Royal Air Maroc 787-8 Seat Selection Guide (2026)
✈️ Quick Verdict
Aircraft: Boeing 787-8 — usually 274 seats (18 Business, 256 Economy); one jet, CN-RHU, has 237 seats (4 front cabin, 18 Business, 215 Economy)
Layout: Business 2-2-2, rows 1–3 · Economy 3-3-3, rows 10–40 (CN-RHU: front cabin row 1, Business rows 11–13, Economy rows 41–65)
Version lottery: Yes, twice. The 787-8 and the 787-9 swap on the same routes, and the 787-9 has a far better Business seat. Within the 787-8 fleet, CN-RHU has a different cabin.
Best seats: Business 1D, 1F, 2D, 2F · Economy 34A, 34K, 37A, 37K · extra legroom 10A, 10K
Seats to avoid: 3A, 3C, 3H, 3K (lavatory behind) · 29A, 29K (exit row, no usable window) · rows 26–28, 39–40 centre seats
Entertainment: on-demand seatback screens in every seat · Wi-Fi: none on the 274-seat 787-8
Aisle access in Business: 12 of 18 seats. The six window seats (A and K) step past a neighbour.
The catch: you booked a 787-9 and got this
Royal Air Maroc flies two Dreamliners to North America, and they are not the same product. The 787-9 has 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone Business, where every seat has its own aisle. The 787-8 still has the older 2-2-2 cabin: 18 flat beds in three rows, six across, in angled pairs. Both types fly the US routes, including New York JFK and Miami, and the airline swaps one for the other. One reviewer booked a 787-9 to New York and found the 787-8 on the seat map two days before departure.
The trap is the window seat. On most long-haul Business cabins a window seat is the private pick. On this 787-8, 1A, 2A, 3A, 1K, 2K and 3K have no aisle of their own: you climb past the passenger in the aisle seat to get out, and they lie flat beside you all night. Reviewers also describe the pairs as sitting at two levels, the window seat higher than the aisle seat, so your neighbour is close below you. If you fly alone, take a D or F seat in the centre: each has its own aisle.
Check the seat map as soon as you have booked, and again a few days before departure. The section below shows how to tell the aircraft apart in seconds.
How to tell which Dreamliner you are on
Royal Air Maroc flies four Dreamliner cabins, which is why you will see “four Business configurations” quoted: two 787-8 layouts and two 787-9 layouts. The Business row numbers and seat letters give each one away:
| Aircraft | Business on the seat map | Other tells |
|---|---|---|
| 787-8, 274 seats | Rows 1–3, six across: A C | D F | H K | Economy starts at row 10; there is no row 13 |
| 787-8, 237 seats (CN-RHU) | Row 1 has four seats (A D H L), then Business rows 11–13, six across: A C | D H | J L | Economy runs from row 41 to row 65; window seats are lettered L, not K |
| 787-9, 302 seats | Rows 1–7, four across: A | D F | K | Every Business seat has aisle access |
| 787-9, 320 seats | Rows 1–4, four across: A | D F | K | Rows 5–8 are a 2-3-2 cabin sold as Economy |
The quickest test: if you can select seat 1C or 2H, you are on the 2-2-2 787-8. If Business is only four seats across, it is a 787-9. Our Royal Air Maroc 787-9 guide covers both 787-9 cabins.
Business on the 274-seat 787-8 (rows 1–3)
18 angled flat beds in a 2-2-2, lettered A C | D F | H K. The centre pair sits a little ahead of the side pairs. C, D, F and H are on an aisle; A and K are not. There are three Business lavatories: one at the front and two behind row 3. Reviewers note little storage at the seat and a tray table that folds out of the armrest.
Best Business seats
- 1D, 1F, 2D, 2F — centre seats with their own aisle and no lavatory nearby. The pick for a solo traveller.
- 3D, 3F — the same centre seats in the last row. Unlike the side seats in row 3, they are not right beside the lavatory.
- 1D + 1F, 2D + 2F — for two people travelling together, both of you still have your own aisle.
- 1A + 1C, 2H + 2K — a side pair works for a couple who don’t mind one climbing over the other.
