Microsoft Flight Simulator Unveils Its 2026 Roadmap

Microsoft Flight Simulator has given simmers a fresh look at what the rest of 2026 has in store, and the roadmap is packed with updates, aircraft, and platform improvements for both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024. In the official April 16, 2026 Development Update, the team outlined the upcoming release schedule and confirmed several major additions across the months ahead.

At the top of the list is Sim Update 5, which Microsoft says is targeted for release during the week of April 20 to April 24, 2026 on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. The update is expected to bring a long-requested weather radar with tilt functionality, additional bug fixes and improvements, plus PSVR2 support and the first wave of approved third-party products for the PlayStation 5 Marketplace. Microsoft noted that not all add-ons passed Sony’s performance requirements yet, so the PS5 Marketplace rollout will happen in stages rather than all at once.

Launching alongside Sim Update 5 will be Aircraft & Avionics Update 4, which will bring several aircraft up to native MSFS 2024 standards. According to Microsoft, the update list includes the ATR 42/72-600, Antonov An-2, Fokker F.VII, Savoia-Marchetti S.55/S.55X, and Latécoère 631, with more Local Legends and Famous Flyers improvements planned later.

Looking a little farther down the runway, Microsoft also confirmed World Update 21: Australia for May 2026. The update is set to include 30+ new Areas of Interest, updates to earlier locations from World Update VII, six new bespoke airports, and 29 Points of Interest. On top of that, both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 players can expect new activities, including discovery flights, landing challenges, bush trips, low altitude challenges, and rally race challenges.

For aircraft fans, the roadmap also includes some notable releases. Microsoft announced Local Legend 24, the CAC Boomerang by iniBuilds, arriving in May 2026 alongside the Australia update. Then in June 2026, Expert Series 02 will introduce the Piper M600 by FSReborn, featuring a Working Title-developed G3000 suite and advanced system depth. Looking even further ahead, Expert Series 03 is scheduled for November 2026 and will bring the Embraer 600 Praetor, developed by Asobo and Working Title, with highly detailed systems modeling and advanced avionics simulation.

The roadmap was first discussed during the April 15, 2026 Developer Livestream, where Microsoft Flight Simulator leadership and Asobo highlighted the year’s plans and touched on the priorities behind Sim Update 5 and future releases. The official forum timeline shows the 2026 roadmap discussion began early in the stream, followed by segments focused on SU5 improvements, airflow simulation, aircraft, avionics, and upcoming releases.

For simmers, the big takeaway is simple: 2026 is shaping up to be a busy year for Microsoft Flight Simulator. Between platform upgrades, aircraft refreshes, new world content, and deeper systems simulation, the roadmap gives the community a much clearer view of where the sim is heading next