Use the MSFS 2024 scenery map to locate airports and landmarks, reveal missing markers, and verify which World Updates are installed.
Use the MSFS 2024 World Map before a flight: search by airport name or ICAO code, zoom into the area, and enable airport and point-of-interest markers in the map filters. World Updates are managed separately in Marketplace and My Library, so verify the package there before looking for its scenery on the map.
What can the MSFS 2024 scenery map find?
Think of the World Map as a location and route planner, not a catalogue of every installed scenery file. What simmers call the MSFS 2024 scenery map is normally the pre-flight World Map opened from Free Flight.
| What you want | Best way to find it | What the map shows |
|---|---|---|
| Airport | Search its ICAO code, full name or nearby city | An airport marker that can be selected for departure, arrival or route planning |
| Landmark or POI | Search its recognised name, or find a nearby airport and pan across | A POI marker only when that feature has been registered as a searchable landmark |
| World Update | Verify the package in Marketplace or My Library, then search for an included airport or landmark | Normal airport and POI markers; usually not a boundary or marker for the update itself |
Button positions vary between mouse, keyboard and controller layouts. Look for the map’s search, filters or legend controls rather than relying on a particular icon position.
How do I find airports on the MSFS 2024 World Map?
- Open Free Flight and the World Map. Start with the globe rather than the smaller map used after an aircraft has loaded.
- Search using the ICAO code. This is the most reliable method because airport names can be abbreviated, translated or shared by several locations.
- Select the matching result. The map should centre on its airport marker and display the available runway or parking information.
- Check the airport filters. If no pin appears, enable airport markers and zoom closer. Small airfields can be hidden at broad zoom levels to prevent marker clutter.
- Assign the airport to the flight. Choose it as the departure, arrival or an intermediate route point, depending on the planning options presented.
A mistake we see constantly is searching by a marketing name when the simulator indexes the airport under its formal name or ICAO code. If the airport appears but will not select, zoom in until overlapping markers separate, clear any active search result, and try the pin again. Our dedicated airport marker and selection fixes cover filters, interface focus and other causes.
How do I find landmarks and points of interest?
Landmarks are easiest to find with POI markers enabled, but not every visible scenery object has a searchable map pin. Search the full landmark name first, try a shorter form if it fails, then use the nearest airport as a reference and pan towards the site.
Zoom matters here. The World Map suppresses many labels when viewing a large region, while closely spaced landmarks can cover one another. Turn off unrelated marker categories if the area is crowded.
A missing POI pin does not prove that the scenery is absent. Aerial imagery, terrain mesh, photogrammetry and many add-on objects can appear in the simulator without being registered as searchable points. Third-party airport scenery also normally uses the existing airport marker rather than creating a second marker labelled with the add-on’s name.
Where do World Updates appear on the map?
World Updates do not normally appear as one selectable layer or a clearly outlined region. Their handcrafted airports and landmarks use the ordinary airport and POI categories, while improvements such as terrain data and aerial imagery may have no marker at all.
Use our complete list of MSFS 2024 World Updates to identify the relevant region and named locations. Search the map for a listed ICAO code or landmark rather than typing only the World Update title.
If the expected content is absent, check whether the update has been claimed and is available in My Library. The exact management choices depend on the platform and package, so follow the World Update installation and library steps rather than assuming that seeing the region on the globe means its optional package is active.
Why is scenery missing from the World Map?
Missing scenery markers usually come from filters, zoom level or package status rather than a broken map.
- No airports or POIs: re-enable their marker categories and zoom closer.
- Search finds nothing: use an ICAO code for airports or a shorter recognised name for landmarks.
- World Update location looks unchanged: confirm the package in My Library and check that online data features needed for streamed scenery are enabled.
- Add-on scenery has no separate label: inspect the add-on in the content library; the map often retains the default airport pin.
- A pin is visible but unusable: clear the search, deselect other route points, zoom in and reopen the map if its interface has stopped responding.
Do not use a map pin alone to judge whether detailed scenery has loaded. The pin identifies a geographic or navigation location; it does not verify which visual scenery package is being displayed.
Can I use the scenery map while flying?
The pre-flight World Map and the in-flight VFR map serve different purposes. After loading the flight, use the VFR map for aircraft position, airports and navigation references; it cannot install World Updates or provide a full inventory of scenery. See our instructions for opening and configuring the MSFS 2024 VFR map if its markers or layers are hidden.