See which Airbus A220 add-ons work in MSFS 2020, what the Virtualcol package includes, and how to spot liveries, AI models and unfinished projects.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 has one established, complete commercial Airbus A220 add-on: Virtualcol's Airbus A220 Series package, covering the A220-100 and A220-300. It is simplified payware rather than a study-level simulation. Free downloads labelled 'A220' are commonly liveries, AI models or unfinished projects, not equivalent flyable aircraft.
The A220 is not included with the simulator itself; our breakdown of the aircraft supplied with MSFS 2020 separates the stock fleet from third-party additions.
Which complete Airbus A220 package can you fly?
Virtualcol Airbus A220 Series is the practical released choice for MSFS 2020 users who want a selectable A220 rather than a repaint or AI model.
| Option | What it provides | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Virtualcol Airbus A220 Series | Complete A220-100 and A220-300 aircraft | Simplified systems rather than detailed A220 systems modelling |
| Community freeware A220 files | Quality ranges from flyable visual models to partial conversions | Dependencies, cockpit functions and update compatibility vary |
| A220 liveries, AI or static models | Alternative paintwork or non-player traffic and scenery models | Not a standalone aircraft |
The Virtualcol package supplies both the shorter A220-100 and longer A220-300 as complete aircraft. The former Bombardier designations, CS100 and CS300, may also appear in repaint descriptions.
Choose it for ordinary route flying, external modelling and access to both variants. Do not buy it expecting a line-by-line recreation of the A220's flight-management system, flight-control logic, cockpit alerts or failures. It is aimed at accessible simulator flying rather than full procedural training.
Are there free Airbus A220 aircraft for MSFS 2020?
There is no broadly established, finished freeware A220 that we can place alongside the commercial package without qualification. Announced development projects, screenshots and preview builds do not count as released aircraft.
Individual freeware packages may still appear, so our MSFS civil-airliner download category is the relevant place to check. Before installing one, use our guidance on identifying complete freeware aircraft; this avoids confusing a texture package with an aeroplane that has its own cockpit and flight model.
How can I tell whether an A220 download is a full aircraft?
A complete A220 must be player-selectable and include the model, cockpit, flight model, sounds and configuration needed to fly. A mistake we see constantly is treating an A220 livery as a free aircraft.
- Read the dependency statement. Wording such as “requires the Virtualcol A220” means the file is only a repaint or expansion for that base aircraft.
- Confirm the simulator version. The listing must explicitly support Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. An MSFS 2024-only package should not be assumed to work backwards.
- Check its intended role. AI traffic and static scenery models may look convincing at an airport but normally have no usable cockpit or player flight model.
- Inspect a manual PC package. The folder installed into
Communityshould exposemanifest.jsonandlayout.jsonat the package level. An extra wrapper folder is a common reason an otherwise valid add-on fails to load. - Check the aircraft selector after installation. A standalone aircraft creates its own entry. A livery appears beneath its required base aircraft and cannot create that aircraft by itself.
Does an A220 add-on work on Xbox and MSFS 2024?
Xbox users can install only add-ons offered for their console through the in-simulator Marketplace. A manually downloaded PC package cannot be copied to Xbox, and a PC purchase or licence should not be assumed to transfer between editions or storefronts.
MSFS 2024 compatibility is a separate claim from MSFS 2020 support. Some 2020 aircraft can operate in the newer simulator, but compatibility in that direction does not mean a 2024-specific aircraft will run in MSFS 2020. Check the product's named platforms before buying or installing it.
Which A220 option should I choose?
Choose the Virtualcol Airbus A220 Series if you want a complete A220-100 and A220-300 for MSFS 2020 and accept simplified systems. If accurate A220 avionics and procedures are non-negotiable, assess only finished releases whose documentation demonstrates that depth; liveries, visual conversions and development previews are not substitutes.