Compare the best payware aircraft for MSFS 2020 and supported MSFS 2024 versions, with PC/Xbox availability, value advice and buying checks.
For Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, our best payware aircraft are the Fenix A320, PMDG 737 and 777, A2A Comanche 250, SWS Kodiak 100, Just Flight BAe 146 and Black Square Dukes. For MSFS 2024, buy only an explicitly supported 2024 version; simulator support, console availability, Marketplace access and upgrade terms differ.
All seven are strong MSFS 2020 choices, but no aircraft wins every category. We favour convincing flight dynamics, dependable system modelling, complete normal procedures and enough depth to reward learning. Our broader roundup of premium MSFS 2020 aircraft and add-ons covers alternatives beyond this deliberately strict shortlist.
Best MSFS 2020 payware aircraft by role
The best MSFS 2020 aircraft is the one that matches the routes and cockpit procedures you intend to fly regularly.
| Flying role | Best choice | Why it stands out | Main caveat | First-purchase value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus narrow-body | Fenix A320 | Detailed A320ceo systems, ECAM logic, MCDU operation, failures and airline workflows. | PC only and dependent on a Windows companion application. | Buy the base A320 first. Add the A319/A321 expansion only if you will use the different capacities and handling regularly. |
| Boeing short haul | PMDG 737 family | Deep flight-management, electrical, pneumatic and autoflight modelling across useful passenger and cargo variants. | 737 variants are divided between separate packages. | One package matching your preferred operator is better value than collecting the family before learning it. |
| Long haul | PMDG 777-300ER | Detailed wide-body systems, long-range automation and a convincing Boeing flight deck. | Its size and preparation workload make little sense for mostly sub-hour flights. | Start with the exact 777 variant you want; related models and expansions should not be assumed to be included. |
| Piston general aviation | A2A Comanche 250 | Persistent engine condition, wear, maintenance and airframe state make it feel like an aeroplane you operate rather than reset. | Poor mixture, temperature and power management have consequences. | Excellent value for ownership-style GA flying because the single airframe supplies most of the depth. |
| Bush and utility | SimWorks Studios Kodiak 100 | Strong short-field performance, practical cargo operations and meaningful weight, balance and PT6 management. | Incorrect loading or careless power handling can ruin its STOL performance. | Choose the wheeled or amphibious configuration that fits your flying instead of buying both automatically. |
| Classic regional flying | Just Flight BAe 146 Professional | Custom systems, four-engine procedures and a distinctive analogue-era regional workload. | No autothrottle; power and descent management demand more attention than in a modern Airbus. | The included family of 146 sizes and roles offers good variety if classic passenger and cargo operations both appeal. |
| Complex GA twin | Black Square Duke series | Detailed electrical, fuel, pressurisation and environmental systems with extensive failures in piston and turbine forms. | High cockpit workload, with piston and turbine editions offered separately or as a bundle. | Buy one edition for a clear preference; the bundle pays off only if you genuinely want both powerplants. |
For Airbus flying, the Fenix is our first choice when system depth matters more than console support or simplicity. Our detailed comparison of A320 add-ons explains when a lighter alternative makes more sense.
Which payware aircraft should you buy first?
A first-time payware buyer should choose one aircraft that fits the flights they already complete, not the package with the longest feature list.
- Airline procedures: choose the Fenix A320 for Airbus logic or one PMDG 737 package for Boeing logic. Learning one cockpit properly provides better value than switching between both.
- Hands-on general aviation: choose the A2A Comanche if engine care, maintenance and persistent condition appeal to you.
- Short and rough runways: choose the Kodiak 100 for cargo, mountain and remote-strip operations.
- Older airliners: choose the BAe 146 if manual thrust control and classic regional procedures sound more appealing than automated flight.
- Long-haul routes: choose the PMDG 777 only if you enjoy full pre-flight preparation and regularly finish longer sectors.
- Failure-heavy complex GA: choose one Black Square Duke; buy the combined package only if both piston and turbine operations interest you.
A mistake we see repeatedly is buying an entire family before understanding its packaging. Passenger models, freighters, engine choices, floats and related airframes may be included, sold as expansions or treated as separate products. If you are still discovering your preferred flying, our selection of the best freeware aircraft for MSFS 2020 lets you test several roles before paying for a specialised add-on.
Are the best MSFS 2020 payware aircraft available on Xbox?
Most of this shortlist has an Xbox edition, but Xbox users must buy the exact Xbox-compatible package through the in-simulator Marketplace.
| Aircraft | MSFS 2020 PC | MSFS 2020 Xbox | Marketplace requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fenix A320 | Yes | No | No Xbox-compatible Marketplace edition. It requires a Windows companion application. |
| PMDG 737 family | Yes | Yes | Xbox requires the Marketplace listing for the exact 737 package. A direct PC licence cannot be installed on Xbox. |
| PMDG 777-300ER | Yes | Yes | Xbox requires the corresponding Marketplace package; do not infer access from ownership of another 777 variant. |
| A2A Comanche 250 | Yes | Yes | The Xbox-compatible Comanche is available through the in-simulator Marketplace. Older claims that the aircraft is PC-only are no longer accurate. |
| SWS Kodiak 100 | Yes | Yes | Xbox requires the Marketplace edition. Check the listing carefully because wheeled and amphibious products may be separate. |
| Just Flight BAe 146 Professional | Yes | Yes | Xbox requires the Marketplace edition. The 146 and related regional-jet products are not interchangeable purchases. |
| Black Square Duke series | Yes | Yes, for Xbox-labelled editions | Use the exact Marketplace listing for the Piston Duke, Turbine Duke or bundle. A direct PC edition does not provide an Xbox installation. |
Marketplace availability alone is not enough: read the platform labels on the individual product page. Listings, variants and update timing can differ even within one developer's range, and direct PC purchases do not transfer to Xbox unless the seller explicitly provides such an entitlement.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 was never released on PlayStation. MSFS 2024 is available on PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro, but an Xbox-compatible aircraft is not automatically a PlayStation-compatible aircraft; the exact PS5 Marketplace listing must say so.
