Microsoft Flight Simulator adds free air racing; 40 planes cost $39.99

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has added National Championship Air Races through Sim Update 7. The racing expansion itself is free and includes reconstructed Reno and Roswell venues, four pylon-racing categories and a head-to-head STOL drag event. A separate Racer Pack 1 adds 40 historic racing aircraft for $39.99.

The free portion supports solo time trials, organized multiplayer races and established online events. Its pylon categories are Unlimited, Jet, T-6 and Biplane, while STOL drag asks two pilots to take off, land, turn and repeat the sequence across a 2,000-foot course. Players can also enable wear that punishes holding maximum throttle without managing engine damage.

The $39.99 pack buys aircraft, not access to racing

Racer Pack 1 includes ten aircraft in each of the four pylon classes. The list ranges from named P-51 racers such as Strega and Voodoo to L-39 jets, T-6 variants and Pitts biplanes. Microsoft also sells the aircraft individually and in class packs, so the full bundle is not required to try the new venues or race modes.

That separation is the key purchasing detail. Sim Update 7 owners receive the event framework and can decide later whether a specific historic aircraft matters to them. The $39.99 pack is a collection expansion, not a multiplayer pass or an entry fee for National Championship Air Races.

The courses were built from measurements and scans

The development team says it used thousands of reference photographs and measurements to recreate the Reno and Roswell courses, while aircraft cockpits and other components were 3D-scanned. That work matters in a mode measured in thousandths of a second, where pylon placement, altitude and cockpit visibility affect the racing line rather than serving as scenery.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, PS VR2, Game Pass and cloud-supported devices. Players who already own or access the simulator can download Sim Update 7 first, then judge whether the 40-plane roster justifies the optional bundle.