Business seats to avoid
- 3A, 3C, 3H, 3K — the side pairs in row 3 sit directly in front of the Business lavatories.
- Any A or K seat, if you fly alone — you step past a stranger to reach the aisle, and the pairs sit close together.
CN-RHU: the 237-seat 787-8
One 787-8, registration CN-RHU, joined Royal Air Maroc in April 2026 with the cabin of its previous operator, a Chinese airline. It has three cabins instead of two. Royal Air Maroc started flying to Los Angeles with the 787-8 in June 2026, and this aircraft was reported as meant for that route. It is a single jet, so on most 787-8 flights you will be on the 274-seat layout.
The four-seat front cabin (row 1)
Four flat seats in a 1-2-1, lettered A | D H | L, each with its own aisle and its own lavatory at the front. Royal Air Maroc does not sell a First Class product, and we could not confirm how it sells these four seats. If row 1 shows as available in your cabin, it is the most private place on the aircraft: 1A and 1L sit by the windows, 1D and 1H are the centre pair.
Business (rows 11–13)
The same 2-2-2 idea as the main 787-8 fleet, lettered A C | D H | J L, but here the beds face straight ahead. Rows 11 and 12 sit together ahead of door 2. Row 13 is a single row behind the door 2 galley and the two Business lavatories.
Best Business seats on CN-RHU
- 11D, 11H, 12D, 12H — centre seats with their own aisle, in the main two-row section.
- 13D, 13H — the same centre seats behind the galley.
- 13A, 13L — the best-aligned windows in Business, but you still step past 13C or 13J to get out.
Business seats to note on CN-RHU
- A and L seats — no direct aisle access, as on the other 787-8.
- Row 13 — directly behind the galley and lavatories, so expect more light and traffic than in rows 11–12.
Economy on the 274-seat 787-8 (rows 10–40)
256 seats in a 3-3-3, lettered A B C | D E F | H J K. There is no row 13. The wing fills the view from row 12 to row 26. Four lavatories, including the accessible one, sit in the middle of the cabin ahead of row 29, with one more at the very back.
The exit-row trap: row 29
- 29A, 29K — the exit-row window seats have no usable window: the glass sits well behind you. Door 3 also curves into the legroom, so your legs go out at an angle.
- 29C, 29D, 29E, 29F, 29H — extra legroom, but directly behind the mid-cabin lavatories, with the tray and screen in the armrest and no floor storage.
- 29B, 29J — the only clean exit-row seats are the two middle seats, and the lavatory queue is still just ahead.
Best Economy seats
- 34A, 34K, 37A, 37K — the best-aligned windows in the cabin, behind the wing and clear of the lavatories.
- 10A, 10K — the door 2 bulkhead: about 32in to the wall and a well-placed window. The tray folds out of the armrest and there is no floor storage, and the bassinet positions are in this row.
- 10C, 10H — bulkhead aisle seats with a partial wall, so you have some extra foot room to one side.
- 39A + 39C, 39H + 39K — the tail narrows to a two-seat pair on each side, good for couples, but the rear lavatory is close.
Economy seats to avoid
- 29A, 29K — no usable window, and the door is in your legroom.
- Rows 26 and 27 (except 26D, 26E, 26F) — directly in front of the mid-cabin lavatories.
- 28D, 28E, 28F — a three-seat row wedged between the lavatories.
- 39D, 39E, 39F, 40D, 40E, 40F — the last rows, right against the rear lavatory.
- 17A, 20A, 23A, 26A, 33A (and the K seats) — the window sits behind the seat. 36A and 36K have it ahead of the seat.
Economy on CN-RHU (rows 41–65)
215 seats in a 3-3-3, lettered A B C | D E H | J K L. Row 41 is the bulkhead behind Business, and the wing fills the view from row 41 to row 53. Four lavatories sit ahead of row 54, with one more at the back on the right-hand side, beside row 65.
Best Economy seats on CN-RHU
- 56A, 56L, 59A, 59L — the best-aligned windows in the cabin.
