Where can I download free aircraft for MSFS 2024?
You can download free aircraft for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 from Fly Away Simulation’s MSFS freeware aircraft library. Browse the aircraft categories, verify that each listing explicitly supports MSFS 2024, and follow its installation notes. Many MSFS 2020 aircraft also work, but never treat 2020 compatibility alone as a guarantee.
Which aircraft download category should I use?
Choose the directory by aircraft type, then judge the individual file by its stated simulator compatibility.
For airliners and regional jets, browse our free civil jet downloads for MSFS. Light singles, twins, touring aircraft and homebuilts are collected under free general aviation aircraft. The main library also covers military, vintage and rotorcraft packages.
Read the full description before downloading. “MSFS” on its own may mean MSFS 2020, MSFS 2024 or both, while a repaint or livery is not a complete aircraft.
| Listing type | What it means | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Explicit MSFS 2024 support | The package is presented as compatible with the newer simulator | Best first choice |
| MSFS 2020 and 2024 support | The same package is intended for both simulators | Suitable when the requirements are met |
| MSFS 2020 only | It may load in 2024, but has no stated support | Try only if you accept possible faults |
| Livery or repaint | New paintwork for a separate base aircraft | Install only if you own the required aircraft |
Will MSFS 2020 aircraft work in MSFS 2024?
Some MSFS 2020 aircraft work in MSFS 2024, but compatibility ranges from fully functional to an aircraft that loads with broken cockpit systems.
Packages using standard simulator systems tend to have fewer failure points. Custom avionics, gauges, WASM modules, external utilities and hard-coded package paths are more likely to require an update. Liveries can also fail when they reference a base-aircraft name or package identity that changed between simulators.
Seeing the aircraft in the selection screen does not prove full compatibility. Test the cold-and-dark start, displays, flight controls, sounds, lights and external animations before relying on it for a longer flight. Do not copy an entire MSFS 2020 Community folder into MSFS 2024 at once; move packages individually so a faulty add-on is easy to identify.
How do I install a downloaded aircraft in MSFS 2024?
Most freeware aircraft are extracted into the active MSFS 2024 Community folder, although packages supplied with their own installer must follow the author’s instructions. Our step-by-step aircraft installation guide covers the full process and folder-location differences.
- Check the requirements. Confirm MSFS 2024 support and look for dependencies, required base aircraft or separate utilities.
- Extract the archive. Do not place the unopened ZIP, RAR or 7z archive in the Community folder.
- Find the actual package folder. Its top level normally contains files such as
manifest.jsonandlayout.json. A mistake we see constantly is copying an extra outer folder, leaving the real package one level too deep. - Copy it to the active Community folder. MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 can use different package locations, and a custom installation path overrides common defaults.
- Restart the simulator. Search the aircraft selector by the manufacturer and model stated in the listing, not merely by the archive’s filename.
Why does the downloaded aircraft not appear?
An aircraft that does not appear is usually in the wrong Community folder, still compressed or nested one directory too deep.
- Confirm that you used MSFS 2024’s active package location rather than the MSFS 2020 folder.
- Open the copied folder and check that the package files are not hidden inside a second identically named directory.
- Verify that the download is a complete aircraft rather than a livery requiring another model.
- Install every dependency named in the description or included documentation.
- Remove older or duplicate copies of the same package, then test the new version by itself.
- If the simulator crashes or hangs while loading, remove the package and start clean; the add-on may be incompatible rather than incorrectly installed.
How can I download freeware aircraft safely?
Use a curated download library, read the package description and scan downloaded archives with your security software before extracting them.
A conventional drag-and-drop aircraft package should not request account credentials or require you to disable security protection. Some complex aircraft legitimately use installers or companion programs, but the listing should explain why. Avoid overwriting the simulator’s official files unless clear, package-specific instructions require it; Community-folder installation is easier to remove and troubleshoot.