Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Tier List: Current Rankings

Q: How is Flight Simulator 2024 different from the 2020 sim?

It is a separate release from 19 November 2024 built around a career mode with certifications, specialisations, aircraft maintenance and companies you can run. The world engine was also rebuilt with over 500 TIN cities and more than 100,000 square kilometres of countryside photogrammetry.

Q: What does career mode actually involve?

You begin unlicensed, buy certifications up through PPL, CPL, Instrument Rating and ATPL, and each one unlocks specialisations gated by career level. Missions range from skydive drops paying around 5,000 up to VIP charter work worth 50,000 to 100,000.

Q: Which specialisation should I aim at first?

Cargo work. It builds cash faster than anything else available early and the aircraft it uses, mainly the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX, stay useful for years of career progression.

Q: How many aircraft are included?

The Standard Edition carries more than 65 aircraft, spanning trainers like the Cessna 172, turboprops, helicopters including the Airbus H125, airliners such as the A320neo and 747, and oddities like the Wright Flyer and the Jetson ONE.

Q: Do I need a joystick or can I fly on keyboard?

Keyboard and controller both work, but the career mode scores landings on vertical speed and approach stability, and hitting under 200 feet per minute consistently is far easier with a yoke or stick that gives fine pitch control.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 tier list ranking every build and equipment option. Updated rankings with detailed reasoning.

EarlyGuides Editorial Team

Researched and editorially reviewed. Updated August 12, 2026.

This Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 tier list ranks every major option by overall effectiveness. Rankings factor in damage output, survivability, versatility, gear requirements, and how well each option scales.

Tier definitions: S = best in class, always a strong pick. A = strong and competitive, minor weaknesses. B = solid but clearly outperformed in most situations. C = viable only for players who enjoy the playstyle.

Builds Rankings

Tier	Build	Rating	Playstyle
A	Skydive	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Search and Rescue	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Aerial Firefighting	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Medevac	8.5/10	Balanced approach
A	Charter Service VIP	8.5/10	Balanced approach

Detailed Builds Analysis

Skydive (A-Tier)

Skydive is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Cessna 172 Skyhawk. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Search and Rescue (A-Tier)

Search and Rescue is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Aerial Firefighting (A-Tier)

Aerial Firefighting is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Beechcraft King Air 350i. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Medevac (A-Tier)

Medevac is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Air Tractor AT-802. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Charter Service VIP (A-Tier)

Charter Service VIP is a competitive option in the current meta.

Best with: Airbus H125. See our builds guide for full setup. Stat focus: Balanced stats

Equipment Rankings

Equipment	Best With	Notes
Cessna 172 Skyhawk	The unlicensed and PPL phase, and for practising the under-200-feet-per-minute touchdown that earns the landing bonus	The training aircraft the career hands you early and the one every certification exercise assumes.
Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX	Cargo contracts and remote freight into fields the airliners cannot reach	A single-engine turboprop that hauls a genuine load into short strips.
Beechcraft King Air 350i	Private and VIP charter, medevac runs, and longer cargo legs	A twin turboprop that covers charter, cargo and medevac work with speed and range that single-engine types cannot match.
Air Tractor AT-802	Aerial Firefighting Initial Attack and agricultural aviation contracts	A new addition in the 2024 Standard Edition, built for agricultural work and firefighting.
Airbus H125	Search and Rescue, mountain operations, and confined-area landings	A single-engine helicopter used heavily across the rescue and mountain work in career mode.

Check our weapons guide for in-depth stats and comparisons.

Equipment Analysis

Cessna 172 Skyhawk: The training aircraft the career hands you early and the one every certification exercise assumes. Slow enough to think in, honest enough that bad technique shows up immediately.

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX: A single-engine turboprop that hauls a genuine load into short strips. It is the workhorse of the cargo path and the aircraft most players use to fund their Instrument Rating.

Beechcraft King Air 350i: A twin turboprop that covers charter, cargo and medevac work with speed and range that single-engine types cannot match. It is the natural aircraft to own once the Turboprop rating is done.

Air Tractor AT-802: A new addition in the 2024 Standard Edition, built for agricultural work and firefighting. Loaded with retardant it handles nothing like an empty airframe, which is the whole challenge of the firefighting specialisation.

Airbus H125: A single-engine helicopter used heavily across the rescue and mountain work in career mode. Power margin at altitude is the limiting factor on the missions that matter most.

Meta Analysis

The current meta in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 centers on Career mode with certifications and Specialisations and mission payouts. Builds that leverage both systems outperform those that focus on only one. Our combat guide explains these interactions in depth.

What's strong right now:

Skydive with Cessna 172 Skyhawk is the benchmark. Everything else is measured against it.
Aircraft wear and maintenance builds are gaining ground as players find new combinations.
Aerial Firefighting remains essential for learning hard content. See the boss guide.

What's underrated:

Search and Rescue is consistently overlooked despite being the most flexible option.
Beechcraft King Air 350i offers excellent performance for its investment level.

What's overhyped:

Pure Charter Service VIP builds. High ceiling but the consistency isn't there for most players.

Quick Picks by Situation

Situation	Best Build	Best Gear	Why
Overall best	Skydive	Cessna 172 Skyhawk	Highest consistent performance
New player	Search and Rescue	Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX	Most forgiving, teaches mechanics
Hard content	Aerial Firefighting	Beechcraft King Air 350i	Survivability when you need it
Group play	Medevac	Air Tractor AT-802	Utility and team support
Experienced player	Charter Service VIP	Airbus H125	Unique challenge and high ceiling

More Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 Guides

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