Find the best Boeing 747 add-on for Microsoft Flight Simulator and compare 747-8, 747-400, freeware, PC and console options.
For most simmers, the best Boeing 747 in Microsoft Flight Simulator is the built-in 747-8 Intercontinental with Microsoft’s official aircraft and avionics updates, rather than a third-party add-on. It offers the best balance of FMS, LNAV/VNAV, cockpit systems and compatibility. Choose a community conversion only when you specifically want a 747-400 or freighter.
If “add-on” must mean a separately installed package, there is no universal third-party choice that we recommend over the updated stock aircraft for systems fidelity. The mSparks 747-400 community project is an option for the earlier variant’s appearance, but it should be treated as a conversion rather than a fully native 747-400 simulation.
Which Boeing 747 should you choose in MSFS?
Choose the updated built-in 747-8I unless a particular variant or cargo configuration matters more than cockpit accuracy and reliability.
| Option | Best for | Our verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in Boeing 747-8I | Passenger flights and normal gate-to-gate operations | Best overall choice for avionics, autoflight and compatibility |
| mSparks 747-400 conversion | The 747-400 shape and associated liveries | Useful visual conversion, but not a native simulation of all -400 systems |
| Community 747-8F conversion | Cargo operations and freighter visuals | Choose only when it supports your exact simulator and models more than the exterior |
| Salty 747-8 Improvement Mod | Older MSFS 2020 installations from before the official overhaul | Not recommended for a fresh, fully updated installation |
In MSFS 2020, Aircraft & Avionics Update 2 substantially reworked the stock 747-8I with Working Title avionics. It is capable enough for route entry, departures, arrivals, vertical navigation and instrument approaches, although failures and some secondary aircraft systems remain simplified. A repeatable cold-and-dark check of the MSFS 747 is a useful way to confirm that the base aircraft works before installing modifications.
When assessing a newer free or paid 747, look beyond screenshots and animated doors:
- Native variant modelling: A proper -400 needs its own flight deck, engines, weights and performance rather than a -400 exterior wrapped around -8 logic.
- Custom autoflight: Check that the FMS, route constraints, LNAV and VNAV have actually been developed for the aircraft.
- Underlying systems: Electrical power, hydraulics, fuel transfer and pneumatics should do more than animate switches.
- Declared support: The developer should identify the supported simulator generation and platforms. Our broader MSFS add-on selection advice explains why compatibility matters as much as the feature list.
Is the Salty 747 mod still worth installing?
No, not for MSFS 2020 after the official 747 avionics overhaul. Salty Simulations’ improvement mod was valuable when the original aircraft was far more limited, but its legacy overrides can conflict with the later base aircraft.
Typical signs of a conflict include blank displays, unexpected FMC pages, broken route loading or autopilot behaviour that differs sharply from the unmodified aircraft. On PC, isolate the installation before reinstalling the entire simulator:
- Update the simulator and aircraft: Make sure all supported core content has finished downloading.
- Remove old overrides: Temporarily move 747 mods, cockpit modifications and liveries out of the
Communityfolder. - Start a new flight: Test the default 747 and default livery rather than loading a saved flight.
- Add packages individually: Restore only modifications that explicitly support your simulator generation, testing after each one.
- Keep MSFS 2020 and 2024 packages separate: A package loading in both simulators does not prove that its avionics, model behaviours or configuration files are compatible.
Are 747-400 and 747-8F add-ons realistic?
Some are convincing externally, but many reuse the stock 747-8 cockpit and systems. That is less problematic for a basic 747-8F conversion than for a 747-400, because the passenger and freighter versions of the -8 share a much closer flight-deck design.
A proper 747-400 should reflect its older displays, different engines, systems architecture and performance. If it behaves exactly like the stock -8I, regard it as a visual conversion. Our explanation of the differences between the 747-8 and earlier 747 variants covers the details that expose these shortcuts.
For a freighter, check the loading stations, operating weights and centre-of-gravity behaviour. An opening nose door and cargo livery add atmosphere, but they do not establish flight-model or systems accuracy.
Does the best choice change in MSFS 2024 or on console?
Yes. Platform support can outweigh extra features, particularly when a community package depends on PC-only files or an older aircraft configuration.
- MSFS 2020 on PC: Use the officially updated 747-8I as the baseline and remove obsolete Salty-era overrides.
- MSFS 2024 on PC: Start with the supported built-in 747 and install only packages that explicitly declare MSFS 2024 compatibility.
- Xbox Series X|S: External
Communitypackages cannot be installed in the PC manner, so use the included aircraft or compatible Marketplace products. - PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro: Only MSFS 2024 is available on PlayStation. Use the built-in aircraft or add-ons approved for that platform; MSFS 2020 was never released there.
For normal passenger operations, the updated stock 747-8I remains our recommendation. Choose a 747-400 or 747-8F conversion for the variant and role, not because it automatically provides a deeper simulation.