So today Microsoft made the big announcement that they were going to be releasing the new Flight Simulator on August 18th. With this announcement they began to take PRE-ORDERS. These are exciting times and I suspect that Microsoft Flight Simulator is going to revolutionize the Flight Sim industry.
Please note that this post does include affiliate links, which means that if you make a purchase after using my link, then I will receive a commision. The links will not affect your purchase or price in anyway. If you use my link, I really appreciate the support as this helps keep VR Flight World running.
What is the difference between Standard and Premium Deluxe Pre-Orders?
So Microsoft has released their new Flight Simulator with three different versions: Standard, Deluxe and Premium Deluxe.
So, you might be wondering, what is the difference between these three.
Well essentially at this point the difference is that you get more aircrafts and more airports… But isn’t Microsoft Flight Simulator, simulating the entire world.
Well, they are providing us with the entire world for each version, however the premium versions will have more detailed airports. So essentially you will be paying for the hand crafted airports that have been designed to perfection. It doesn’t restrict you in anyway, but allows you to experience flight with more detail at those specific airports.
Standard Edition
For the standard Edition you will received 20 aircraft and 30 hand crafted airports.
Deluxe Edition
For the Deluxe Edition you will receive 25 aircrafts and 30 hand crafted airports.
Premium Deluxe Edition
For the Premium Deluxe Edition you will receive 30 aircrafts and 40 hand crafted airports.
Upgrade Possiblility?
Yes, after you have purchased one of the PRE-ORDERS, their will be an ability to upgrade later. Microsoft states that this will be a more expensive option.
Below, I have included the list of airports that have been hand crafted by the developers. I have also included the list of aircrafts that have been announced for each different edition of the Flight Simulator.
Airport List
| Aircraft | MANUFACTURER | STANDARD | DELUXE | PREMIUM |
| A320neo | Airbus | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pitts Special S2S | Aviat | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 747-8 Intercontinental | The Boeing Company | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| XCub | CubCrafters | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| TBM 930 | Daher | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| DA62 | Diamond Aircraft | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| DA40 NG | Diamond Aircraft | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EXTRA 330LT | EXTRA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Flight Design CTSL | Flight Design | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ICON A5 | ICON Aircraft | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VL-3 | JMB Aircraft s.r.o | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CAP 10 | Robin Aircraft SAS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| DR400-100 Cadet | Robin Aircraft SAS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Beechcraft Bonanza G36 | Textron Aviation Inc. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Beechcraft Bonanza 350i | Textron Aviation Inc. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cessna 152 | Textron Aviation Inc. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cessna 172 Skyhawk (G1000) | Textron Aviation Inc. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cessna 208 B Grand Caravan EX | Textron Aviation Inc. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cessna Citation CJ4 | Textron Aviation Inc. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Savage Cub | Zlin Aviation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| DA40-TDI | Diamond Aircraft | Yes | Yes | |
| DV20 | Diamond Aircraft | Yes | Yes | |
| Beechcraft Baron G58 | Textron Aviation Inc. | Yes | Yes | |
| Cessna 152 Aerobat | Textron Aviation Inc. | Yes | Yes | |
| Cessna 172 Skyhawk | Textron Aviation Inc. | Yes | Yes | |
| 787-10 Dreamliner | The Boeing Company | Yes | ||
| SR22 | Cirrus Aircraft | Yes | ||
| Virus SW 121 | Pipistrel | Yes | ||
| Cessna Citation Longitude | Textron Aviation Inc. | Yes | ||
| Shock Ultra | Zlin Aviation | Yes | ||
| TOTAL | 20 | 25 | 30 |
Aircraft List
| AIRPORT | ICAO | STANDARD | DELUXE | PREMIUM |
| Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (USA) | KASE | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bugalaga Airstrip (CAMA) (Indonesia) | WX53 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chagual Airport (Peru) | SPGL | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Courchevel Altiport (France) | LFLJ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Donegal Airport (Ireland) | EIDL | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Entebbe International Airport (Uganda) | HUEN | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cristiano Ronaldo Madeira International Airport (Portugal) | LPMA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gibraltar International Airport (Gibraltar/UK) | LXGB | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Innsbruck Airport (Austria) | LOWI | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Los