What are the best payware aircraft for MSFS 2024?
The strongest MSFS 2024 choices remain the Fenix A320, PMDG 737 and 777, A2A Comanche, Kodiak 100, BAe 146 and Black Square Dukes, provided you install or purchase their explicitly supported 2024 editions.
Under MSFS 2024 Sim Update 5, released in April 2026, these products should be treated as separate version decisions rather than automatic transfers from MSFS 2020. “Loads in the simulator” is not the same as officially supported, and a visible 2020 Marketplace entitlement does not prove that the aircraft has a native or supported 2024 package.
| Aircraft | MSFS 2024 status | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Fenix A320 | An officially supported MSFS 2024 PC build is available. | It still depends on the Fenix companion application and is not a console product. Install the 2024 build rather than copying the 2020 package manually. |
| PMDG 737 family | Dedicated, supported MSFS 2024 versions are available. | Support and Marketplace release apply to exact 737 packages, not every family member through one purchase. Verify the simulator label and console platform before paying. |
| PMDG 777 family | Supported MSFS 2024 versions are available. | The -300ER and other 777 variants can have separate licences, installers and Marketplace listings. |
| A2A Comanche 250 | An officially supported MSFS 2024 version is available. | Use the developer-supplied 2024 build or the correctly labelled Marketplace version. Do not assume a manually copied MSFS 2020 installation is supported. |
| SWS Kodiak 100 | A dedicated MSFS 2024 version is available. | Confirm the exact wheeled or amphibious product, its upgrade route and its console labels; the 2020 package should not be treated as the same product automatically. |
| Just Flight BAe 146 Professional | A supported MSFS 2024 edition is available. | Check that you are buying the 146 rather than a related RJ product, and verify the platform label if purchasing on Xbox or PlayStation. |
| Black Square products | The Duke line has supported MSFS 2024 editions, but Black Square support is product-specific. | Do not use the Duke's compatibility as proof that every older Black Square enhancement works in MSFS 2024. Some products also have dependencies on particular default aircraft or simulator editions. |
For deeper coverage of platform differences and individual 2024 packages, see our focused recommendations for MSFS 2024 payware aircraft.
What should you check before buying an MSFS payware aircraft?
Verify the exact product version, simulator generation, delivery channel and upgrade path before comparing screenshots or feature lists.
- Read the full simulator label. It must explicitly name Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 or both. Compatibility in one direction does not establish compatibility in the other.
- Match the precise aircraft package. A developer may support one 737, 777, Duke or Kodiak edition before another. Family branding is not proof that every variant shares the same support.
- Check the platform. PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 can have different catalogues. Console users require a compatible in-simulator Marketplace listing because they cannot install a Windows download manually.
- Confirm the delivery channel. A direct PC licence and a Marketplace licence may use different installers, update schedules and account entitlements. Never assume buying one grants the other.
- Find the upgrade terms. Establish whether MSFS 2024 support is included, supplied as a free replacement, discounted for existing owners or sold separately. Treat silence as no entitlement rather than assuming an MSFS 2020 purchase transfers.
- Inspect the package contents. Freighters, engine choices, amphibious versions, cabin layouts and related airframes are frequently separate purchases.
- Define the depth you need. “Study-level” has no fixed technical standard. Look for the features that matter to you: custom hydraulics, circuit breakers, failures, persistent wear, engine damage or a custom flight-management system.
- Allow for performance and controls. Complex glass cockpits and wide-bodies usually demand more from the simulator than default aircraft. Custom throttle, mixture and condition-lever events may also need dedicated controller mappings.
Why does a new payware aircraft not work after installation?
Most failures after installation come from using the wrong simulator build, a missing companion application, duplicate packages, outdated liveries or conflicting control assignments.
- Confirm the installed generation. MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 use separate package locations and product builds. Do not copy an aircraft between their
Communityfolders unless its developer explicitly instructs you to do so. - Check the required application. For the Fenix A320, make sure its companion application is installed, running and matched to the simulator version. A missing or blocked companion process can leave the aircraft unable to initialise correctly.
- Remove duplicate editions. Do not keep direct-download and Marketplace copies of the same aircraft installed together. Remove the unwanted edition before reinstalling through your chosen channel.
- Test without liveries. An old repaint can reference files changed by an aircraft update, causing a broken cockpit, missing textures or a failed load. Use the supplied default livery first.
- Check electrical state. Blank displays are normal when an aircraft loads cold and dark. Establish external or battery power using the aircraft's documented procedure before treating the screens as faulty.
- Clear duplicate bindings. Search the control assignments for repeated throttle, mixture, propeller, condition-lever, fuel-cut-off and starter inputs. Unwanted shutdowns or moving levers are often control conflicts rather than aircraft failures.
- Run a clean test. Load the default livery at a default airport with unrelated Community add-ons disabled. If the aircraft works there, restore scenery, utilities and liveries in small groups until the conflict returns.