How do I plan a long-haul flight in a flight simulator?

Plan a long-haul simulator flight by matching the aircraft and payload to the distance, building a valid route, selecting a realistic initial cruise level, checking forecast weather and alternates, calculating block fuel, then verifying the route, weights, performance and reserves in the aircraft’s FMS before departure.

This process applies to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and 2020, X-Plane 12, Prepar3D and FSX. Keep three layers separate: the planning tool creates the operational plan, the aircraft’s FMC or MCDU flies it, and the simulator-level flight plan may feed the map and built-in ATC. They do not always synchronise automatically.

Which flight simulator flight planner should I use?

Choose a dispatch-style planner for realistic fuel and operational planning, or a built-in planner when quick setup and simulator ATC integration matter more.

If you searched for planner.flightsimulator.com, that address is associated with Microsoft Flight Simulator’s browser-based planning system for MSFS 2024. A saved route can be brought into the simulator’s EFB, but an EFB route, a route sent to the avionics and a plan filed with built-in ATC should still be treated as separate items and checked individually.

For airline-style planning, our step-by-step dispatch and flight-plan export workflow explains how to select the aircraft profile, payload, route, alternates and fuel without relying on the simulator’s simplified defaults.

Long-haul flight planning workflow

A dependable long-haul plan is built in an order that lets the route, weather, weights and fuel calculations support each other.

1. Define the flight. Set the origin, destination, departure time, aircraft variant and intended payload. Published maximum range assumes particular conditions; a heavy payload, headwind, diversion requirement or runway restriction can make a nominally possible sector impractical.
2. Check forecast weather at the correct times. Review departure weather, winds aloft, destination conditions around the estimated arrival time and the alternate forecast. A current METAR is not a forecast for an airport you will reach ten hours later.
3. Build the horizontal route. Join a suitable departure, en-route airways or oceanic segment, arrival and approach. Organised oceanic tracks apply to particular dates and directions, so do not reuse an old track merely because its waypoints still load. For crossings, use our oceanic-routing, alternates and step-climb checklist.
4. Select alternates. A destination alternate must be reachable with the planned alternate fuel and have suitable runways, approaches and forecast conditions. For operations modelled on extended-range procedures, also consider usable en-route diversion airports rather than looking only at the destination.
5. Choose the initial cruise level. Use the aircraft’s expected take-off weight, optimum and maximum altitudes, route direction, winds and turbulence. A heavy wide-body may need to start below its most efficient later altitude.
6. Set payload before calculating fuel. Enter passengers and cargo first because weight affects climb performance, cruise consumption and achievable altitude. Check zero-fuel, take-off and predicted landing weights against the aircraft’s limits.
7. Calculate block fuel. Include taxi, trip, contingency, alternate, final reserve and any required additional or discretionary extra fuel. Do not substitute full tanks or an arbitrary percentage.
8. Load and verify the route. Check the origin, destination, runway, first and last fixes, every airway join, cruise level and any discontinuities. Compare the FMS legs with the operational plan rather than assuming a successful import is correct.
9. Complete take-off performance. Calculate configuration, trim and reference speeds from the actual runway, wind, temperature and weight. Recalculate after any significant fuel, payload or runway change.
10. Record cruise checkpoints. Note planned fuel remaining and times at several waypoints. A growing difference between planned and actual fuel is useful early warning of stronger winds, an inaccurate aircraft profile or incorrect engine settings.

What does cruise level mean, and which one should I choose?

The cruise level is the pressure altitude used for the en-route cruise, normally expressed as a flight level above the local transition altitude.

For example, FL350 represents a pressure level based on the standard altimeter setting; it is not simply 35,000 feet on the local QNH. Transition altitudes, direction-of-flight rules and available levels vary by country and airspace, while ATC can assign a different level from the one requested.

Use these checks when choosing the initial cruise level:

• Aircraft weight: remain at or below the FMS maximum altitude and preferably near, but not blindly at, its optimum altitude.
• Climb capability: leave a practical margin above buffet and minimum manoeuvring speed. An aircraft that can just reach a level may be unable to hold speed there.
• Direction and airspace: request a level compatible with the applicable eastbound or westbound allocation and route restrictions.
• Wind and turbulence: a lower level can be quicker or safer if the nominally efficient level has a stronger headwind or forecast turbulence.
• Step climbs: plan later climbs as fuel burns off. Do not enter the final step-climb level as the initial cruise altitude in the simulator planner.

A common failure is accepting a planner’s cruise level even though the aircraft’s FMS shows it above the maximum for the present weight. In that case, lower the initial level and revise the climb schedule; do not override the aircraft warning.

How much block fuel should a long-haul flight carry?

Block fuel is the total fuel loaded for departure and should be calculated from the planned operation rather than tank capacity.

Block fuel = taxi + trip + contingency + alternate + final reserve + additional or extra fuel

• Taxi fuel covers engine start, auxiliary power use and ground movement before take-off.
• Trip fuel covers take-off through landing on the planned route and vertical profile.
• Contingency fuel protects against reasonable variations in winds, routing and aircraft performance.
• Alternate fuel normally covers a missed approach, diversion and landing at the selected alternate.
• Final reserve is protected fuel. It is not routine holding fuel or a target amount to consume before landing.
• Additional or extra fuel covers specific operational requirements or discretionary concerns such as likely holding and uncertain weather. Terminology and rules vary between operations.

Taxi fuel is consumed before take-off, so take-off fuel will be lower than block fuel. Check the result against maximum take-off weight, tank capacity and predicted landing weight. Our worked explanation of simulator block-fuel calculation covers each component and the practical refuelling process.

