How do I start and run a cargo company in MSFS 2024?

To start a cargo company in MSFS 2024 Career Mode, earn the required pilot licence and Cargo Transport specialisation, complete its introductory mission, save enough credits, then create the company and buy a compatible aircraft. Run freelance cargo missions, protect your reputation, and reserve cash for fuel, insurance, maintenance and repairs.

What do you need to unlock a cargo company?

You need every requirement shown on the Cargo Transport company tile to be complete before Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 will let you open the business. These requirements normally cover the necessary pilot certification, the initial Cargo Transport specialisation, its introductory mission and sufficient startup funds.

Passing a pilot examination alone is not enough. A mistake we see constantly is overlooking the specialisation's introductory employee mission, which remains a separate progression requirement. Our breakdown of the licences and missions needed to unlock Career companies explains how these gates fit together.

You also need more than the minimum amount displayed on the company tile. Budget for the opening cost, a compatible aircraft, insurance, positioning charges and immediate maintenance. If your balance is too low, build it through employee work using these practical methods for earning Career Mode credits.

Starting the company and buying its first aircraft

The safe way to start is to create the Cargo Transport business only after you can buy its aircraft without emptying your account.

1. Complete every unlock condition. Check the Cargo Transport tile rather than assuming that a related licence has unlocked the business automatically.
2. Save a repair reserve. Keep enough credits after the purchase to cover worn components, insurance and at least one poor-paying or unsuccessful flight.
3. Create the company. Open the Career company panel, select Cargo Transport and pay the displayed opening cost.
4. Buy an eligible aircraft. Use the company's fleet-management screen and choose from the aircraft Career Mode marks as compatible with that cargo tier.
5. Inspect its condition. A cheap or discounted aircraft may require maintenance before it is dependable. Check component condition and any transfer charge before confirming the purchase.
6. Prepare it for work. Repair safety-critical faults, add sufficient fuel, select an insurance option and make sure the aircraft is available for your own missions rather than assigned to crew.
7. Select a freelance cargo mission. Use the company or freelance mission view, verify the departure airport and aircraft, then complete the cargo flight without skipping required objectives.

Do not spend the full balance on the largest aircraft you can afford. Aircraft value, condition and recurring costs matter more than size during the first few contracts. Our guide to buying and maintaining Career Mode aircraft covers the fleet screen and repair decisions in more detail.

How do employee and company cargo missions differ?

Employee cargo missions provide an aircraft and pay a wage, while freelance company missions use your aircraft and expose your business to the full operating risk.

Flying from the employee branch after opening a company does not produce the same company payout. Always check that the mission is marked as freelance or company work and that your own cargo aircraft is selected.

Keeping cargo operations profitable

A cargo company becomes profitable by controlling damage and operating costs, not simply by accepting the mission with the largest advertised reward.

• Check the destination. Runway length, surface, elevation, weather and surrounding terrain can turn an attractive contract into an expensive repair bill.
• Start conservatively. Favour manageable routes and suitable paved airports until you know the aircraft's take-off, landing and payload behaviour.
• Avoid procedural penalties. Taxi speeding, flap overspeed, excessive aircraft stress, runway excursions and poor landings reduce the result and can damage the aircraft.
• Limit unnecessary skipping. Skipping flight phases can remove relevant bonuses and may leave the aircraft in an awkward state for the next objective.
• Review the post-flight breakdown. Compare the gross reward with insurance, maintenance, transfer and repair charges. The headline reward is not your net profit.
• Maintain before failure. Replacing or repairing a deteriorating component is usually cheaper than losing a mission and recovering a badly damaged aircraft.

When should you expand the fleet?

Expand only when the existing aircraft earns consistently and the purchase will leave a meaningful cash reserve. Medium and heavy cargo work may require additional certifications, specialisations and aircraft; owning a light-cargo company does not unlock those tiers automatically.

A spare compatible aircraft can be assigned to crew while you fly another mission, allowing it to contribute income during active Career play. The behaviour and limitations are covered in our explanation of company crew settings and passive income. Treat this as supplementary revenue rather than guaranteed offline earnings.

Why is the cargo company locked or empty?

A locked company or empty cargo map usually points to an incomplete requirement, the wrong mission view or an unavailable aircraft.

• The company remains locked: inspect each listed condition for an unfinished certification, specialisation mission or credit requirement.
• No freelance cargo jobs appear: switch from employee work to the company mission view, clear restrictive filters and inspect other unlocked regions.
• The aircraft cannot be selected: confirm that it is compatible with the mission tier, airworthy, positioned as required and not assigned to crew.
• The company loses money despite completed flights: examine repair, insurance and transfer charges rather than relying on the advertised mission reward.
• Higher cargo tiers are missing: complete the separately listed certifications, specialisations and introductory missions for those tiers.