- 64A — the tail narrows, leaving extra space beside the window seat. 64A + 64C is a two-seat pair for a couple.
- 54B, 54C, 54J, 54K — the door 3 exit row, without the door in your seat. A lavatory is close ahead.
- Row 41 — bulkhead legroom, but the trays fold out of the armrests and there is no floor storage. 41A and 41L have the window behind the seat.
Economy seats to avoid on CN-RHU
- 54A, 54L — the exit-row window seats: door 3 juts across about 80–85% of the seat width, and the window sits behind you.
- 54D, 54E, 54H — directly behind the lavatories.
- Row 53, and 52A–52C, 52J–52L — directly in front of the lavatories.
- 63J, 63K, 63L, 64H, 65E, 65H — next to the rear lavatory.
The two 787-8 cabins compared
| 274-seat 787-8 | 237-seat 787-8 (CN-RHU) | |
|---|---|---|
| Front cabin | None | 4 seats, row 1, 1-2-1, all with aisle access |
| Business | 18 seats, rows 1–3, 2-2-2, angled | 18 seats, rows 11–13, 2-2-2, straight |
| Business aisle access | 12 of 18 | 12 of 18 |
| Economy | 256 seats, rows 10–40 (no row 13) | 215 seats, rows 41–65 |
| Exit row windows | 29A, 29K: no usable window | 54A, 54L: door across the seat |
| Entertainment | Thales on-demand screens | Panasonic eX3 on-demand screens |
| Wi-Fi | None | Equipment fitted; service not confirmed |
Quick-pick summary
| Travelling as | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Solo, Business | 1D, 1F, 2D or 2F | Own aisle, away from the lavatories |
| Couple, Business | 1D + 1F or 2D + 2F | Side by side, and both of you have an aisle |
| Legroom, Economy | 10A or 10K | Bulkhead with a good window |
| Window, Economy | 34A, 34K, 37A, 37K | Best-aligned glass, clear of lavatories |
| Couple, Economy | 39A + 39C or 39H + 39K | Two-seat pair, but near the rear lavatory |
| Avoid | 3A, 3C, 3H, 3K, 29A, 29K, rows 26–28, 39–40 centre | Lavatories, or no window |
Frequently asked questions
Does Royal Air Maroc 787-8 Business have direct aisle access?
Not from every seat. The cabin is 2-2-2, so 12 of the 18 seats are on an aisle and the six window seats (A and K) are not. The 787-9 has 1-2-1 Business where every seat has its own aisle.
How do I know if my flight is a 787-8 or a 787-9?
Open the seat map. Six seats across in Business, in rows 1–3, means the 787-8; so does any seat lettered C or H in Business. Four across, in rows up to 4 or 7, means the 787-9. Aircraft swaps happen, so check again a few days before you fly.
What is the best Business seat on the Royal Air Maroc 787-8?
A centre seat: 1D, 1F, 2D or 2F. Each has its own aisle and none is near a lavatory. Avoid 3A, 3C, 3H and 3K, which back onto the lavatories.
Is the 787-8 exit row worth paying for?
Mostly not. On the 274-seat jet, 29A and 29K have no usable window and the door curves into the legroom, and 29C to 29H sit right behind the lavatories. The bulkhead seats 10A and 10K are a better buy for legroom.
Does Royal Air Maroc have First Class on the 787-8?
Not as a product. One 787-8, CN-RHU, has four seats in a separate front cabin, left from its previous operator. We could not confirm how Royal Air Maroc sells them.
Is there Wi-Fi on the Royal Air Maroc 787-8?
Not on the 274-seat 787-8. CN-RHU has Wi-Fi equipment from its previous operator, but we could not confirm that Royal Air Maroc offers a service on it.
Comparable guides
- Royal Air Maroc 787-9 — the aircraft you may have booked, with 1-2-1 Business
- Kenya Airways 787-8 — another African 787-8 with an older Business cabin
- Ethiopian Airlines 787-8 — the 787-8 at Africa’s largest airline
- Royal Jordanian 787-8 — a fellow oneworld 787-8
- EgyptAir 787-9 — another North Africa to US Dreamliner