Microsoft Flight Simulator covers Earth at 1:1 scale. See its area, flight distances, detail limits and why the full map is not installed locally.
Microsoft Flight Simulator’s world map covers the entire Earth at approximately 1:1 scale: about 510 million square kilometres of surface, including roughly 149 million km² of land. Both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 let you plan flights across this global map rather than using separate regional maps.
Is the Microsoft Flight Simulator map really 1:1 scale?
Yes: distances between locations are based on their real geographical positions rather than a compressed game-world scale. A real-world route of 1,000 nautical miles is therefore approximately 1,000 nautical miles in the simulator.
| Measurement | Approximate size represented |
|---|---|
| Scale | 1:1 with Earth |
| Total surface area | 510 million km² |
| Land area | 149 million km² |
| Ocean area | 361 million km² |
| Equatorial circumference | 40,075 km |
The planning interface’s projection, labels and zoom level do not change that underlying scale. Routes, coastlines, terrain and navigation positions are placed on a globe, although source-data limitations mean they are not all perfectly accurate.
Does every part of the world have the same detail?
No: the whole planet is represented, but scenery quality varies sharply by region. A major city may use photogrammetry and detailed landmarks, while a remote area may rely on elevation data, aerial imagery and procedurally generated buildings, roads and vegetation.
- Handcrafted locations receive the most deliberate modelling.
- Photogrammetry areas reproduce real building shapes but can show visual artefacts or outdated structures.
- Procedural regions preserve broad geography without reproducing every building exactly.
- Oceans and sparsely surveyed regions are geographically present but naturally contain less visible detail.
Our explanation of how worldwide MSFS scenery is constructed covers the imagery, terrain and procedural systems behind this variation. Optional regional World Updates in MSFS 2020 can improve selected airports, landmarks and scenery, but they do not enlarge the map.
Is the entire world map installed on your drive?
No: Microsoft Flight Simulator streams much of its world scenery from online services instead of installing a full high-detail copy of Earth. The geographic world is vastly larger than the simulator’s local installation.
Installed aircraft, core files and downloaded scenery still consume substantial space, so check our breakdown of Microsoft Flight Simulator storage requirements when planning a drive. A rolling cache can retain recently streamed scenery, but it is not a permanent download of the planet.
What remains available without streaming depends on the simulator version and installed packages. Lower-detail or incomplete scenery when offline does not mean that the world map itself has become geographically smaller.
Does MSFS 2024 have a larger map than MSFS 2020?
No: MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 both cover the full Earth. MSFS 2024 changes scenery content, data delivery and the level of detail available in places, but it does not add territory beyond the planet already represented in MSFS 2020.
Simulator editions also share the same geographic coverage. Premium editions may include extra handcrafted airports, aircraft or other content, but buying a higher edition does not unlock additional countries or regions.
How long would it take to fly around the MSFS world?
A theoretical equatorial circuit covers about 40,075 km, so the time depends entirely on groundspeed. At a constant 900 km/h it would take roughly 44.5 hours; at 200 km/h it would take about 200 hours.
Those figures exclude fuel stops, routing changes, winds, take-offs and landings. Because the map is approximately 1:1, normal real-world flight times and aircraft range limits remain useful when planning a route in Microsoft Flight Simulator.