Learn how to create a SimBrief flight plan, import it into MSFS 2020 or 2024, load the aircraft, and fix route or procedure errors.
Create the route in SimBrief with the correct aircraft profile, airports, payload and fuel, then generate the operational flight plan (OFP). In Microsoft Flight Simulator, import it through the MSFS 2024 EFB, load an exported .pln file in the MSFS 2020 World Map, or request it from a supported aircraft’s EFB/FMS.
How do I create a SimBrief flight plan?
The aircraft profile is the critical starting point because it determines the planned weights, fuel burn, altitude and performance assumptions.
- Sign in to SimBrief: Create a new flight and enter the departure and destination ICAO codes, plus an alternate when required.
- Select the exact aircraft: Match the aircraft type and, where possible, the specific add-on or airframe profile. A generic A320 profile may produce different weights and fuel figures from the particular A320 variant installed in the simulator.
- Build the route: Use a suggested route or enter one manually. Check that the first and last fixes sensibly connect to the expected SID and STAR. Avoid committing to a runway too early when the weather or ATC assignment may change.
- Set the operating details: Enter the planned payload, cruise altitude and other required dispatch options. Keep the units consistent with the aircraft.
- Generate the OFP: SimBrief calculates the route, winds, estimated times, weights and fuel. If you change the route or payload afterwards, generate a fresh OFP rather than using the old calculations.
- Review the important figures: Check the route, planned runway, cruise level, zero-fuel weight, block fuel and reserve fuel. Do not load only the trip fuel; block fuel includes the additional fuel intended for taxi, reserves and contingencies.
For a closer explanation of profiles, route options and the OFP itself, see our step-by-step SimBrief planning guide.
Which SimBrief import method should I use?
Use the MSFS 2024 EFB when available, an aircraft integration for complex add-ons, or a .pln file when you need the MSFS 2020 World Map and built-in ATC to know the route.
| Method | Best choice when | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| MSFS 2024 EFB | You want the simulator’s native planning workflow and supported transfer to the aircraft | The final transfer steps and imported data vary by aircraft |
| Aircraft EFB/FMS import | The aircraft has a direct SimBrief request or uplink function | The route may exist only inside the aircraft, not in built-in ATC |
MSFS 2020 .pln file | You are on PC and want the route loaded through the World Map | Procedures can be altered or duplicated by the simulator planner |
| Manual FMS entry | The aircraft has no working import integration | Slower, but useful for checking every waypoint and airway |
Importing through the MSFS 2024 EFB
Link the requested SimBrief account identifier, import the generated flight, review the route in the EFB and then use the available transfer or send-to-avionics command. Importing into the EFB does not always mean the route has also reached the cockpit avionics.
Aircraft support differs, so confirm that the origin, destination and route appear in the FMS before departure. Our complete MSFS 2024 EFB import workflow covers account linking, avionics transfer and route corrections without duplicating those aircraft-specific steps here.
Loading a SimBrief plan in the MSFS 2020 World Map
- Export the plan: Download the Microsoft Flight Simulator
.plnformat from the generated SimBrief flight. - Open the World Map: Use its load option to select the saved file from the PC.
- Inspect the route: Check the departure, arrival and approach. Selecting new procedures after loading can replace or duplicate parts of the imported route.
- Choose parking carefully: Select the required gate or stand without allowing the planner to rewrite the departure unexpectedly.
- Compare the cockpit route: Once loaded into the flight, verify the first active leg and the complete waypoint sequence before engaging NAV or LNAV.
If you need to edit procedures or understand why the route changed, our guide to using the MSFS built-in flight planner explains the World Map workflow in detail. On consoles, local .pln file handling is not the practical option; favour the MSFS 2024 EFB or an aircraft’s account-based integration.
What does SimBrief not load automatically?
A SimBrief import often transfers the route but does not fully configure the aircraft for flight.
Check the payload and block fuel in the simulator’s Weight and Balance page or the aircraft EFB. In the FMS, verify the cruise altitude, cost index, reserves, departure and arrival procedures, then complete the take-off and approach performance pages. Some aircraft can import part of this data; others import only waypoints.
Do not add the planned fuel or payload twice. If the aircraft integration has already loaded those values, copying them again through the simulator menu will produce incorrect weights.
Why is my SimBrief route missing or wrong in MSFS?
Most failed or malformed imports come from an account mismatch, incompatible navigation data, an incomplete avionics transfer or procedures being added twice.
- No flight is found: Confirm that the OFP was generated, not merely edited, and enter the exact identifier requested by the integration. Some aircraft ask for a SimBrief username; others require the numerical Pilot ID rather than an email address or display name.
- A waypoint is not found: The AIRAC navigation-data cycles in SimBrief, the simulator and the aircraft may differ. Edit or replace the rejected fix, or align the navigation data where possible.
- Only the airports appear: The EFB may have imported the plan without sending it to the avionics. Look for a separate route-request, uplink, load or send-to-avionics action.
- The SID or STAR is duplicated: Do not insert the same procedure through both the imported route and the MSFS planner. Remove the duplicate and verify every waypoint around the join.
- The FMS shows a discontinuity: Resolve unintended gaps, but do not automatically delete a vector or manual leg that represents an ATC-directed section of the procedure.
- The aircraft ignores the magenta line: Confirm that the intended leg is active and that the correct GPS/FMS navigation source and managed NAV or LNAV mode are selected.
Will Microsoft Flight Simulator ATC follow the SimBrief route?
Built-in ATC can follow the route only when the simulator itself knows about it; importing directly into an aircraft’s FMS does not necessarily file that route with MSFS ATC.
For built-in ATC, load the route through the simulator planner or use the relevant filing function in the MSFS 2024 EFB where supported. Then compare the ATC route with the aircraft FMS so that both use the same procedures and active leg. Our explanation of how flight plans interact with MSFS ATC covers clearances, route changes and the limitations of the built-in controller.