Aviation Capital Group Delivers First of Six Boeing 737-8 MAX Jets to Royal Air Maroc

Aviation Capital Group LLC (ACG) announced that the first Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft was delivered to Compagnie Nationale Royal Air Maroc (RAM) on March 31, 2026. This aircraft is equipped with CFM LEAP-1B engines and is part of a transaction involving six aircraft delivered to RAM under a one-off lease.  According to reports by PR Newswire, the MAX is the first of several planes making up a sizeable increase in RAM's narrow-body fleet as it embarks on one of the largest fleet upgrades in the history of African aviation.

The Deal: Six Aircraft, One Strategic Leap

The deal is made up of six separate aircraft and represents a major step forward in RAM's overall acquisition program. This includes additional agreements to sign new 737-8 MAX aircraft with lessors Avolon and Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) (expected to deliver 13 aircraft in 2027). As stated by AeroTime, RAM will have a total of 25 Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft delivered from three separate leasing sources between 2025 and 2027. This would represent a rapid rate of fleet expansion for any airline, let alone one that only had a total of 52 aircraft in service in mid-2024,  RAM's Network Benefits from 737-8 MAX

According to Boeing Newsroom publications, the Boeing 737-8 MAX is the most commercially important model of the 737 MAX family. It has a capacity for 162 to 210 passengers with a range of 3,550 nautical miles (6,570 km) in maximum configuration. In addition, the aircraft uses CFM LEAP-1B engines (co-developed by GE and Safran), which reduce CO₂ emissions and fuel consumption by 20%.

In comparison to the previous generation of 737NG aircraft, it has a 50% lesser noise footprint. The LEAP-1B has a 15% improvement in thrust specific fuel consumption and also has NOx emissions that are up to 50% below ICAO CAEP/6 standards, according to information provided by Safran. The economic impact of deploying these aircraft on routes that are short to medium distance between Morocco, Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa will be significant for any airline using these aircraft.

Motivation for RAM's Purchases: The 2030 World Cup and Beyond

Royal Air Maroc (RAM) is not purchasing these aircraft just to replace those they currently own. Their goal is to establish a fleet of 200 total aircraft by 2037, an increase from approximately 62 today. This increase in capacity is anticipated to allow RAM to grow its annual passenger traffic from 7.5 million passengers right now to over 31 million passengers per year.

RAM's Vice President, Amine El Farissi, confirmed that this significant increase would coincide with Morocco's hosting (along with Spain and Portugal) of the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Morocco welcomed more than 17.4 million tourists in 2024 (a record for the country) and anticipates more than 26 million foreign visitors by 2030, according to Morocco World News.

RAM CEO Abdelhamid Addou confirmed this airline's recent request for proposal (RFP/WIN) was made on April 15, 2024, through a statement to Reuters. According to him, the objective of expanding the fleet is based upon anticipated long-term demand increases as well as Morocco's agreements of open skies with both the European Union and the United States.

Thomas Baker, the ACG CEO, made a public comment in the ACG press release on March 31, 2026, explaining that

The ACG team is proud to partner with Royal Air Maroc for the lease and delivery of the first of six Boeing 737-8 MAX airplanes… The new lease transaction will continue to support RAM’s overall fleet modernization and expansion goals as an airline, and we are very excited about being able to deliver the remaining aircraft through 2026.

A Single Jet, a 200-Plane Vision, and a World Cup Waiting

So, the first ACG-leased 737-8 MAX has landed in Morocco, and Royal Air Maroc has begun to transition from its strategic focus to a tangible asset. RAM’s goal is to acquire 200 aircraft over the next 20 years and service an additional 31 million passengers annually. All of this would be done with the help of 25 Boeing 737-8 MAXs loaned by three different lessors

The 737-8 MAX has a 20% fuel-efficiency advantage over its competitors, making it an ideal fit for the Africa-to-Europe short- and medium-haul corridors that RAM is currently building. In addition to the two world-class terminals in Casablanca and a temporary terminal for World Cup 2030, RAM will have a fleet of 45 Boeing 737-8 MAXs at that time, turning Africa’s expansion plan into a real-time schedule.