List of Microsoft Flight Simulator Airports

Experience the full potential of Microsoft Flight Simulator with its extensive lineup of handcrafted airports.

MATT BROWN

22 Jul 2020

Source: Microsoft

The 2020 version of Microsoft Flight Simulator takes flight this August, marking the arrival of a disruptive, cloud-powered entry in the genre. The use of satellite imagery and map data helps create a highly-detailed, accurate replica of our planet, serving as a limitless sandbox for virtual aviators. While it's host to thousands of airports, Microsoft pays special attention to a hand-picked range. Here's what you need to know about airports in Microsoft Flight Simulator, and how they relate to game editions.

Microsoft Flight Simulator has over 37,000 airports

Source: Microsoft

The virtual world of Microsoft Flight Simulator sets out to mirror planet Earth in full, leveraging satellite imagery and mapping data down to the meter. That includes thousands of airports, ranging from small grass airstrips to top international hotspots. Microsoft has already promised 37,000 "manually edited" locales, ensuring faithful reflections of their real-world counterpoint

The Flight Simulator team has already discussed the measures to represent each runway, which require additional love to align with reality. The dedicated tools allow developer, Asobo Studio, to outline the site perimeter, runway footprint, orientation, and other properties. The approach also allows Microsoft to flag artifacts and visual anomalies from the birds-eye view, clearing up the input for the world-building algorithm. The result feeds Microsoft's artificial intelligence, stringing the environment together in the cloud, and streamed to your PC in real-time.

Microsoft has also discussed a curated variety of "top-level" airports, blessed with a further handcrafted charm over the masses. These destinations receive additional custom-made buildings and props, aiming to translate their full identity into the simulation. It's reserved exclusively to iconic and popular locations, with substantial human input far exceeding the data's limitations.

What is a 'Handcrafted Airport' in Microsoft Flight Simulator?

Source: Microsoft

What about the promised "40 handcrafted airports?" With Microsoft Flight Simulator recently securing an Aug. 18 release date, we've also received a glimpse into the three planned editions. The base game ships for $60 and includes 20 aircrafts and 30 handcrafted airports. The Deluxe and Premium Deluxe each expand the offerings, with five additional aircrafts and airports with each tier.

Microsoft's handcrafted airports refer to those "top-level" locations, with massive creative input over the broader 37,000. This includes recreating various defining architecture, custom lighting models, and better mapping the intricacies of areas to their real-life detailing. Check out the full list of planes in Microsoft Flight Simulator for additional information on the aircraft.

How Microsoft Flight Simulator airports work across editions

With Microsoft tying select handcrafted airports to various game editions, the world may appear different for some players. Those without access to Deluxe and Premium Deluxe editions can still visit those ten exclusive airports. Instead, they receive in-game models of airport buildings and furnishings with reduced visual fidelity, using generic airport assets.

For multiplayer, that introduces a new disparity between versions. Pilots may see different variants of airports, even if it's not immediately noticeable while playing. The underlying functionality remains identical for all, with handcrafted airports merely cosmetic upgrades designed to reflect the real world. There's no worry about playing with friends across different editions, even if the Premium Deluxe promises the full package.

List of Microsoft Flight Simulator Airports

Microsoft Flight Simulator ships with up to 40 handcrafted airports, which each feature improved levels of detail and immersion over the algorithmically-generated designs. While those with the base Microsoft Flight Simulator edition can sample 30 custom designs, a further 10 airports tie to premium bundles. The full list of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 handcrafted airports follows, with their required editions.

ICAO Airport Code	Airport Name	Country	Required Edition
KASE	Aspen/Pitkin County Airport	USA	Standard
WX53	Bugalaga Airstrip (CAMA)	Indonesia	Standard
SPGL	Chagual Airport	Peru	Standard
LFLJ	Courchevel Altiport	France	Standard
EIDL	Donegal Airport	Ireland	Standard
HUEN	Entebbe International Airport	Uganda	Standard
LPMA	Cristiano Ronaldo Madeira International Airport	Portugal	Standard
LXGB	Gibraltar International Airport	Gibraltar	Standard
LOWI	Innsbruck Airport	Austria	Standard
KLAX	Los Angeles International Airport	USA	Standard
VNLK	Tenzing-Hillary Airport	Nepal	Standard
KEB	Nanwalek Airport	USA	Standard
KJFK	John F. Kennedy International Airport	USA	Standard
KMCO	Orlando International Airport	USA	Standard
LFPG	Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport	France	Standard
VQPR	Paro International Airport	Bhutan	Standard
NZQN	Queenstown Airport	New Zealand	Standard
SEQM	Mariscal Sucre International Airport	Ecuador	Standard
SBGL	Rio de Janeiro-Antonio Carlos Jobim/Galeao Int'l Airport	Brazil	Standard
TNCS	Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport	Dutch Saba	Standard
TFFJ	Gustaf III Airport	Saint Barthélemy	Standard
KSEA	Seattle-Tacoma International Airport	USA	Standard
KSEZ	Sedona Airport	USA	Standard
MRSN	Sirena Aerodrome	Costa Rica	Standard
CZST	Stewart Airport	Canada	Standard
YSSY	Sydney Airport	Australia	Standard
KTEX	Telluride Regional Airport	USA	Standard
RJTT	Haneda Airport	Japan	Standard
MHTG	Toncontin International Airport	Honduras	Standard
CYTZ	Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport	Canada	Standard
EHAM	Amsterdam Airport Schiphol	Netherlands	Deluxe
HECA	Cairo International Airport	Egypt	Deluxe
FACT	Cape Town International Airport	South Africa	Deluxe
KORD	O'Hare International Airport	USA	Deluxe
LEMD	Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport	Spain	Deluxe
KDEN	Denver International Airport	USA	Premium
OMDB	Dubai International Airport	United Arab Emirates	Premium
EDDF	Frankfurt Airport	Germany	Premium
EGLL	Heathrow Airport	United Kingdom	Premium
KSFO	San Francisco International Airport	USA	Premium

What's new with Microsoft Flight Simulator airports?

Source: Microsoft

Beyond satellite and mapping data, Microsoft Flight Simulator also brings bespoke refinements to all airports. The game automatically inserts ambient life based on the size of the location. Many of its flagship international hotspots also host vehicles and walking ground crew. Like Flight Simulator X, various services are also available upon request, such as fuel and power supplies or baggage and catering. These bring more complex animations, capturing the full airline experience.

Microsoft has also introduced some changes to runways with this iteration, extending far beyond pretty lights and new visuals. The full aerodynamics overhaul also incorporates a new collision model, capable of handling static and dynamic friction, and simulating the relationship between tires and materials. That allowed the team to implement sloped runways, best demonstrated with infamous locations like the Courchevel Altiport, nestled in the French Alps.