What are the differences between Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024?

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a separate, newer simulator rather than a simple update to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. The biggest differences are its built-in career mode, more mission-based gameplay, updated world and terrain rendering, revised flight and ground handling, and a heavier emphasis on streamed content.

If we already know MSFS 2020 well, the easiest way to think about MSFS 2024 is this: it keeps the same broad idea of a full-world civilian flight simulator, but it pushes much further into structured activities and a more hands-on aviation experience.

MSFS 2020 vs 2024 at a glance

• MSFS 2020: focused mainly on free flight, sightseeing, live weather, airliners, general aviation and open-ended simming.
• MSFS 2024: keeps free flight, but adds a much stronger gameplay layer with careers, jobs, progression and operational tasks.
• MSFS 2020: the original modern release in the current series.
• MSFS 2024: a newer standalone title built on the same overall platform direction, but with meaningful engine, content and workflow changes.

Is MSFS 2024 just an update to MSFS 2020?

No. MSFS 2024 is its own simulator, not a free patch that simply turns MSFS 2020 into the new version.

That matters because it affects how we think about ownership, installation and add-ons. Even though the two simulators are closely related, they are not identical builds of the same product. In practical terms, we should treat MSFS 2024 as a new entry in the franchise with its own content set, feature roadmap and compatibility considerations.

The biggest gameplay difference: career mode and aviation jobs

The clearest difference most people notice straight away is structured gameplay.

What MSFS 2020 offers

MSFS 2020 is largely a sandbox. We can plan flights, use live weather, fly airliners or light aircraft, complete landing challenges and enjoy discovery-style content, but the simulator mostly leaves our goals up to us.

What MSFS 2024 adds

MSFS 2024 introduces a much stronger career and mission system. Instead of only choosing a departure point and flying for our own reasons, we can work through aviation activities and role-based flying. Depending on the aircraft and content involved, that can include operational flying beyond ordinary point-to-point trips.

For many simmers, this is the single most important difference:

• MSFS 2020 is more open-ended.
• MSFS 2024 is more structured and game-like without stopping being a simulator.

Walkarounds, preflight tasks and more hands-on interaction

Another major shift in MSFS 2024 is that it puts more emphasis on what happens before and after the flight, not just the time spent in the air.

Compared with MSFS 2020, MSFS 2024 is designed around more physical interaction with the aircraft and its operating environment. That can include tasks such as aircraft walkarounds, inspections and mission-related ground procedures. The result is that flying feels less like spawning directly on a runway for a quick hop and more like taking part in a complete aviation operation.

If we prefer a pure cockpit-to-cockpit experience, MSFS 2020 may still feel more straightforward. If we like immersion outside the aircraft as well, MSFS 2024 has the advantage.

Flight model and handling differences

MSFS 2024 builds on the aerodynamic work already seen in MSFS 2020, but it aims to improve how aircraft behave across a wider range of situations.

Areas where MSFS 2024 generally moves forward

• Ground handling: taxiing, braking and aircraft behaviour on the surface are given more attention.
• Environmental interaction: airflow, terrain effects and conditions are represented more deeply in the overall simulation design.
• Specialised flying: the newer sim is more clearly built to support a broader mix of aircraft types and mission profiles.

That does not mean every aircraft automatically feels perfect in MSFS 2024, because aircraft quality still depends heavily on the individual model and developer. Even so, the newer simulator is intended to offer a broader and more refined handling model overall.

World detail, terrain, seasons and visuals

Both simulators are known for recreating the real world, but MSFS 2024 pushes the presentation further.

How MSFS 2024 differs visually

• More detailed ground and terrain representation in many areas.
• Improved vegetation and environmental variety.
• Stronger seasonal presentation and a world that feels less static.
• More emphasis on living-world detail, especially at lower altitudes where career and utility flying matter more.

MSFS 2020 already looks excellent, especially from typical cruising altitudes. MSFS 2024 tends to matter most when we are flying low, working from small airfields or spending more time around the aircraft on the ground.

Content streaming and installation differences

One practical difference between the two simulators is how content is delivered.

MSFS 2020 already uses online data heavily, but MSFS 2024 leans even more into streamed content and a more flexible delivery model. In simple terms, that can reduce how much needs to sit permanently on local storage, but it also makes a stable internet connection more important for getting the best experience.

This has a few knock-on effects:

• Loading behaviour can feel different.
• Local storage use may be handled differently.
• Connection quality can have more impact on what we see and how quickly assets appear.

If we like to fly mostly offline or with a limited connection, this is worth thinking about before moving from MSFS 2020.

Aircraft, activities and included focus

MSFS 2024 is not just MSFS 2020 with a few extra aircraft. It is packaged around a different idea of what the base simulator should include.

MSFS 2020 is heavily centred on:

• Free flight
• Airliner and general aviation use
• Sightseeing
• Classic challenge content

MSFS 2024 puts more weight on:

• Career progression
• Mission-driven flying
• Operational and utility aviation
• A wider day-to-day aviation workflow

So even when both simulators let us fly from A to B in the same part of the world, the surrounding experience can feel quite different.

Do add-ons from MSFS 2020 work in MSFS 2024?

Some do, but we should not assume everything transfers perfectly.

Because MSFS 2024 is a separate simulator, add-on compatibility depends on the aircraft, scenery or utility involved. Many products are designed to carry over or be updated, but some need developer changes, and some may work only partially until updated.

As a rule:

• Simple scenery or liveries may transition more easily.
• Complex aircraft and utilities are more likely to need testing or dedicated updates.

If our current hangar in MSFS 2020 is built around advanced third-party aircraft, it can make sense to keep both simulators available until our must-have add-ons are confirmed for the newer platform.

Is MSFS 2024 better than MSFS 2020?

For most new buyers, MSFS 2024 is the more advanced simulator. It has the broader feature set and the more modern design direction.

That said, MSFS 2020 is not obsolete overnight. It can still be the better choice if:

• We mainly want stable, familiar free flight.
• Our favourite add-ons are currently built around MSFS 2020.
• We do not care much about career mode or mission structure.
• We prefer the more established ecosystem of the older sim.

MSFS 2024 is usually the better fit if:

• We want a newer platform going forward.
• We enjoy structured objectives and aviation careers.
• We want more interaction outside the cockpit.
• We want the latest world, engine and systems improvements built into the base experience.

Should you upgrade from MSFS 2020 to MSFS 2024?

If we are happy with MSFS 2020 and mostly fly a small set of reliable add-on aircraft, there is no urgent technical reason we must switch immediately. MSFS 2020 still delivers excellent free-flight simulation.

If we want the newer long-term platform, more guided content, better low-level immersion and a stronger sense of progression, then MSFS 2024 is the more compelling package.

Bottom line

The difference between Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is not just better graphics. MSFS 2024 changes the shape of the simulator itself by adding careers, mission-based flying, more hands-on aircraft interaction, updated world rendering and a newer delivery model.

In short, MSFS 2020 is the excellent sandbox many of us already know, while MSFS 2024 is the newer, more structured and more operationally focused evolution of that idea.