See where MSFS 2024 scenery beats MSFS 2020, where it does not, and how streaming, settings, photogrammetry and add-ons affect the result.
MSFS 2024 generally delivers better scenery than MSFS 2020, most noticeably near the ground: terrain materials, vegetation, rocks, seasonal variation and small-scale detail are richer. At airline cruise altitude the difference is smaller, and either simulator can look worse when imagery, photogrammetry, streaming or graphics settings are poor.
What looks better in MSFS 2024?
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 improves the parts of the world that become obvious during low-level flying, helicopter operations, bush trips and movement on the ground. More detailed procedural surfaces, denser vegetation and three-dimensional ground elements help reduce the flat appearance sometimes seen in MSFS 2020.
Vegetation placement and seasonal presentation are also more convincing. Trees, grass and surrounding terrain respond more naturally to the type of region and season, although the result still depends on the underlying mapping data.
| Scenery element | Typical result | Main caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Ground detail at low altitude | MSFS 2024 is noticeably better | Quality varies by region and graphics settings |
| Vegetation and seasonal effects | MSFS 2024 has the advantage | Placement errors and unsuitable tree types can still occur |
| Satellite imagery from cruise altitude | Often similar | Both depend on the quality and age of source imagery |
| Photogrammetry cities | Mixed and location-dependent | Neither simulator can fully repair poor source geometry |
| Handcrafted airports and landmarks | Package-dependent | Edition content, World Updates and add-ons can outweigh the base simulator |
| Weak or unstable internet connection | MSFS 2020 may appear more consistent with installed content | Both simulators need online data for their best global scenery |
The largest visual gains therefore appear below a few thousand feet rather than at normal airliner cruise levels. For a broader comparison covering aircraft, physics, activities and performance as well as visuals, see our breakdown of the wider differences between MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024.
Is photogrammetry better in MSFS 2024?
Photogrammetry can look better in MSFS 2024, but it is not uniformly rebuilt or sharper everywhere. Both simulators rely on aerial imagery, terrain data and three-dimensional city data whose coverage, age and quality vary by location.
A newer renderer may present good source data more effectively, but it cannot restore missing façades, correct every distorted building or remove trees baked into old imagery. This is why one city can look markedly improved while another retains the familiar melted-building effect.
Handcrafted scenery complicates comparisons further. A fully updated or third-party-enhanced airport in MSFS 2020 can easily look better than the unmodified version in MSFS 2024. The two simulators also deliver official content differently, so check how World Updates and streamed scenery are installed and updated before judging the same location.
Why can MSFS 2024 scenery look worse than MSFS 2020?
MSFS 2024 can look worse when cloud data has not loaded correctly, online scenery is disabled or the system has reduced detail to remain within its performance limits. Its greater reliance on streamed content makes connection quality particularly visible after spawning, teleporting or moving rapidly to a new area.
- Online world data: Confirm that online functionality, mapping data and photogrammetry are enabled where applicable.
- Bandwidth or data limits: A connection can be fast enough for multiplayer but still struggle to fetch detailed scenery consistently.
- Terrain and Object LOD: Terrain LOD controls distant terrain detail, while Object LOD affects the range and complexity of buildings, trees and other objects.
- Render scaling: Low render resolution makes scenery appear soft even when high-quality source data has loaded.
- Graphics memory pressure: Excessive texture and object settings can produce stutters, delayed loading or inconsistent detail rather than a cleaner image.
- Cache problems: Stale or damaged cached data may cause persistent low-resolution patches, although clearing the cache should not be the first response to every visual problem.
Increasing texture quality alone will not repair low-resolution satellite imagery. Our checks for diagnosing blurry or low-quality Microsoft Flight Simulator scenery cover the streaming, cache and LOD problems that commonly invalidate comparisons.
How do you compare MSFS 2020 and 2024 scenery fairly?
A valid comparison requires the same place, conditions, content and approximate rendering load in both simulators. Otherwise, weather, add-ons or a missing update can create a larger difference than the scenery engine itself.
- Choose identical coordinates: Use the same runway, parking position or saved latitude and longitude rather than two vaguely similar viewpoints.
- Match time and weather: Use comparable daylight, cloud cover, visibility, season and snow depth.
- Enable the same online features: Check mapping data and photogrammetry, then allow both simulators time to finish streaming.
- Remove add-on differences: Disable conflicting scenery packages through content management; on PC, also check the
Communityfolder. - Check official content: Do not compare an updated MSFS 2020 region with a missing or unloaded equivalent in MSFS 2024.
- Match effective settings: Use similar resolution, Terrain LOD, Object LOD and traffic levels rather than copying preset names that may represent different workloads.
Is MSFS 2024 worth upgrading for scenery alone?
MSFS 2024 is the stronger choice for pilots who spend substantial time close to the ground. Bush flying, helicopters, gliders, low-level VFR and ground exploration benefit most from its vegetation, surface detail and seasonal presentation.
MSFS 2020 remains visually competitive for high-altitude airline flying, especially when it already has carefully selected World Updates and mature airport add-ons installed. It can also be the more predictable option on an unreliable connection, although its best scenery still depends on streamed online data.
The practical verdict is that MSFS 2024 has the better base scenery system, but not every location will look better. Source imagery, streamed data, installed packages and rendering settings can still matter more than the simulator name at a particular airport or city.