Planning your trip to Morocco and flying to Rabat Airport? If you are looking to buy a prepaid sim card for Morocco on arrival at Rabat Airport then this guide is exactly what you are looking for.
This is a complete guide for buying a prepaid sim card for Morocco on arrival at Rabat Airport. Find out where to buy a prepaid sim card, up to date prices as per August 2024, my recommendation, the best eSIM cards for Morocco, information about international sim cards and everything else you need to know.
Don't waste money on high roaming charges or get frustrated by slow overseas data roaming plans.
A local prepaid sim card is the cheapest way to connect and have data on your phone when traveling to Morocco. High roaming charges can ruin your trip and overseas data plans slow down your internet speed, therefore Traveltomtom advices to buy a local prepaid sim card on arrival at the airport in Rabat.
What about eSIMs for Morocco? Definitely recommended, but more expensive!
Check out Traveltomtom's complete guide with a comparison of the best eSIMs for Morocco in 2024.
Everywhere I go I write sim card guides to help you find the best way to get connected. Traveltomtom is also trying to visit every country in the world and therefore you can find more than 200 prepaid sim card guides on Traveltomtom: Marrakech, Casablanca, France, Paris, Miami, New York, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, Europe, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and many more.
So when planning your next adventure abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest prepaid and eSIM card advice for your next holiday destination. Bookmark me and let me help you save money!
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My recommendation
Traveltomtom recommends buying a INWI sim card at Rabat Airport. For around $10 USD you get 10 GB data and 600 minutes.
I hear you say: what about eSIMs for traveling to Morocco?
Traveltomtom is an advocate for using eSIMs when traveling abroad. Very convenient and simple to use, but fact is that Morocco eSIMs are more expensive than local prepaid sim cards.
That said, eSIM cards are so easy that I often happily pay the higher price just to be online as soon as the plane lands.
Click here for Traveltomtom's complete Morocco eSIM guide with everything you need to know before ordering an eSIM, including eSIMs of: SimOptions, Airalo, Nomad, Jetpac, Sim Local, Holafly, etc.
If you continue traveling to other countries after your trip to Morocco then it is worth looking into a world travel sim card. Check out my comparison of the best world travel sim cards with data in 2024.
Best eSIMs for Morocco
The easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Rabat in 2024 is an eSIM card. No more visiting a phone store and swapping physical prepaid sim cards.
You order an eSIM for Morocco on the internet, you receive a QR code, scan it, follow the simple steps and within less than 2 minutes you have a Morocco eSIM installed on your phone.
Upon arrival in Morocco it automatically connects you to an available network and you enjoy data on your phone as soon as the plane lands.
Make sure your phone is eSIM compatible before ordering an eSIM card for your trip to Rabat. Check out Traveltomtom's complete guide with everything you need to know before ordering an eSIM card for traveling to Morocco in 2024.
Airalo
Airalo is a reliable eSIM card provider that sells eSIMs for pretty much every country in the world. Here are the Morocco eSIM plans from Airalo in 2024:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $8 USD
- 2 GB data for 15 days = $14.5 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $20.5 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $31.5 USD
Click here for more info or to order an eSIM card for Morocco via Airalo.
The above Choukran data-only eSIM cards operate on the Orange 4G/LTE network in Morocco. Incoming and outgoing calls/sms are not supported.
SimOptions
Traveltomtom has used SimOptions in more than 50 countries around the world without ever facing an issue. SimOptions sells international eSIM cards that are valid in up to 141 countries, including Morocco:
- 6 GB data for 15 days = $39.90 USD
- 10 GB data for 14 days = $39.90 USD
Click here for more info or to order an international eSIM card for Morocco via SimOptions.
The above Orange Holiday World eSIM is rated by Traveltomtom as the best eSIM card for traveling to Morocco in 2024.
You can now also order the Orange Holiday World eSIM via Sim Local for just $35.50 USD via Sim Local. On top of that Traveltomtom readers get an extra 15% discount on all Sim Local eSIMs when you use the coupon code: TRAVELTOMTOM at check out.
Make sure your phone is unlocked and eSIM compatible before ordering an eSIM card for Morocco.
For much more info about using eSIMs when traveling to Morocco, detailed reviews of the eSIM operators, answers on all FAQ about using eSIMs then check out Traveltomtom's eSIM card guide for Morocco with more eSIM plans from Jetpac, Sim Local, Nomad, Holafly, etc.
Arrival at Rabat Airport
Although Rabat is the capital of Morocco, its airport is very small and easy-going and not commonly used for many international flights. The main airport hub in Morocco is Casablanca Airport.
Arriving at Rabat Airport is very relaxed and pretty well organized. You can not get lost when arriving at Rabat Airport. I posted a 1-minute mini vlog on TikTok what it looks like arriving at Rabat Airport and where to buy a sim card as well as a YouTube video about buying a sim card at Rabat Airport.
After you disembark the plane you will be guided to immigration. The lines are not long usually.
Rabat Airport has actually 2 Terminals, a domestic terminal that is about 5-10 walk away in another building and the main terminal. in the Domestic Terminal there is literally nothing apart from check-in counters.
In the international terminal there are some nice cafes, car rental companies, travel and tour companies, ATM's and there is a sim card shop.
After passport control you will be guided into the Baggage Claim hall and after you pick up your luggage you have to go through another customs bag check. They put some bags randomly through a scanner, but there is no metal detector.
