Spain to Morocco to Fez

As you said, take the ferry across. Once you are there, you should be able to get local bus or transportation in group vans. My experience traveling in Morocco is way outdated, but maybe someone who has traveled city-to-city recently will come along. Or you could try the Fodor's travel sites.

It is difficult to grasp quite what you want. Is your sole purpose of flying into Spain just to reach Fez as cheaply as possible? If not, where are you flying into and out of in Spain? Then you say 'Airline fares to Casablance are huge (Fez, forget it!), with 19+hour duration (which I guess means flying to France and sitting there for a while).' - Is this from the U.S. to Fez? Then yes that is the likely time it will take via Paris airports. I cannot tell what your 'huge' is but there are flights with EasyJet, one way, for less than €100 early June, Paris CDG to FEZ
And ' Algecris, Spain ferry to Tangier and a train to Fez' is certainly one way but without knowing where you are coming from in Spain a flight might do it or you may need other direction.

Assuming you just don't want to go from LAX to Fez for some reason, where are you flying to in Spain?

Well, somehow I feel ashamed that my question has seemed so ridiculous and illogical to my repliers. I am flying to Spain because that is where I can get to with my award miles, into Malaga and out of Madrid. If I could afford (with miles or money) to fly from LAX straight into Fez, of course I would! I see that there is an indirect flight from Malaga through Barcelona and into Fez, which I am seriously considering booking -- but there's only one a week. If someone has experience that will help me, based on the question as I've asked it, I will be grateful. Thank you.

Well, this just in: I found an "affordable" once-a-week Wednesday morning Vueling flight from Malaga to Fez, changing planes in Barcelona. The once-a-week Sunday flight back the following Sunday, however, was already booked full; it's the day after the end of the Festival of World Sacred Music. So my "adventure" will be getting from Fez back to Madrid for my OG flight by Tuesday. Once there, I will probably be able to get advice or help getting a shared taxi or train back to Tangier and the ferry. Thank you for your supportive help! This site is a wonderful community of shared experience.

Hi Phyllis! I just checked Vueling's site and their Sunday June 16th flight is available for approx 95 euro. Your other option is to have your Riad or hotel book a cab for you to Casablanca and take either Brussels Air with 1 stop in Brussels to Madrid or TAP Air via Lisbon to Madrid...for $228-278 depending on whether you leave the 15th or 16th. Your Riad can also a book a cab for you to The ferry in Tanger but then you will need a cab I suspect to Malaga to catch the Train to Madrid.....I would prefer to fly. A cab is going to run approximately 180 euro from Fez to Tanger. This is what we were quoted by our Riad last year in our request to be met at the ferry and onward to Fez.

Thanks, Chris. The Vueling website said yesterday that the Sunday flight was sold out, but I will check again. Thank you for your alternate suggestions! Phyllis