Find free Boeing 737 downloads and Ryanair liveries for MSFS 2020, plus how to spot a complete aircraft instead of a repaint needing a base model.
Look for a complete freeware Boeing 737 in our MSFS 2020 civil-jet library, then add a compatible Ryanair livery. Check each listing carefully: many “free 737” files are only repaints, and our festive Ryanair pack for PMDG 737 variants requires the paid PMDG aircraft; it does not include a flyable 737.
Is a free Ryanair 737 download the whole aircraft?
Usually not: most Ryanair 737 downloads are liveries intended for a specific base aircraft. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 has no default Boeing 737, so installing a repaint by itself cannot add one.
- Complete aircraft: should explicitly say that it includes the model, cockpit, flight dynamics and sounds.
- Livery or repaint: supplies textures only and must name the aircraft and variant it supports.
- Base aircraft required: means another product must already be installed, even when the livery itself is free.
- Conversion or port: may have basic systems, visual faults or compatibility problems compared with an aircraft built specifically for MSFS 2020.
Do not judge this from the screenshot or download size. Read the requirements and description for phrases such as “texture only”, “repaint” or “requires PMDG”.
Which Boeing 737 download should I choose?
Choose according to whether you need the entire aircraft or only Ryanair colours for a 737 you already own.
| What you want | Correct download | Main check |
|---|---|---|
| An entirely free 737 | A freeware listing explicitly described as a complete MSFS 2020 aircraft | Confirm that a cockpit and flyable model are included |
| Ryanair colours for an existing 737 | A free livery made for that exact aircraft | Match the developer and variant, such as 737-800 |
| A high-fidelity PMDG 737 in Ryanair colours | The paid PMDG base aircraft plus a compatible free livery | The livery is free, but the aircraft is not |
A livery for one developer’s 737-800 will not normally work with another developer’s model, a 737-700, a 737-900 or a 737 MAX. If no listing is clearly marked as a complete freeware aircraft for MSFS 2020, do not assume a repaint contains the missing aeroplane.
How do I install the 737 and Ryanair livery?
Install the base aircraft before its Ryanair livery, following any instructions supplied with each archive.
- Check the requirements: confirm that both files support MSFS 2020 and that the livery names the exact 737 model you have.
- Extract the download: do not leave the aircraft or livery inside its ZIP archive.
- Find the package folder: for a standard Community add-on, this is normally the folder containing
manifest.jsonandlayout.json. - Copy it to Community: place the package in the active
Communityfolder without adding unnecessary nested folders. The active package location is recorded inUserCfg.optbesideInstalledPackagesPath. - Restart MSFS 2020: select the correct 737 in the aircraft menu, then choose the Ryanair design from its available liveries.
Some PMDG repaints use the aircraft’s own livery-management utility instead of a normal Community package. If the archive does not contain the usual MSFS package files, follow its included readme rather than copying it blindly.
Why does the Ryanair livery not appear?
A missing Ryanair paint is usually caused by an incompatible 737 variant, an absent base aircraft or the wrong folder structure.
- No 737 appears: verify that you downloaded a complete aircraft, not a livery, and that it is in the active Community folder.
- The aircraft appears but not the livery: check the developer and variant. A 737-800 repaint cannot simply be applied to every other 737.
- The aeroplane is pink or has missing textures: reinstall the livery, remove duplicate older copies and confirm that every required base package is present.
- The package is ignored: open it and check for an extra wrapper folder above the folder containing
manifest.json. - The simulator becomes unstable: remove the newly installed package and test again. An outdated or poorly converted aircraft may no longer be compatible with the installed simulator build.
Are free MSFS 2020 Boeing 737s study-level?
No: freeware 737 quality ranges from simple aircraft using generic systems to detailed community projects. Before downloading, check whether the cockpit, flight-management system, autopilot, sounds and exterior animations are described as functional rather than assuming the aircraft matches a commercial simulation.
For casual flights, a simpler freeware model may be enough. If accurate 737 procedures and systems are the priority, the more dependable route is usually a supported commercial base aircraft with a free, variant-specific Ryanair livery.