Compare the best paid add-ons for MSFS 2024, including aircraft, airports, ATC, charts and ground services, with PC and console caveats.
The best paid add-ons for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 are the Fenix A320 family for Airbus flying, PMDG’s 737 or 777 for Boeing operations, A2A’s Comanche 250 for piston GA, Navigraph for IFR charts and navdata, GSX Pro for ground handling, and one excellent airport you use repeatedly.
Those are category picks rather than a universal bundle. The right purchase depends on what you fly, how much system depth you want and whether you use PC, Xbox Series X|S or PlayStation 5. External applications such as Fenix, GSX Pro and most third-party ATC programmes are PC-only.
Best paid MSFS 2024 add-ons by category
The strongest payware improves a part of the simulator you use on almost every flight, rather than adding content you may load once.
| Add-on | Best for | Check before buying |
|---|---|---|
| Fenix A320 family | Detailed Airbus procedures, failures and airline operations | PC only; requires supporting software and rewards proper Airbus knowledge |
| PMDG 737 or 777 | Boeing narrow-body or long-haul operations | Variants are separate products; confirm the exact package supports MSFS 2024 and your platform |
| A2A Comanche 250 | Highly detailed piston GA flying, ownership and maintenance | PC only; its depth is wasted if you mainly fly airliners |
| Just Flight 146 or Avro RJ | Classic regional jet operations with more manual workload | The 146 and RJ represent different generations, so choose the cockpit and procedures you prefer |
| Navigraph | Charts, moving maps and matching IFR navigation data | Subscription product; integration differs between aircraft and platforms |
| GSX Pro | Pushback, boarding, catering and other airliner ground services | PC only; many airports need a suitable profile for correctly positioned vehicles and stairs |
| BeyondATC | PC-based spoken IFR air traffic control | External application; voice, traffic and online features can affect running costs and requirements |
| A premium airport | A route or hub flown regularly | Check for overlapping scenery, dated taxiway layouts and performance-heavy terminals |
For more aircraft choices, our detailed comparison of MSFS 2024 payware aircraft covers airliners, general aviation and specialist options. The Black Square Duke family is particularly strong for analogue twin-engine flying, while the Just Flight 146 and RJ suit pilots who find highly automated glass cockpits too passive.
Which paid MSFS 2024 add-on should I buy first?
Buy the add-on that changes the largest share of your normal flying, which is usually an aircraft rather than scenery.
- Choose one main aircraft. Match it to the missions you actually fly: Fenix for Airbus short-haul, PMDG for Boeing operations, A2A for piston touring, or the 146/RJ for classic regional flying.
- Add charts and navdata if you fly IFR. Navigraph becomes valuable when you need current procedures, airport charts and matching data across supported aircraft. It offers little to a casual VFR pilot.
- Buy an airport pair you will reuse. A well-made departure hub and destination provide more value than a scattered collection of airports. FlyTampa, Flightbeam, Pyreegue and iniBuilds all produce detailed airports, but quality and performance still vary by individual release.
- Add an operational utility last. GSX Pro suits frequent airline flying, while BeyondATC suits pilots dissatisfied with the simulator’s built-in ATC. Neither compensates for an aircraft you do not enjoy flying.
We recommend judging value by hours of likely use, support history and platform restrictions rather than by the longest feature list. Our guide to deciding when flight simulator payware is worth buying explains that calculation in more detail.
Do MSFS 2020 payware add-ons work in MSFS 2024?
Some MSFS 2020 payware works in MSFS 2024, but an older installer successfully copying files does not prove full compatibility.
Look for an explicit MSFS 2024 compatibility statement from the developer. Aircraft need working avionics, flight dynamics, sounds, external applications and cockpit interactions; scenery needs correct exclusions, elevation data, jetways and lighting. A package that merely appears in the aircraft selector or scenery library may still be partially broken.
A mistake we see constantly is copying an entire old Community folder into MSFS 2024. Move products individually, update each one first and test before adding the next. Remove obsolete versions and duplicate packages because two editions of the same aircraft or airport can cause missing textures, blank instruments and duplicated scenery.
Which paid add-ons work on Xbox and PlayStation 5?
Console users can install only add-ons offered for their platform through the in-simulator Marketplace.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is available on PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, but the add-on catalogues are not identical. Check the platform badge on the product listing rather than assuming that PC, Xbox and PlayStation availability match.
- External executables do not run on console. This excludes products such as Fenix aircraft, GSX Pro and most external ATC applications.
- Marketplace releases may arrive later. Updates and platform approval can lag behind a developer’s direct PC edition.
- PC shop licences do not unlock console editions. Treat each storefront and platform as a separate purchase unless the listing explicitly says otherwise.
- Hardware support still matters. A complex aircraft may be available on console but awkward to operate without a keyboard, mouse or suitable controller bindings.
What problems should you check before buying?
Most disappointing purchases come from compatibility assumptions, overlapping content or buying more complexity than the pilot wants.
- Blank cockpit displays: update both the aircraft and any required companion application, remove duplicate versions and check that security software has not blocked the supporting process.
- Duplicate buildings or jetways: disable competing scenery for the same airport, including older editions that remain enabled in the content library.
- Incorrect procedures or ATC instructions: keep the simulator, flight planner and aircraft navigation databases aligned to the same AIRAC cycle where supported.
- Poor frame rate at detailed hubs: reduce airport traffic and object detail before blaming the aircraft, then test without overlapping scenery or ground-service utilities.
- Unused system depth: do not pay for study-level failures and maintenance if you want quick departures with minimal setup.
Paid does not automatically mean better for every use. Before purchasing a second aircraft in the same category, compare it with the strongest freeware aircraft available for MSFS 2024; save payware spending for a clear improvement in systems, flight modelling, support or a route you fly often.