Compare MSFS 2020 Standard, Deluxe and Premium Deluxe aircraft, handcrafted airports, shared features and upgrade caveats before buying.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 Standard includes the complete simulator and base content. Deluxe adds five edition-exclusive aircraft and five handcrafted airports; Premium Deluxe includes Deluxe and adds five more aircraft and five more airports. The flight model, world, weather, multiplayer and graphics are otherwise the same across all three editions.
MSFS 2020 edition comparison
The familiar aircraft and airport totals describe the original launch packages. Free simulator, world and anniversary updates have since expanded every edition, but they have not removed the paid tiers or their exclusive content.
| Edition | Original launch aircraft | Original handcrafted airports | Extra content over Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 20 | 30 | None |
| Deluxe | 25 | 35 | 5 aircraft and 5 airports |
| Premium Deluxe | 30 | 40 | All Deluxe content, plus another 5 aircraft and 5 airports |
Our complete aircraft breakdown for each MSFS 2020 edition also separates the shared fleet from the paid-tier aircraft.
Which aircraft come with Deluxe and Premium Deluxe?
Deluxe adds five aircraft to the Standard fleet, while Premium Deluxe contains those five plus another five.
Aircraft added by Deluxe
- Diamond Aircraft DA40-TDI
- Diamond Aircraft DV20
- Beechcraft Baron G58
- Cessna 152 Aerobat
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk with the classic steam-gauge cockpit
Additional aircraft in Premium Deluxe
- Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner
- Cirrus SR22
- Pipistrel Virus SW 121
- Cessna Citation Longitude
- Zlin Aviation Shock Ultra
The 787-10 and Citation Longitude are usually the strongest reasons to choose Premium Deluxe, especially for airline or business-jet flying. The classic Cessna 172 and Baron G58 make Deluxe more relevant to pilots interested in traditional general aviation. Our assessment of the most useful included MSFS 2020 aircraft can help if the aeroplanes are deciding the purchase.
Which handcrafted airports are exclusive to each edition?
Higher editions add more detailed, hand-built versions of ten airports; they do not unlock additional regions or destinations.
Airports added by Deluxe
- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
- Cairo International Airport
- Cape Town International Airport
- Chicago O'Hare International Airport
- Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport
Additional airports in Premium Deluxe
- Denver International Airport
- Dubai International Airport
- Frankfurt Airport
- London Heathrow Airport
- San Francisco International Airport
Standard-edition pilots can still depart from and land at these locations. The difference is the bespoke airport model, with more carefully reproduced terminals, structures and ground details. Free world updates may improve surrounding scenery or other airports for everyone, but they do not grant the paid edition packages.
Does Premium Deluxe improve graphics or realism?
Premium Deluxe does not provide a better rendering engine, flight model, weather system, world map, multiplayer service or performance mode.
All three editions support the same graphics settings, peripherals, assistance options, live services and third-party add-ons. A detailed Premium airport may demand more system resources while it is being rendered, but buying the higher edition does not improve visual quality everywhere else.
Which Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 edition should you buy?
Choose the edition by its specific aircraft and airports, not by the original headline content totals.
- Choose Standard if you want the complete core simulator, are unsure which aircraft you will use or expect to rely mainly on separate add-ons. It is not a cut-down version of the simulation.
- Choose Deluxe if the classic Cessna 172, Baron G58, DA40-TDI or one of its five handcrafted airports matters to you. Otherwise, the middle tier offers fewer compelling additions than Premium Deluxe.
- Choose Premium Deluxe if you specifically want the 787-10, Citation Longitude, SR22 or its major international airports. It includes every Deluxe extra as well.
Do not compare editions solely by the total number of aircraft shown in an old advert. Common free updates, optional packages and individually purchased content can make the number displayed in Content Manager much higher.
Can you upgrade from Standard later?
You can usually add Deluxe or Premium Deluxe content later through Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020's in-sim Marketplace, but buying Standard and upgrading separately may cost more than purchasing the desired edition from the outset.
Prices and package availability vary by platform and region, so compare the final totals before paying. Keep the base simulator and upgrade on the same account and storefront; ownership should not be assumed to transfer between separate purchase ecosystems. Our explanation of how Marketplace purchases and installation work covers the main account and content-management caveats.
Why are my Deluxe or Premium Deluxe aircraft missing?
Missing edition aircraft usually mean the entitlement is owned but its optional content package has not been installed.
- Check the active account. Confirm that Microsoft Flight Simulator is signed into the account that owns the higher edition or upgrade.
- Open Content Manager. Search for the edition package or the missing aircraft and remove any filter that hides uninstalled content.
- Download owned packages. Install each item marked as owned but not installed, then allow the download to finish before returning to the aircraft selector.
- Keep official files out of the Community folder. Edition content belongs in the simulator-managed
Officialpackage location, notCommunity. - Restart after installation. If the entitlement still does not appear, restart the simulator and the platform client so account licences are checked again.