When all is done you walk into a fairly big but relaxed Arrival Hall.
Arriving at Rabat Airport is very pleasant. There is free WiFi at Rabat Airport but it was very slow in my case. You can use Uber to get a taxi to the city, but for using Uber you need data on your phone.
Where to buy a sim card at Rabat Airport
First of all, don't worry you can not miss the sim card store at Rabat Airport. When walking into the Arrival Hall you will see a cafe on your left, the car rental companies on your right and right in front of you near the entrance of the airport there is an INWI sim card shop.
INWI is one of the main mobile internet operators in Morocco and in fact Traveltomtom rates INWI as the best sim card for traveling in Morocco. The INWI store sells prepaid sim cards for tourists and they are open for all arriving international flights.
Other mobile internet operators in Morocco are: Orange and Maroc Telecom. At Rabat Airport there is only an INWI store and there are no shops from Orange and Maroc Telecom.
Prices prepaid sim cards Rabat Airport
All info and prices below are updated as per August 2024 and prices are in Moroccan Dirham (MAD): $1 USD = 9.70 MAD and 100 MAD = $10.3 USD.
All the sim card shops at Rabat will lure you with a free sim card, but all operators do the same. Registering a prepaid sim card in Morocco is free and there is no extra charge. You choose the data package you want and that is what you pay for.
To make it easy 100 MAD = $10 USD and €1 EUR = $1.10 USD for those that have Euros.
The INWI store at Rabat Airport only accepts cash in USD, EUR or MAD. You can NOT pay by credit card!
INWI
- 10 GB data + 600 minutes = 100 MAD - $10 USD
- 20 GB data-only for 30 days = 100 MAD - $10 USD
- 40 GB data-only for 30 days = 200 MAD - $20 USD
Update: as per 2024 you can now also opt for an eSIM, so all the above prepaid sim cards for tourists are available as physical prepaid sim cards as well as eSIMs. Traveltomtom tested this out on my last trip to Morocco and it worked perfectly fine.
Best sim card at Rabat Airport
Since there is not much choice it is a very easy conclusion that INWI is the best sim card at Rabat Airport. However, in my guides for buying a sim card at Marrakech Airport and Casablanca Airport Traveltomtom also came to the conclusion that INWI is the best sim card for traveling in Morocco.
Orange has a much smaller mobile data network and their coverage and signal strength is much weaker compared to INWI and Maroc Telecom. INWI has the best 4G/LTE network coverage in Morocco followed by Maroc Telecom.
So this is why Traveltomtom recommends an INWI prepaid sim card for Morocco.
eSIM cards for Morocco are definitely recommended but more expensive than local prepaid sim cards. The best eSIM card deal for Morocco is the Orange Holiday World eSIM with 10 GB data for 14 days. You can order this eSIM via SimOptions for $39.90 USD or via Sim Local for $35.50.
Right now, Traveltomtom readers get an extra 15% off on all Sim Local eSIMs when using the discount code: TRAVELTOMTOM at check out!
Buying a sim card in Rabat city center
Phone shops Rabat
If for some reason you weren't able to buy a prepaid sim card at Rabat Airport or you want an Orange or Vodafone sim card for Morocco then there is always the option to walk into any phone store in Rabat. In phone stores they also sell prepaid sim cards for tourists but they will charge a small service fee for activating your new Morocco sim card.
Getting an eSIM is only possible in the official INWI, Maroc Telecom or Orange stores. However, English is not spoken well sometimes and communicating could be an issue. Another reason why you should get your sim card for Morocco at the airport in Rabat or simply order one online.
Sim card prices and packages for tourists at local phone stores are more or less the same as on the airport.
Street vendors
If you are adventurous you can also buy a prepaid sim card on the streets of Rabat from one of the sim card vendors in the old town. Personally this would be the last thing I would do, but if there really is no other option…
These guys sell sim cards from INWI, Orange and Maroc Telecom. Pick your favorite and don't forget to bargain!
Prices are negotiable, no passport needed, but who knows what package they activate on your phone as the activation messages will be in Arabic. You might end up with no data after 2 days… Traveltomtom simply doesn't recommend it!
Order a prepaid sim card for Morocco online
If your phone is not eSIM compatible but you would like to order a sim card for traveling to Morocco online before your trip then check out the following.
Arrive prepared in Morocco with an international prepaid sim card. You order them online and a physical prepaid sim card will be delivered to your home address. You put this sim card in your phone and it automatically connects to an available network upon arrival in Morocco, basically when the plane lands you are instantly online.
SimOptions is the only sim card provider that sells physical prepaid sim cards for Morocco:
- 10 GB data for 14 days = $49.90 USD
Click here for more info or to order this international prepaid sim card for Morocco via SimOptions.
Basically this is the exact same sim card as the Orange Holiday World eSIM, but as a physical sim.
A last reminder that if your phone is eSIM compatible you can arrange everything online within just a couple clicks by ordering an eSIM card for Morocco.
For more detailed info and an answer on all FAQ about using eSIMs when traveling to Morocco check out Traveltomtom's comparison of the best eSIM cards for Morocco in 2024, including eSIM plans from Jetpac, Sim Local, Airalo, Nomad, Holafly and SimOptions.
I am sure some of the above tips for buying a sim card in Rabat were helpful for your upcoming trip to Morocco. Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions and I am more than happy to help you out.
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Enjoy your trip to Rabat!