Learn how to install bush trips in MSFS 2020, find the correct Community folder, fix nested packages and locate trips in-game.
To download and install bush trips in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, download a compatible package on PC, extract the archive, and place its package folder directly in the simulator’s Community folder. Restart MSFS, then open Activities and Bush Trips. Marketplace trips instead install through the in-game Content Manager.
How do I install a downloaded bush trip on PC?
A third-party MSFS 2020 bush trip installs like any other Community add-on, but its archive must be extracted to the correct folder level.
- Check compatibility: Confirm that the download supports Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 rather than only MSFS 2024, and note any required aircraft, scenery or library packages. Our MSFS add-on library includes compatible bush trips alongside aircraft and scenery.
- Download and extract the archive: Do not put a ZIP, RAR or 7Z archive directly into the Community folder. Extract it to a temporary location first. If Windows reports excessively long file paths, use a short temporary location such as
C:\MSFS-Temp. - Identify the package folder: Open the extracted folders until you find the one containing
manifest.jsonandlayout.json. Those files should end up at a path resemblingCommunity\package-name\manifest.json, not beneath several unnecessary wrapper folders. - Find the active Community folder: MSFS can use a custom package location, so copying to a default path found online is unreliable. Open
UserCfg.optand read the location besideInstalledPackagesPath; the activeCommunityfolder is inside that location. Our detailed Community-folder installation instructions cover the different PC editions and custom package paths. - Copy the package: Close MSFS, then copy the complete package folder into
Community. If the download contains several package folders or separate dependencies, follow its included instructions and install each required folder. - Start the trip: Launch MSFS 2020 and open Activities, followed by Bush Trips. Select the new trip and begin its first leg.
The usual UserCfg.opt locations are %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\UserCfg.opt for the Microsoft Store or Xbox app edition and %APPDATA%\Microsoft Flight Simulator\UserCfg.opt for Steam. The value inside that file remains the better guide because MSFS allows the content packages to be installed elsewhere.
How are Marketplace and official bush trips installed?
Marketplace and official bush trips should be installed from inside MSFS 2020 rather than copied manually into the Community folder.
| Trip source | Installation method | Supported platform |
|---|---|---|
| Downloaded third-party package | Extract into the active Community folder | PC |
| Marketplace purchase | Download through Marketplace or Content Manager | PC and Xbox |
| Official or World Update content | Install or update the relevant package in Content Manager | PC and Xbox |
Do not place third-party files in the Official folder or alter its managed packages. Once installed, our explanation of starting and completing MSFS bush-trip legs covers navigation, saving progress and leg completion.
Why doesn’t my downloaded bush trip appear?
A missing bush trip is usually in the wrong Community folder, nested one folder too deep, still compressed, or not packaged as a Bush Trip activity.
- Extra wrapper folder: If the path resembles
Community\download-name\package-name\manifest.json, movepackage-nameup one level. - Wrong Community folder: Recheck
InstalledPackagesPath, particularly after moving MSFS content to another drive. - Simulator was running: Fully restart MSFS after adding or removing a Community package.
- Missing dependency: Install the aircraft, scenery or shared library named in the download description. A trip tied to an unavailable aircraft may fail to load correctly.
- Old duplicate package: Remove previous copies before installing an update. Two versions with the same package identity can conflict even when their folder names differ.
- Flight plan rather than activity: A download containing only a
.plnfile is a flight plan, not an Activities-menu Bush Trip. Load it through the World Map’s flight-plan option instead. - Version mismatch: An MSFS 2024-only package should not be assumed to work in MSFS 2020, even if both simulators use Community packages.
Can downloaded bush trips be installed on Xbox?
Manually downloaded bush trips cannot be installed in MSFS 2020 on Xbox because the console version has no supported, user-accessible Community folder.
Xbox players must obtain bush trips through the in-game Marketplace or official content packages. Installing a third-party trip on the PC edition does not transfer that Community package to Xbox through profile synchronisation or cloud saves.
Can I update a bush trip without losing progress?
Replacing a bush-trip package does not normally erase profile progress deliberately, but changes to its legs, checkpoints or mission files can make an existing save incompatible.
Close MSFS, remove the old package folder, and copy in the new version rather than merging files. If the updated trip loads at the wrong leg or behaves unpredictably, reset or restart that trip from the Bush Trips interface where the option is available; avoid deleting all cloud data merely to reset one add-on.