Which PC plane games are the best? There are many different games that allow you to fly, whether your goal is to take a leisurely journey across the Atlantic Ocean or engage in intense dogfights with opposing troops. The best part is that you can do it from the comfort of your gaming PC. Some even let you to add levers and joysticks to your controls to make it feel more authentic.
War Thunder
War Thunder was once one of the greatest free-flying games available, as seen by its realistic ballistics modeling, vast array of genuine aircraft, and flight mechanics.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is on this list, especially since 2020 was here for a long time. The most recent installment in the venerable series adds some fantastic features that shouldn’t be missed while still innovating on the hardcore-simulation methodology for which the Flight Sim is renowned.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has a ton of content for both novice and seasoned players, including enhanced graphics and new aircraft. But it also debuts the new Career mode, which is a story-like option that takes you from a novice pilot to a professional pilot and serves as an excellent tutorial for new series players. Microsoft Flight Simulator is a good choice if you want to experience what it’s like to be a real pilot.
IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad
If you enjoy World War II video games, IL-2 Sturmovik is the standard for WWII-themed plane games. In addition to being a good flight simulator, IL-2 Sturmovik is also surprisingly approachable for novices, and its most recent version really captures your attention with its realistic visuals and damage simulation.
You can get the impression that you are actually in the cockpit of a World War II fighter by paying close attention to little details like water running over the canopy when you are flying through clouds or AI enemies flying in the direction of the sun to make you lose sight of them. Additionally, it has a devoted dogfighter multiplayer community, so finding a match won’t be difficult.
Arma 3
While dogfighting is the main focus of most combat plane games, Arma 3 allows you to take control of a jet fighter and assist on the battlefield by carrying out airstrikes and strafing heavy tanks. There is still a lot of room for improvement, even though the flight physics and complexity of the mechanics aren’t as good as in other of the more challenging flying games on our list.
The main goals of air-to-air combat are positional control and the use of various missiles to destroy targets from a great altitude. Air-to-ground aircraft also play a big part, and skilled pilots are crucial on the battlefield thanks to contemporary technology like laser-guided missiles and anti-armor weapons. If you’re sick of flying, there are also many of helicopters.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown’s gameplay and plot are everything but realistic, despite the game’s realistic appearance. Ace Combat 7’s strongest features are its sleek graphics and fast-paced dogfights, which is helpful because the plot is confusing unless you’ve been watching the series since the beginning.
The campaign missions have been made as dramatic and extravagant as possible by Bandai Namco, which has resulted in daring raids under the cover of lightning storms, canyon dogfights, and the occasional flyby between crumbling buildings. You can’t go wrong with Skies Unknown if you’re searching for arcade plane games and are prepared to put up with some dumb action fun; for more details, see our review of Ace Combat 7.
X-Plane 11
With far better graphics, cockpit models, and a menu interface that won’t have you banging your head against the desk before your first takeoff, X-Plane 11 is a more contemporary version of FSX.
Even just sitting in the airport and watching the procession of catering trucks, tugs, refueling tanks, and freight trolleys go about is incredibly captivating. In fact, there is much more to enjoy in X-Plane 11 than actually flying. However, X-Plane 11 is most believable when in flight, particularly in light planes where you can feel every bump and peculiarity of the aircraft’s flight characteristics.
Superflight
We’re adding Superflight to the list even though it doesn’t have any planes because it feels amazing to fly around in one. Superflight, which involves flying down a deadly, dangerous mountain in a wingsuit and earning as many points as you can by passing near rock formations, is one of the most soothing games available.
Because each level is procedurally produced, there is always a sense of discovery. You can save a seed you like and dare friends to beat your score.
Sky Rogue
Sky Rogue, a neon-lit arcade fighter jet game that appears to be quite straightforward at first but has some significant intricacy, is one of the few aircraft games that recklessly abandons realism. You will select your plane, personalize the weaponry, and add a Tom Cruise-esque livery before each randomly generated mission begins. After that, it’s all about speeding through the level and blowing everything to kingdom come.
You won’t get tired of destroying enemy tanks, battleships, and aces for a while because there are twelve jets and more than thirty weaponry to choose from.
Bomber Crew
In Bomber Crew, you are responsible for choosing and leading a WW2 bomber’s crew, conducting bombing attacks, and returning to England with the fewest possible losses. Every mission will need you to control the positions of every crew member, engage in combat with enemy fighter jets, and make sure you’re flying at the proper height and direction—too low and you’ll be shot out of the sky, and too high and your crew will freeze to death.
The smallest errors in this plane-based strategy game will swiftly result in crew deaths, despite Bomber Crew’s lighthearted and amiable appearance. At least you can learn from your blunders in the next bombing run, but it may take some getting used to.
Star Wars: Squadrons
Star Wars: Squadrons is an arcade-style flying game that features epic galactic battles, fierce dogfighting, and plenty of humor. Although it’s simple to join, Squadrons has a rather high skill ceiling. It feels great to defeat enemies with grace and control how your strength is distributed.
The campaign is brief but engaging from beginning to end, but what will keep you flying across space for months to come is the multiplayer action. Regretfully, EA’s post-launch plans never went beyond basic aesthetics. In-depth details about why Star Wars Squadrons is one of the greatest Star Wars games in recent memory are included in our review. It’s also a really good flying game.
That concludes our list of the top PC flying and airplane games. We hope that by helping you narrow down your options, you will be able to install the ideal flight game without experiencing any turbulence. For additional suggestions, check out our post on the top war games if you’re primarily interested in the military elements of these games.
Conclusion
The term “plane sky games” refers to a wide variety of aerial experiences, from realistic flight simulators like Microsoft Flight Simulator that provide stunning scenic exploration to intense combat games like Ace Combat 7, which emphasize fast-paced dogfights and dramatic action, to even lighthearted mobile games that prioritize easy-to-play gameplay. All of these experiences are bound together by the theme of taking to the skies.
