have both TSA PreCheck and Clear) but this is much appreciated when flying internationally to bypass any craziness in the normal security lines. Fast track security has always been very smooth and very fast when I can use it (and this is in airports like LHR, CDG, FRA!)

Note that oneworld airlines have moved to the recently opened Terminal 3 at Frankfurt and this has been hands down, the easiest/smoothest security check I have ever experienced internationally – I took a peek and even the normal security line looked like it was moving very briskly. All security lines at FRA’s Terminal 3 uses the modern CT scanners so you don’t have to take out large electronics and nor liquids (and there’s a higher limit on what you can bring!)

LOUNGE ACCESS

There are no oneworld lounges currently open in Terminal 3 of the Frankfurt airport =/

I used the Priority Lounge (access via Priority Pass courtesy of Chase Sapphire Reserve) – which was fairly crowded but always preferable than having to wait at the gate. Interestingly they did announce in the lounge when you should head to the gate for specific flights (when I was there I heard these for Qatar and my flight so it may be for oneworld airlines only?)

BOARDING GATE / DELAY

I receive this email as I am headed to the airport that the flight is delayed but when I click on the “Select Your Option”, I am told that there are no affected flights.

At the airport, the departure boards do not show the flight as delayed nor does the flighty app. And the announcement in the lounge to head to the boarding gate for the flight corresponds with the scheduled (on time) departure.

At the boarding gate, the gate agents do call a number of people by name including mine. I figure that this was so they could do a passport check but it is because of the seat numbering change and they were giving people updated boarding passes but the agent was having difficulty locating mine (which I assured them wasn’t an issue since I did have the corrected seat number on my printed pass).

The gate agent reviews my reservation and tells me “oooooh for you it is different” and I am wondering what that means as she attempts to find the boarding pass again. Luckily I don’t have to wait long (and nervously because: what does even that mean?!) as she comes back to tell me that I have been upgraded to business class. Since the flight was possibly oversold and I had oneworld emerald status – score!

I ask about the delay and she states that they have been told that it would be as scheduled but then tells me but it is also likely that my email was correct. But that I would still be able to make my connection. Um okay but logistics are not on my side here and I will soon find out that this was a harbinger of things to come for me and Morocco.

CABIN CONFIGURATION / SEAT

There are two versions of the 788 that Royal Air Maroc flies and this is Version II with 22 business class seats. As this aircraft originated from Xiamen Air, the first row actually features what were first class seats when it was Xiamen Air, as seen in the above photos, but now are bookable as business class and are the better choice.

	First Row of Business Class	Other Three Rows of Business Class
Cabin configuration	Separate cabin for first row	Two cabins: first cabin for first 2 rows separated by galley and bathrooms from second cabin of 1 row
Configuration	Four Apollo Suites configured 1-2-1.	Eighteen Safran Aura Lite seats configured 2-2-2.
Bed length	75″	75″
Row pitch	75″	75″
Direct aisle access	1-2-1 · 100% of seats	2-2-2 · 67% of seats
Seat width	26″	21″
Seat recline	180° – Converts into a fully flat bed	180° – Converts into a fully flat bed
Adjustable armrests	Two way adjustment (up/down)	Not equipped
Adjustable headrest	Equipped	Equipped
Entertainment display Bluetooth connectivity	15″ HD display (wired remote controller) Not equipped	15″ touch screen display Not equipped
Universal power socket USB sockets	110V universal AC USB-A	110V universal AC USB-A

Note that there were no individual air vents above any of the business class seats – the cabin was kept pretty chilly on my flight.

While the flight is international, there were no amenities such as a travel kit provided

Having a lie flat seat for a flight that is 3 and a half hours long was a nice luxury as I was able to get in a short nap after dinner (and would be much appreciated later on as my travel day became unexpectedly long)

IFE / WIFI

15″ touch screen display – sorry I forgot to look at the movies or entertainment selection as I was engrossed in conversation with

WiFi was not available on this flight.

FOOD/DRINK

Alcohol is served on Royal Air Maroc flights as seen on the menu showcasing beverage choices.

Appetizer: Grilled prawns on the griddle, sriracha dressing, lettuce leaves, radish and carrot (it was okay)

Duo of desert pastries – something pistachio and chocolate (again just okay)

Hot meals I had the choice between chicken breast stuffed with dried fruits, truffle sauce, accompanied with creamy mushroom risotto and roast pumpkin OR Penne with eggplant and parmesan OR beef tagine with caramelized pears and dried apricots with sesame seeds (the FA recommendation) which was as appetizing as it looks in the photo

Cheese – there was also an offer for a selection of cheese during dessert that I declined since I barely ate any of the meal.

FLIGHT EXPERIENCE 

The crew was warm and service was very quick and efficient with two FA assigned to the 22 business seats (20 occupied seats) I was impressed that all FAs were at least tri-lingual speaking Arabic, French and English!

OVERALL IMPRESSION 

It wasn’t a refined or luxurious experience (ie no paper/cloth cloth laid out for dinner service and very small selection of alcoholic drinks) but with only a €100 or so difference in pricing between business and economy class (but also I was booking very last minute so maybe there’s normally a bigger difference), this would have been a decent value if I had paid cash.