Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 launches today! What you need to know

The wait is over! The highly anticipated Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 officially launches on PC and Xbox Series X/S today, marking the dawn of a new era for the flight sim with many new features and improvements.

Itching to jump in and get started? Before you do, here are some crucial details worth knowing about the release of MSFS24.

Release time and download size

The official release time of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is November 19, 2024 at 11am EST. However, you can start the preload in advance to avoid long waiting times after it releases.

You can start the pre-installation if you have either pre-ordered the game or have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, as this includes Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 from day one.

To do this, search for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 in the Xbox app on PC or console and select the pre-installation. (The pre-installation doesn’t download the complete game. Depending on your internet connection, it may still take a lot of time to download the remaining files.)

Officially, the installation size of MSFS24 is only 50GB, which is relatively small for such a large game. However, it’s quite possible that we’ll see a large day-one patch that makes final tweaks to the game.

Secure your pre-order bonuses now

Depending on which version of the game you pre-order, you’ll receive unique bonuses and additional content that come with it. Here’s an overview of them all:

• Standard Edition: De Havilland Canada CL-415 Firefighting Aircraft
• Deluxe Edition: All bonuses in Standard Edition plus 25 additional aircrafts and 10 additional international airports
• Aviator Edition: All bonuses in Deluxe Edition plus 30 additional marketplace aircrafts

Incidentally, it’s also possible to play Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 via the cloud if your PC doesn’t meet the minimum requirements. You’ll need a current Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription for this.

Further reading: The best cloud gaming service for you