How do I save and resume a flight in MSFS 2020 or 2024?
Save and resume MSFS 2020 flights with .FLT files, understand MSFS 2024 limits, and fix missing saves, route-only loads and incomplete cockpit states.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 on PC can save and resume a flight as a .FLT file: open Load/Save from the in-flight pause menu, then load the file from World Map. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has no universal mid-flight save for Free Flight, Career or structured activities on PC or console.
Which MSFS versions can save and load a flight?
Only MSFS 2020 on PC has the familiar user-managed .FLT workflow for saving and loading a complete flight situation.
| Version and platform | Manual flight-situation save | Available alternative |
|---|---|---|
| MSFS 2020 on PC | Yes; save and load .FLT files through Load/Save | Save a route separately as a .PLN when needed |
| MSFS 2020 on Xbox | No normal user-managed .FLT workflow | Use the in-simulator planner and available console storage features |
| MSFS 2024 on PC, Xbox, PS5 and PS5 Pro | No universal Free Flight save-and-resume function | Preserve the route and use checkpoints supplied by the selected activity or mode |
How do I save a flight in MSFS 2020?
Start the configured flight, open the pause menu and save the situation as a .FLT file.
- Configure the flight. Choose the aircraft, livery, departure position, route, fuel, payload, weather and time.
- Enter and stabilise the flight. Let the cockpit and scenery finish loading. For an airborne checkpoint, save during level flight rather than take-off, touchdown or an autopilot mode change.
- Open the pause menu. Press
Escon PC or use the assigned control. - Select Load/Save. The control normally appears along the bottom of the screen, and the default PC interface may show
Spaceas its shortcut. - Save a flight file. Retain the
.FLTfile type and choose a permanent folder. Do not use the Community folder, a temporary download directory or another location that may be cleared. - Confirm and rotate checkpoints. Wait for the save dialogue to close before quitting. Use names such as
EGLL-KJFK-01.FLTandEGLL-KJFK-02.FLTinstead of overwriting the only working copy.
The same method can preserve an airborne flight or create a reusable departure setup at a parking stand. A .FLT is a session snapshot, however, not a guaranteed copy of every switch, add-on system or online service.
How do I resume the saved flight?
Load the .FLT from the MSFS 2020 World Map rather than importing it as a route.
- Open World Map from the main menu.
- Select Load/Save and choose the load option. The control may sit under an additional menu in some interface layouts.
- Find the saved file. Browse to its folder and ensure the file filter includes
.FLT. - Open the
.FLT. Inspect the populated World Map, then select Fly. This starts the loaded situation; it does not create another save. - Check the aircraft immediately. Verify position, altitude, fuel, trim, engine state, autopilot modes, active waypoint and next frequency before continuing.
If the file is missing or only the route appears, our MSFS 2020 flight-loading procedure covers the file picker, World Map controls and incorrect file types.
Should I save a .FLT or .PLN file?
Choose .FLT to resume a particular MSFS 2020 situation; choose .PLN when only the route needs to be retained.
| Save type | What it retains | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
.FLT | Aircraft position, selected aircraft, route references and many native simulator values | You want to resume an airborne flight or reuse a prepared departure |
.PLN | Airports, waypoints, procedures and other flight-plan information | You want to fly the route again with a different aircraft, starting position or weather setup |
| MSFS 2024 EFB plan | Route and planning data, not the complete live cockpit state | You need to preserve or recreate a route in MSFS 2024 |
Renaming a .PLN file to .FLT does not turn it into a saved situation. For externally planned flights, preserve and import the SimBrief route separately in case the active leg or FMS sequence is lost.
Why does a loaded flight not match the saved one?
A standard flight save cannot freeze every aircraft system, installed package and live service.
- Only the route appears: a
.PLNwas probably loaded instead of the.FLT. Return to Load/Save and select the flight-situation file. - Avionics or switches are wrong: complex aircraft may store electrical, hydraulic, engine, failure and FMS data outside the standard save system. Use the aircraft's own panel-state or flight-state feature where one is supplied.
- Autopilot modes are incorrect: the aircraft may capture the wrong altitude, follow an unexpected leg or load with a mode disengaged. Check every annunciated mode before releasing the pause.
- ATC, weather or traffic has changed: clearances, controller context, live weather, multiplayer aircraft and traffic are rebuilt when the session reconnects. Obtain a fresh clearance if necessary.
- The route has changed: the World Map or aircraft flight-management system may recalculate procedures and waypoint sequencing.
- The save crashes or returns to the menu: restore the aircraft, livery, airport or scenery package used by the save. If an add-on recently changed, test the file with default content.
- The file is missing: check the original folder, the selected file-type filter and whether Windows is hiding known extensions. Do not search only the Community folder.
Is FILE_SETUP a saved-flight type?
No. FILE_SETUP is not an MSFS saved-flight extension and must not replace .FLT. If it appears literally as a button or heading, it is a raw interface label rather than a flight file; restart the simulator and check that its interface language and base content are installed correctly.
Can I save a flight in MSFS 2024 or on console?
MSFS 2024 does not provide a universal manual save that restores an arbitrary Free Flight session at the same position and cockpit state.
The EFB can retain planning data, but an EFB plan is not a mid-flight save. To recreate a flight, preserve the route and record the aircraft, livery, stand, fuel, payload, weather and time. Do not treat an MSFS 2020 .FLT as a cross-version aircraft-state file.
Can I save mid-flight in MSFS 2024 on PS5?
No. PS5 and PS5 Pro do not provide manual .FLT export or a general Free Flight resume point. MSFS 2020 was never released on PlayStation, so its PC file-picker instructions do not apply there.
Xbox Quick Resume, PlayStation Rest Mode and leaving the simulator paused may keep the running application in memory, but they are not saved flights. Closing the simulator, installing an update or losing power can discard the session; our explanation of pause behaviour and console suspension clarifies the distinction.
Does MSFS 2024 save Career flight progress?
Career progression and a saved live flight are different things. Career can record completed results and may supply mode-specific recovery or checkpoints, but it does not let the pilot create an arbitrary cockpit snapshot from the pause menu.
Unless an activity explicitly displays a resume or checkpoint option, assume that leaving it will not return the aircraft to the same position. Structured activities and missions must use their own checkpoint behaviour.
What is the safest way to preserve a long flight?
For MSFS 2020 on PC, combine rolling .FLT saves with a separately stored route and any aircraft-specific state file.
- Save after reaching cruise and again before descent.
- Keep at least two rotating
.FLTfiles. - Store the route as a
.PLNor in the planner used to create it. - Record the active waypoint, cleared altitude, fuel remaining and next frequency.
- Test an important checkpoint before relying on it and retain the previous file until the newer one loads successfully.
MSFS 2024 cannot protect a Free Flight in the same way. Preserve enough planning and aircraft information to recreate the flight, or use an explicit checkpoint supplied by the selected mode.