Compare Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 editions, aircraft and airport counts, key extras, upgrade traps and which version best suits you.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has four editions: Standard, Deluxe, Premium Deluxe and Aviator. All include the same core simulator, world, Career Mode, multiplayer and core updates; higher editions add bundled aircraft and a small number of upgraded airports. Standard includes 70 aircraft, while Aviator includes 125.
What does each Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 edition include?
The practical differences are the number of bundled aircraft and upgraded airports. The totals are cumulative, so each higher tier contains the lower edition's content plus its listed additions.
| Edition | Total aircraft | Upgraded airports | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 70 | 150 | Complete base simulator and the best-value starting point |
| Deluxe | 80 | 155 | Adds 10 aircraft and five upgraded airports |
| Premium Deluxe | 95 | 160 | Adds 15 aircraft and five airports over Deluxe |
| Aviator | 125 | 160 | Adds 30 Microsoft-published Marketplace aircraft over Premium Deluxe |
“Upgraded airports” does not mean these are the only airports available. Every edition covers the same worldwide airport database; the figure counts airports receiving more detailed, curated treatment.
The aircraft totals describe bundled entitlements, not equal levels of systems depth, and some counts include variants. Our aircraft breakdown for each MSFS 2024 edition is the better reference if one particular aeroplane will decide your purchase.
Do higher editions improve graphics or performance?
No. Deluxe, Premium Deluxe and Aviator do not provide better graphics, flight physics, weather, streaming priority or frame rates than Standard.
- All editions use the same world, flight model and weather engine.
- Career Mode, activities, multiplayer and core simulator updates are shared.
- The same graphics and accessibility settings are available on a given platform.
- Internet-dependent world streaming works the same way in every edition.
Buying Aviator will not improve scenery away from its included upgraded airports. Connection quality and data settings matter far more; see what MSFS 2024 requires the internet for if bandwidth or offline use affects your choice.
Which MSFS 2024 edition should I buy?
Standard is the sensible choice for most pilots, especially if you plan to use third-party aircraft or mainly fly a few favourite types.
- Choose Standard when you want the complete simulator without paying for aircraft you may never fly.
- Choose Deluxe only when its particular additions, such as the Baron G58, Saab 340B or Cessna 404 Titan, matter to you. Five extra upgraded airports alone rarely justify the tier.
- Choose Premium Deluxe when you specifically want several of its higher-end aircraft, including types such as the Boeing 787-10, C-17 Globemaster III, Citation Longitude or Pilatus PC-24.
- Choose Aviator when you want a substantial collection of Microsoft-published historical and specialist Marketplace aircraft. Its extra fleet includes aircraft such as the Antonov An-225 and Boeing 707, but it does not include every third-party Marketplace product or any additional airports beyond Premium Deluxe.
Count the aircraft you would genuinely use rather than comparing bundle totals. If only one premium aeroplane interests you, check whether it can be obtained separately or through an upgrade before buying a much larger package. Our storefront and edition-buying comparison covers pricing and licence considerations without treating the largest bundle as the automatic winner.
Can I upgrade to another edition later?
A later upgrade may be available through your storefront or the in-simulator Marketplace, but do not assume it will cost only the original price difference.
- Check the exact upgrade contents. Deluxe, Premium Deluxe and Aviator packages are different entitlements; similar names can make the wrong bundle easy to buy.
- Compare the total cost. Buying Standard and upgrading later can cost more than purchasing the desired edition initially.
- Stay within the same purchasing ecosystem. Steam, Microsoft/Xbox and PlayStation licences are not automatically interchangeable. Buy on the platform and account where you intend to keep your simulator and add-ons.
- Treat subscription access separately. Access to Standard through a subscription is not the same as owning the base simulator. Losing that subscription can leave an upgrade without an accessible base product.
Owning a Deluxe or Premium Deluxe edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 does not turn an MSFS 2024 Standard licence into the equivalent 2024 edition. Compatible content may transfer separately when the account, storefront and add-on support permit it, but the edition licences remain distinct.
Do all editions support mods and add-ons?
All PC editions support the same compatible add-on mechanisms; paying for a higher edition does not unlock broader mod support. PC users can install suitable Community-folder content, while console versions are restricted to add-ons distributed through the in-simulator Marketplace and allowed by the platform.
Compatibility depends on the add-on and simulator version, not whether the base licence is Standard or Aviator. Our MSFS aircraft, scenery and utility downloads are therefore just as relevant to a Standard installation as to the more expensive editions.