Compare MSFS passenger and cabin add-ons for boarding, announcements, crew, visible passengers and consoles, with compatibility and setup advice.
Microsoft Flight Simulator passenger and cabin add-ons include PACX, Self-Loading Cargo, Passenger2 and LukeAirTool for boarding, satisfaction and announcements; GSX Pro for animated passengers and ground handling; and FS2Crew for crew procedures. Most full-featured utilities are PC-only, while console users rely mainly on aircraft and Marketplace features.
Which passenger and cabin add-on should you choose?
The right choice depends on whether you want passenger management, visible boarding, realistic crew procedures or simply airline announcements. These functions overlap, but no single add-on provides every part of the cabin experience equally well.
| Add-on type | Common examples | Best for | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger simulation | PACX, Self-Loading Cargo, Passenger2, LukeAirTool | Boarding, passenger numbers, satisfaction, flight events and announcements | Usually runs as an external PC application; passengers may not be physically visible |
| Animated ground service | GSX Pro | Boarding and deboarding animations, baggage, stairs, catering and ground vehicles | Door positions and visible passengers depend on the aircraft profile and model |
| Virtual crew | FS2Crew aircraft-specific editions | Checklists, call-outs, flows, first-officer actions and some cabin interaction | It is a cockpit-crew simulation rather than a full passenger manager |
| Announcement and sound packs | Aircraft-specific audio packs and manual sound panels | Safety demonstrations, boarding music, chimes and flight-phase announcements | Usually provides no passenger logic, payload control or boarding animation |
| Cabin and passenger models | Features supplied with individual aircraft | Exploring a modelled interior or seeing occupied seats | A passenger utility cannot add a cabin to an aircraft that was built without one |
PACX suits pilots who want a straightforward airline-passenger layer with boarding, announcements and passenger reactions. Self-Loading Cargo and Passenger2 put more emphasis on managing the cabin and monitoring the quality of the flight, while LukeAirTool combines passenger functions with airline audio and related tools.
GSX Pro is the stronger choice when the visible airport turnaround matters most. It handles the ground process rather than passenger satisfaction, so it is commonly paired with one passenger utility rather than used as a replacement for it.
For checklist discipline and a working first officer, see how FS2Crew handles virtual-crew duties and aircraft-specific procedures. If audio is the priority, our breakdown of automatic and manual captain and cabin announcements covers the simpler sound-only options.
Which cabin add-ons work on Xbox and PlayStation?
Full passenger utilities are primarily a PC option because they normally connect to Microsoft Flight Simulator through an external application or local interface.
Xbox and PlayStation do not allow users to install ordinary Windows utilities or Community-folder packages. Console users are therefore limited to cabin features included with the aircraft or distributed as compatible in-simulator Marketplace content. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 runs on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and PS5 Pro; Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 remains PC and Xbox only.
Do not assume that an add-on built for MSFS 2020 also supports MSFS 2024 in exactly the same way. Check the stated simulator, platform and aircraft compatibility, especially where an external connector, aircraft profile or protected Marketplace aircraft is involved.
How should you combine passenger and cabin add-ons?
The most reliable setup uses one add-on for passenger logic, an optional ground-service layer and the aircraft's own payload system as a carefully controlled source of weight data.
- Choose one primary passenger utility. Running two passenger managers can produce duplicate announcements, conflicting flight phases and two unrelated satisfaction scores.
- Add visual ground handling if wanted. Configure the correct aircraft profile so stairs, jetways and boarding passengers use the intended doors.
- Decide which tool controls payload. The aircraft EFB, simulator payload screen and ground-service software may all be able to change passenger or baggage weight. Let one system write the payload and disable automatic synchronisation elsewhere where the products permit it.
- Match the flight details. Use the same passenger count, callsign, origin and destination across the aircraft and external utilities. Otherwise, the cabin programme may trigger the wrong airline audio or end the flight early.
- Test the triggers before departure. Door state, parking brake, seat-belt signs and altitude can control announcements. Confirm that boarding completes and the safety sequence plays before committing to a long flight.
A mistake we see constantly is loading passengers in the aircraft EFB and then allowing a second utility to load them again. The result can be an unexpected centre-of-gravity shift, excessive take-off weight or a payload figure that changes after boarding.
Why are passengers missing or announcements silent?
Missing passengers usually indicate an aircraft-integration problem, while silent announcements are more often caused by audio routing or flight-phase triggers.
- Empty cabin after boarding: animated passengers need a supported interior and, in some cases, aircraft-specific integration. A boarding counter reaching zero does not guarantee that occupied seats will appear.
- Passengers walk through the fuselage: select or create the correct aircraft profile and check the configured entry doors rather than changing graphics settings.
- No connection to the simulator: start the simulator and load into the aircraft before connecting the external utility. Also confirm that its required connector or bridge is installed and permitted by security software.
- No announcement audio: inspect the application's selected sound device, the Windows per-application mixer and any cockpit or add-on volume controls.
- Wrong or repeated announcements: check the parking brake, doors, seat-belt sign and cruise-altitude settings. These are common triggers for automatic cabin sequences.
- Sudden performance loss: reduce animated-passenger or ground-vehicle density before lowering unrelated simulator display settings.
Can you see and walk through the passenger cabin?
You can explore a cabin only when the aircraft developer has modelled an accessible interior; installing a passenger manager does not create cabin geometry or working doors.
Our guide to identifying aircraft with a viewable passenger cabin explains what to check before obtaining an aircraft. Movement also differs by simulator: MSFS 2024 walkaround and MSFS 2020 cabin-camera methods have different controls and aircraft limitations.
A modelled cabin, visible seated passengers and simulated passenger behaviour are three separate features. Check for each one explicitly rather than assuming that an add-on advertising boarding includes all three.