How do I use the built-in flight planner in Microsoft Flight Simulator?
To use the built-in flight planner in Microsoft Flight Simulator, open the World Map, choose a departure and destination, set your flight rules and routing type, add any procedures or waypoints, then review the route before loading into the flight. It works well for simple VFR trips and many IFR flights, but you should always check the plan in your aircraft’s avionics before departure.
Where is the built-in flight planner in Microsoft Flight Simulator?
In Microsoft Flight Simulator, the built-in planner is the World Map screen you use before starting a flight. That is where we pick airports, runways or parking stands, flight conditions, route type, altitude and instrument procedures.
In both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024, the layout is not identical, but the workflow is the same: build the route before loading the flight, then confirm it has transferred properly into the aircraft.
How do I create a flight plan in the World Map?
- Open the World Map. From the main menu, go to the planning screen rather than jumping straight into a free flight.
- Select your departure airport. Click the airport and choose how you want to start: parking, gate, runway, or another available start point. If you want a proper cold-and-dark or turnaround start, choose a parking stand or gate rather than the runway.
- Select your destination airport. Click your arrival airport so the sim draws a route between the two points.
- Choose your flight rules. Pick VFR for visual flying or IFR for instrument flying. This changes how ATC treats your flight and what route options make sense.
- Choose the route type. For a short simple trip, Direct is usually enough. For a more realistic IFR flight, use airway-based routing if the planner offers low- or high-altitude airways.
- Add or adjust waypoints. You can usually click on the route or use the route editing tools to insert waypoints, intersections, VORs or airways. Keep the route sensible for the aircraft you are flying; a Cessna route and an A320 route should not look the same.
- Select departure and arrival procedures. If you are flying IFR, add a SID at departure, a STAR at arrival, and an approach if required. Make sure the chosen runway, procedure and aircraft performance all match up.
- Set your cruise altitude. For VFR, pick something suitable for terrain clearance and direction of flight. For IFR, choose an altitude appropriate to the route and the aircraft. If you select an altitude the aircraft cannot realistically reach, the plan may still load, but the flight will not make much operational sense.
- Review the nav log and route. Check for obvious problems: strange detours, duplicated waypoints, a missing approach, or a route that doubles back on itself.
- Load the flight. Start the flight, then verify in the cockpit that the route has actually appeared in the GPS, FMC or FMS as expected.
What do VFR, IFR, direct, low-altitude and high-altitude routing mean?
| Option | Best for | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| VFR Direct | Short visual flights | Creates a simple point-to-point route with minimal structure. |
| IFR Direct | Simple instrument flights | Files IFR but still goes mostly direct between airports or major fixes. |
| IFR Low-altitude airways | Turboprops and lower-level IFR flying | Uses published low-level airways and can produce a more realistic route. |
| IFR High-altitude airways | Airliners and higher-performance jets | Uses upper airways intended for higher flight levels and longer IFR sectors. |
If you are unsure which to use, start simple. For a GA aircraft, VFR Direct or IFR Direct is often enough. For an airliner, airway-based IFR routing usually makes more sense than a straight line between airports.
How do I add a SID, STAR or approach?
Once both airports are selected, open the procedure options for the departure or arrival. From there we can choose:
- SID for the published departure route after take-off
- STAR for the structured arrival into the destination area
- Approach for the final arrival procedure, such as ILS, RNAV or VOR
This is where many route problems begin, so take your time. A SID must fit the departure runway, and a STAR or approach must fit the expected arrival runway. If you change the runway later, the procedure may be removed, replaced, or left in a broken state.
Not every airport has every procedure, and not every procedure is available to every runway. If the option list looks sparse, that is usually because the airport simply does not publish what you are trying to select, or the planner is filtering the list based on runway choice.
Why is my route wrong or missing after I load into the aircraft?
This is one of the most common complaints with the built-in planner. The World Map route may look correct, but the cockpit avionics can still show something different.
Common reasons
- The aircraft does not fully import the World Map route. Simpler default aircraft usually behave better than complex airliners.
- The procedure created a discontinuity. This is common with IFR arrivals and approaches.
- You selected a runway start and the sim altered the departure logic automatically.
- The arrival runway changed because of weather, winds or ATC logic, which can conflict with the approach you planned.
- The plan contains duplicate waypoints or strange transitions the avionics does not handle cleanly.
Our rule is simple: always verify the loaded route before taxi. In a glass-cockpit GA aircraft, check the flight plan page on the GPS. In an airliner, check the FMS or MCDU route page and look for gaps, duplicated fixes or missing transitions.
Can I edit the flight plan after take-off?
Yes, often you can, but how well it works depends on the aircraft. Many default GA aircraft let us edit the route directly in the GPS. Airliners and more advanced aircraft usually expect route changes to be made in the onboard FMS rather than by going back to the World Map.
Do not assume the in-flight avionics and the simulator’s ATC system will stay perfectly synchronised after edits. Sometimes ATC follows the old route while the aircraft follows the new one. If that happens, expect odd vectors, repeated altitude instructions, or approach clearances that no longer fit your revised plan.
What is the best way to use the built-in planner for VFR flights?
For VFR, keep it light. Pick your departure and destination, use Direct, set a sensible altitude, and avoid overcomplicating the route unless you specifically want navigation practice with VORs or waypoints.
If you want sightseeing rather than strict navigation, you can add a few custom waypoints to keep the route over landmarks. Just remember that the built-in planner is still a route tool, not a detailed VFR chart replacement.
What is the best way to use it for IFR flights?
For IFR, the planner is most reliable when we use it for the broad structure of the flight:
- Choose the correct departure and arrival airports
- Pick IFR routing that suits the aircraft
- Add a sensible cruise altitude
- Select the SID, STAR and approach if you already know the runway
- Double-check everything in the aircraft before pushback
That last step matters most. If you are flying an A320, 737 or another advanced aircraft, treat the World Map as a starting point rather than the final authority. The aircraft’s own flight management system should be the final check.
Why does ATC sometimes give strange instructions with the built-in planner?
The built-in ATC can be workable, but it is not perfect. It may assign climbs, descents or runway changes that do not match your planned route, especially if weather or traffic logic shifts after the flight loads.
If you want smoother results, avoid building an overly complicated route unless you need it. A clean route with matching procedures tends to produce fewer ATC surprises than one with lots of edits and last-minute runway changes.
Best practices for the Microsoft Flight Simulator flight planner
- Start from parking if you want the route, aircraft state and procedures to behave more predictably.
- Match the aircraft to the route. Do not file a high-altitude jet route for a slow piston aircraft.
- Check the runway and procedures together. Runway changes often break SIDs, STARs or approaches.
- Review the route in the cockpit before taxi, not after take-off.
- Keep backup situational awareness with the nav display, moving map or GPS rather than trusting ATC blindly.
So, should you use the built-in flight planner?
Yes. For most simmers, it is the quickest way to get airborne with a sensible route, and it is perfectly adequate for many VFR flights and straightforward IFR sectors. Just do not treat it as infallible. Build the route on the World Map, then confirm it inside the aircraft before you commit to the flight.