Although a game like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 has more bells and whistles - not to mention better graphics - these titles will at least let you dip your toes in the world of flight simulation without spending any money. Our list has civilian flight sims, which are all as realistic as possible, as well as combat-focused sims, where the developers trade a bit of realism for action. There are plenty of free-to-play games out there, and that includes flight sims. With those kinds of prices, you’ll need to track down the best free flight simulators to take to the skies on the cheap. X-Plane 11, for example, is still a full $60, despite being three years old, and it has over $2,000 worth of DLC. And that probably won’t change any time soon.Īs is the case with most simulator games, flight simulators have a long shelf life. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is probably the best way to do that now, but the game will run you $60 at least, plus the cost of additional planes. Most of us will never be given the chance to fly our own plane, which is why it’s so tempting to take to the virtual skies. Given the incredible level of detail and the huge ecosystem that supports X-Plane, it's well worth the money if you take your flight simulation seriously. And you can fly almost anywhere: Land at more than 33,000 airports worldwide, touch down on an aircraft carrier and more.Ī free demo is available, so don't let the price tag scare you off. More than 1,400 additional aircraft models can be downloaded online. It even simulates what'd be like to fly the Space Shuttle. The app models fixed and rotary wing aircraft both, along with tons of atmospheric conditions that affect flight.

More than 30 aircraft are available in the default installation: You can fly everything from a single-engine Cessna 172 - the most popular airplane in the world - to a B-2 bomber.

Intricately detailed, it's also incredibly scalable - X-Plane runs on mobile, oz77n home Macs and PCs, and also operates as a detailed professional-grade aviation simulator. Calling X-Plane a game isn't just wrong, but it's insulting: X-Plane is the definitive flight simulator for the platform.

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