Car rental at Casablanca Airport (CMN) from $25/day

What does move the price is when you book: reserving ahead lets you compare total prices and secure a car for your arrival. If you'd rather not deal with a clutch after a long flight, 69% of the fleet is automatic, though it's worth booking that ahead too, as automatics move faster than manuals. If you're spending a night or two in Casablanca before heading out, it can also be worth taking the airport train to Casa Voyageurs and having a car delivered to your hotel in town instead of collecting it straight at CMN.

Before you drive off, walk around the car with the agent and take photos or a short video of every side, including the roof and any existing scratches, so there's no dispute later. Check that the spare wheel and jack are actually in the boot, not just a compressor kit, and confirm the fuel level against what the paperwork says, since return policies are usually built around matching that same level. Test the air conditioning, which matters more than it sounds like it should once you're on the motorway in summer. Keep the registration and insurance papers in the glovebox rather than in your bag, in case you're asked for them at a checkpoint along the way, and save the agent's phone number, ideally one that takes WhatsApp, before you leave the car park.

CMN sits at Nouaceur, south of central Casablanca; the drive takes about 45 minutes outside rush hour, and longer if you're driving in during the evening crawl into the city. Morocco drives on the right, and the airport connects directly onto the A7 motorway, so you don't have to enter Casablanca at all if your plans lie elsewhere: Marrakech lies south, El Jadida along the coast and Rabat up the A3. After a red-eye landing, it's often more comfortable to spend the first night in Casablanca and start the longer drive the next morning rather than push straight through. Tolls are paid in cash or by card at booths along the way, so keep some small change handy. Day-to-day driving inside Casablanca itself, along with parking and getting around once you're there, is covered on the Casablanca city page.

Agree the return point, whether that's the terminal car park or a supplier lot nearby, and the return time, when you first book, so there's no confusion on the day. Refuel on the way in, since the easiest fuel stop depends on your approach road. Allow for check-in and security queues and build in ample time before your flight. Take a last round of photos when you hand the car back and hold on to the signed return sheet until the deposit hold has actually cleared from your card. If your trip ends somewhere else, a one-way return in Marrakech, Tangier or Rabat may be possible, with a one-way fee shown before you book.