What do American travellers need to know about Morocco?

As an American, the entry side of a Morocco trip is refreshingly simple: US passport holders may visit for up to 90 days without a visa, provided your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date and has a couple of blank pages. You'll fill in a short arrival card on the plane and get a stamp at immigration — that's it. I always tell US travellers to verify the current rules directly with the US State Department's Morocco page before they fly, because requirements can change and you want no surprises at the desk in Casablanca.

Flights are where Americans need to plan. Royal Air Maroc runs the only nonstop routes from the US — out of New York JFK and Washington Dulles into Casablanca — and those fill up. From everywhere else you'll connect, most commonly through a European hub like Paris, Madrid, Lisbon or London, or through Doha and Dubai from the Gulf carriers. Build in a comfortable layover; a tight connection in a busy European airport with a passport check is a recipe for stress. Casablanca (CMN) is the main gateway, but you can often fly straight into Marrakech (RAK) via Europe and start your trip without an extra domestic hop.

On money, Morocco runs on the dirham (MAD), a closed currency you can't easily buy at home — so don't bother trying. The smart move is to land with a little euro or dollar cash as a backup and then draw dirhams from an ATM in the arrivals hall or in town; rates are far better than the airport exchange booths. US cards work fine in hotels, larger restaurants and city shops, but a Visa or Mastercard with no foreign-transaction fee will save you a quiet fortune. Once you head into the desert, the kasbah valleys and the souks, it's a cash world — carry small dirham notes for tips, taxis, and the medina stalls that will never take plastic.

Culturally, a few things catch Americans off guard in the best way. Tipping is woven into daily life here, but in small amounts — a few dirhams, not the 20% you're used to. Haggling in the souks is expected and meant to be friendly, not a fight; smile, walk away, come back. Dress is more modest than back home, especially away from the resorts — shoulders and knees covered serves you well, and it's not about rules so much as respect. And the warmth is real: an invitation to mint tea is a genuine kindness, not a sales pitch, even if a carpet sometimes appears afterward. Lean into it, and Morocco opens up.