Microsoft Flight Simulator has free roam through Free Flight or the World Map. Learn how to spawn anywhere, skip routes and avoid setup mistakes.
Yes. Microsoft Flight Simulator has unrestricted free roaming, although the label differs by version. In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, choose Free Flight; in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, start from the World Map. You can depart from an airport or selected map position without choosing a destination, mission or formal flight plan.
How do you start free roam in Microsoft Flight Simulator?
In MSFS 2024, open Free Flight; in MSFS 2020, open the World Map, then set an airport or valid map point as your departure.
| Simulator | Where to start | What it provides |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 | Free Flight | Unrestricted flying outside Career missions |
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 | World Map | Unrestricted flying outside Activities and Discovery Flights |
- Open the free-flight map: choose Free Flight in MSFS 2024 or World Map in MSFS 2020.
- Select an aircraft: any installed aircraft suitable for the intended starting point will work.
- Set the departure: choose an airport, runway, parking position or selectable point on the map. Make sure it is assigned as the departure rather than the arrival.
- Leave the destination empty: no arrival airport is required. Add one only if you want the simulator to generate a route.
- Choose the conditions: set the time, weather, traffic, multiplayer and assistance options you want.
- Launch the flight: the simulator will load at the selected runway, parking position or airborne map location.
If you decide you want waypoints or an IFR route after all, our guide to setting up departures and routes with the built-in planner covers that process without turning it into a required part of free flight.
Do you need a destination or flight plan?
No. A destination, VFR or IFR route, and ATC clearance are all optional in free-roam flight. You can take off, change direction whenever you like, land elsewhere and continue flying.
Without a planned route, you must handle your own position awareness. In MSFS 2020, the VFR map can show your position and nearby airports; cockpit GPS and navigation displays are other practical choices.
Free Flight in MSFS 2024 is separate from Career Mode, so an unrestricted flight does not advance career missions, companies or reputation. You do not need to unlock Free Flight through the career system. MSFS 2020 has no equivalent built-in career progression.
Can you spawn and fly anywhere?
You can start over almost any selectable point on Microsoft Flight Simulator's global map and fly without regional boundaries. The simulator represents the whole planet at approximately real-world scale, explained further in our guide to the world map's scale and coverage.
Selecting an airport gives you the most predictable start. A runway position normally loads the aircraft ready for departure, while a gate or parking stand usually provides a ground start and may load the aircraft cold and dark. The exact state depends on the aircraft and assistance settings.
A custom point away from an airport normally creates an airborne start. You can still land on suitable open ground or water with an appropriate aircraft, but off-airport locations have no guaranteed parking, fuel, ATC or ground services. Terrain, vegetation, buildings and surface quality can also make a location unusable.
Why does free roam start in the wrong place or state?
The usual cause is an incorrectly assigned map point or the wrong airport spawn type.
- The airport becomes your destination: select it again and assign it specifically as the departure. This is a common mistake when both map options are available.
- You start on the runway with engines running: choose a gate, ramp or parking position instead. Small airfields may not contain usable parking points.
- You start in the air: this is expected when departing from a custom non-airport map point. Choose an airport parking position for a ground start.
- A route keeps appearing: remove the arrival and any waypoints before launching. Selecting both departure and arrival points usually creates a route automatically.
- The aircraft flies itself: check the assistance settings and disable any AI piloting features that take control of take-off, navigation or landing.