Angeles International Airport (USA) | KLAX | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tenzing-Hillary Airport (Nepal) | VNLK | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nanwalek Airport (USA) | KEB | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| John F. Kennedy International Airport (USA) | KJFK | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Orlando International Airport (USA) | KMCO | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (France) | LFPG | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Paro International Airport (Bhutan) | VQPR | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Queenstown Airport (New Zealand) | NZQN | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mariscal Sucre International Airport (Ecuador) | SEQM | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rio de Janeiro-Antonio Carlos Jobim/Galeão Int’l Airport (Brazil) | SBGL | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport (Dutch Saba) | TNCS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gustaf lll Airport (France/Saint Barthélemy) | TFFJ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (USA) | KSEA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sedona Airport (USA) | KSEZ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sirena Aerodrome (Costa Rica) | MRSN | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stewart Airport (Canada) | CZST | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sydney Airport (Australia) | YSSY | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Telluride Regional Airport (USA) | KTEX | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Haneda Airport (Japan) | RJTT | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Toncontin International Airport (Honduras) | MHTG | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (Canada) | CYTZ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (Netherlands) | EHAM | Yes | Yes | |
| Cairo International Airport (Egypt) | HECA | Yes | Yes | |
| Cape Town International Airport (South Africa) | FACT | Yes | Yes | |
| O’Hare International Airport (USA) | KORD | Yes | Yes | |
| Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (Spain) | LEMD | Yes | Yes | |
| Denver International Airport (USA) | KDEN | Yes | ||
| Dubai International Airport (United Arab Emirates) | OMDB | Yes | ||
| Frankfurt Airport (Germany) | EDDF | Yes | ||
| Heathrow Airport (United Kingdom) | EGLL | Yes | ||
| San Francisco International Airport (USA) | KSFO | Yes | ||
| TOTAL | 30 | 35 | 40 |
What About Xbox?
Well, at this point Microsoft Flight Simulator will not be releasing a version for Xbox. The Xbox version is coming and will be released in the future, however at this point in time you cannot get it for Xbox.
How Much does it Cost?
Each version comes at a significantly different price point. At this point, the prices are as follows.
- Standard Edition – $59.99 USD
- Deluxe Edition – $89.99 USD
- Premium Edition – $119.99 USD
- Xbox Game Pass – $14.99 USD – Ongoing Monthly subscription
Xbox Game Pass is a subscription that Microsoft Uses for their platform. The only downside to accessing it through your Xbox Game Pass, is that you will only have the Standard Edition. I am assuming their will be a way to upgrade this as well, however I have not heard if this will be possible.
When will it be released?
August 18, 2020 is the official release date for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
What are the specifications for the simulator?
| OS | Windows 10 version 18362.0 or higher |
|---|---|
| Architecture | x64 |
| Keyboard | Integrated Keyboard |
| Mouse | Integrated Mouse |
| DirectX | Version 11 |
| Memory | 8 GB |
| Video Memory | 2 GB |
| Processor | Intel i5-4460 | AMD Ryzen 3 1200 |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GTX 770 | AMD Radeon RX 570 |
| OS | Windows 10 version 18362.0 or higher |
|---|---|
| Architecture | x64 |
| Keyboard | Integrated Keyboard |
| Mouse | Integrated Mouse |
| DirectX | Version 11 |
| Memory | 16 GB |
| Video Memory | 4 GB |
| Processor | Intel i5-8400 | AMD Ryzen 5 1500X |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GTX 970 | AMD Radeon RX 590 |
What About VR?
Up until this point there has been no official announcement to say that they will be supporting VR when the simulator gets released.
There have been unofficial announcements where developers have stated that VR would be a priority, however in my opinion we might not get VR right out of the gate.
I do however suspect that VR will be coming in a future release.
How Do I Get This Flight Simulator?
In order to purchase this sim, I will leave a link below. This link will bring you to the PRE-ORDERS page, where you can purchase the simulator. Of course, you won’t have access to the sim until August 18. After you make the purchase, it will install on your computer. The link below will be an affiliate link, which means that I will earn a small commision if you buy through my link. This won’t effect your purchase or price in anyway and I really appreciate the support. This helps us keep VR Flight World running strong. Thanks in advance!
Microsoft Flight Simulator – Pre-Order (Microsoft Ad Link)
Hope you have an awesome day!
Dan
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