Always confirm the unit. Confusing kilograms with pounds can leave the aircraft drastically short of fuel or far above its permitted weight. Also verify that the planner uses the correct aircraft variant and engine profile; two visually similar variants can have different capacities and cruise consumption.

Does ATC need my fuel figure?

ATC does not calculate the fuel required for your flight, although a filed flight plan may ask for fuel endurance and some simulator ATC systems use the simulator-level plan.

Enter endurance as a realistic time derived from usable fuel, not as a fuel weight. Loading fuel through an aircraft EFB or add-on does not guarantee that built-in ATC has received the same information.

In real-world ICAO phraseology, minimum fuel warns ATC that further delay could create an emergency; it is not itself an emergency declaration. A fuel emergency is declared when the predicted usable fuel on landing at the nearest safe aerodrome will be below final reserve. Built-in simulator ATC may not reproduce those distinctions or respond correctly.

How should I load a flight plan in MSFS 2024 and MSFS 2020?

Load the route at the simulator level when you need map or built-in ATC support, and load or verify it in the aircraft’s own FMS when that avionics system will control lateral navigation.

MSFS 2024 flight plan

MSFS 2024 uses an EFB-based planning workflow and can use plans prepared with its browser planner. After loading a plan, confirm that the route has reached the aircraft’s avionics and that it has been filed with built-in ATC if you intend to use ATC; one action does not always imply the others.

Aircraft integration differs. Some avionics accept the route and procedures directly, while more complex aircraft may require an additional import or manual confirmation inside the FMC or MCDU.

MSFS 2020 flight plan

In MSFS 2020, the World Map flight plan can provide the simulator route and built-in ATC clearance. Many complex aircraft maintain a separate FMS route, so check that the same origin, destination and en-route fixes appear in both systems.

A mistake we see constantly is importing a complete route into the FMS and also allowing the simulator to insert another SID or STAR. The result is duplicated fixes, a route loop or an unexpected return to the airport. Choose one main source for procedures and inspect the legs page after every import.

X-Plane 12, Prepar3D and FSX follow the same principle: a route displayed by the simulator does not prove that an add-on aircraft’s navigation computer has loaded it. Import formats and procedure support depend on the aircraft, so verify the route inside the cockpit.

Should I choose the SID and STAR before departure?

Select a likely SID before departure, but treat the long-haul arrival and approach as provisional until updated destination weather and runway information are available.

The departure runway, initial climb and SID should agree with the flight plan and take-off calculation. A likely STAR is useful for route and fuel planning, but the active runway may change during a flight lasting many hours.

After replacing a STAR or approach, inspect every FMS leg. Look for duplicate transition fixes, route gaps, vectors, altitude constraints that do not make sense and automatic direct-to legs. Clear only discontinuities you understand; some represent an intentional radar-vector segment.

Can I use sim rate in MSFS 2024 or time acceleration in X-Plane 12?

Yes, but use time acceleration only in stable cruise and return to normal speed before route turns, weather, step climbs, descent preparation or ATC instructions.

• MSFS 2024 and MSFS 2020: sim-rate controls can be assigned through the control bindings. Default assignments and controller profiles differ, so check the active binding rather than relying on a remembered shortcut. Increase the rate gradually and watch airspeed, vertical speed and autopilot modes.
• X-Plane 12: commands are available for simulation speed and ground-speed acceleration. Simulation speed asks the flight model and systems to run faster and is limited by computer performance. Ground-speed acceleration advances the flight more quickly but can behave poorly near turns, terrain, traffic or changing weather.

Complex aircraft systems, weather engines and built-in ATC do not always tolerate high acceleration. The autopilot may oscillate, waypoint sequencing can be missed and an add-on’s fuel or time logic may not scale as expected. Compare actual fuel with the operational plan after each accelerated period.

Return to normal rate with ample time to verify the multiplier, navigation modes and aircraft state before top of descent. Our guidance on using acceleration while preserving realistic cruise checks covers the trade-offs in more detail.

Saving is another weak point on long sectors. A simulator save may restore position and basic controls without restoring every FMS, electrical, autopilot or add-on state. Test save-and-resume behaviour with the chosen aircraft before depending on it for an overnight flight, and use the aircraft’s own panel-state feature where one is provided.

What should I check before top of descent?

Before top of descent, rebuild the arrival briefing around actual fuel, landing weight, weather and runway information rather than choices made at departure.

• Update destination and alternate weather for the expected arrival time.
• Confirm the landing runway, STAR, transition and approach in the FMS.
• Review descent winds, altitude and speed constraints, terrain and expected track miles.
• Check the approach minima, missed-approach route and alternate plan.
• Compare predicted landing fuel with final reserve and diversion requirements.
• Calculate landing configuration and reference speeds from the expected landing weight.
• Set normal simulation speed and verify the autopilot, autothrottle and navigation modes.

Where is DA shown for the approach?

The decision altitude, or DA, is shown in the minima section of the approach chart, commonly as DA(H). DA is the barometric altitude referenced to mean sea level; the height in brackets is normally the corresponding height above the relevant runway or threshold datum.

For an approach using DA, set the published barometric minimum in the aircraft’s minimums selector unless the chart and simulated procedure specifically require a radio-altimeter decision height. Do not invent DA by adding a standard number to the runway elevation. A non-precision approach may publish an MDA instead, which has different descent and missed-approach handling.

Common long-haul planning failures and their fixes