What are the best plane games on PC? No matter if you wish to take to the skies on a leisurely ride across the Atlantic Ocean, or gun down enemy combatants in action-packed dogfights, there are plenty of vastly different games where you can take to the skies. The best part is that you can do it from the comfort of your gaming PC, and some even let you customize your controls with joysticks and levers for a more realistic experience.
To help you pick out something that suits your tastes, we’ve assembled a list of the best plane games to play on PC in 2025. In it, there’s something for all different niches and even a fair few free PC games. As with many simulation-based genres – we’re looking at you submarine games – a lot of the classics can be tricky to get hold of and run on modern PCs, so we’ve tried to keep the majority of our entries recent for ease of access.
These are the best plane games on PC:
Play for free
War Thunder
War Thunder now boasts tanks and naval battles, but it started out as one of the best free-flying games around, and its flight physics, huge range of authentic aircraft, and realistic ballistics modeling are the proof.
In the seven years since War Thunder launched, developer Gaijin has continued to rework, update, and expand its roster of planes so it now includes aircraft from eight different nations and across six classes. You’ll need to use real dogfight tactics and maneuvers to survive these multiplayer skirmishes, so master your Split S to get the drop on any novices. In fact, War Thunder is so good at vehicular warfare that it’s also made our list of the best tank games on PC.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 shouldn’t be a surprising addition to this list, especially considering that 2020 was in this place for a considerable amount of time. The latest entry in the long-running series continues to innovate on the hardcore-simulation approach that the Flight Sim is known for while adding some great additions that shouldn’t be overlooked.
From improved visuals to new aircraft, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 offers plenty of content for new and returning fans. However, it also introduces the new Career mode – a story-like mode that will see you go from rookie pilot to a professional, and a great tutorial process for any new players in the series. If you want to feel like a true pilot, Microsoft Flight Simulator is a solid option.
IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad
If you’re a fan of WW2 games then IL-2 Sturmovik is the touchstone for plane games set in the era. While it plays like a solid flight sim, IL-2 Sturmovik is also refreshingly accessible to beginners and its latest iteration does a tremendous job of drawing you in with its realistic graphics and damage modeling.
Small details like water streaming over the canopy when flying through clouds or AI enemies flying toward the sun to make you lose track of them go a long way toward making you feel like you’re really in the cockpit of a WW2 fighter. It also boasts a dedicated multiplayer community of dogfighters, so you won’t struggle to find a match.
Battlefield 5
Not the newest, but possibly the shiniest of BF games, Battlefield 5 takes place during WW2 and, for us at least, catches that sweet spot of dogfighting. Planes have made huge technological leaps from WW1, but they’re still propelled by… well, propellers, and you can’t break the sound barrier from your rickety cockpit. This means that to succeed in the skies, you’ll need to rely on your wits and possibly a little help from down below.
It takes a minute to get up to speed with upgrades, but once you settle on a fighter of choice, dominating the skies feels incredibly satisfying. Whether you opt for a spry Spitfire or something heavy and decidedly more bomber-adjacent, there’s a lot to love in Battlefield 5. Since the anti-cheat update, the player base has remained very healthy, so you won’t struggle jumping straight into the fight.
Arma 3
While most combat plane games focus on dogfighting, in Arma 3, you can jump in the cockpit of a jet fighter and help out on the battlefield by strafing heavy tanks and performing airstrikes. The flight physics and depth of mechanics don’t compare to some of the hardcore flying games on this list, but there’s still plenty of scope for mastery.
Air-to-air combat is mostly about managing your position and using a variety of missiles to take down targets from high above the battlefield. There is also a significant role for air-to-ground aircraft, with modern tech like laser-guided missiles and anti-armor cannons making good pilots essential on the battlefield. There are even plenty of helicopters should you tire of airplanes.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
While it certainly looks authentic, the gameplay and story of Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is anything but. The story is baffling unless you’ve stuck with the series since its inception, so it’s handy that Ace Combat 7’s best assets are its slick visuals and breakneck dogfights.
Bandai Namco has done everything to make the campaign missions as dramatic and overwrought as possible, leading to canyon dogfights, daring raids under cover of lightning storms, and the odd flyby between collapsing buildings. If you’re looking for some arcade plane games and are willing to submit to some stupid action fun, then you can’t go wrong with Skies Unknown – check out our Ace Combat 7 review for more information.
X-Plane 11
X-Plane 11 is a more modern take on FSX, with much-improved graphics, cockpit models, and a menu system that won’t leave you slamming your head on the desk before your first take-off.
In fact, there’s plenty more to enjoy about X-Plane 11 before actually flying – just sitting in the airport and watching the cavalcade of catering trucks, tugs, refueling tanks, and cargo trolleys moving about is endlessly engrossing. But it’s in the air where X-Plane 11 is at its most convincing, especially in light aircraft where you can feel every bump and quirk of the plane’s flight characteristics.
Superflight
While there are no planes in Superflight, we’re adding it to the list for one reason: flying around in it feels phenomenal. Superflight is one of the most relaxing games around, which is impressive as it’s all about flying down a deathly hazardous mountain in a wingsuit and racking up as many points as possible on the way by flying close to rock formations.
Every level is procedurally generated ensuring a constant sense of discovery, and if you find a seed you particularly like you can save it and challenge friends to beat your score.
Sky Rogue
Few plane games abandon realism with as much reckless abandon as Sky Rogue, a neon-lit arcade fighter jet game that’s deceptively simple at first but hides some serious depth. Ahead of each procedurally generated mission you’ll pick your jet, customize the weapons system, and slap on a livery that brings out your inner Tom Cruise, then it’s a case of barreling around the level and blowing everything to kingdom come.
With 12 jets and over 30 weapons to pick, it’ll be some time before you get bored of shredding enemy aces, battleships, and tanks.
Bomber Crew
Bomber Crew puts you in charge of selecting and managing the crew for a WW2 bomber, going out on bombing raids, and getting back to England with as few casualties as possible. During every mission, you’ll need to manage the positions of each crew member, battle with enemy fighter planes, and ensure you’re flying in the right direction and height – too high and your crew will freeze to death, too low and you’ll be shot out the sky.
While Bomber Crew looks light and friendly, the smallest mistakes in this plane-based strategy game will very quickly lead to crew deaths. It’ll take some getting used to, but at least you can learn from your mistakes in the next bombing run.
Star Wars: Squadrons
Star Wars: Squadrons is an arcade-style flying game with intense dogfighting at its core, epic space battles, and charm to spare. Gracefully taking down your foes and managing your power distribution feels fantastic, and while it’s easy to get into, Squadrons offers a relatively high skill ceiling.
The short but sweet campaign is enjoyable from start to finish, but it’s the multiplayer action that will keep you soaring around space for months to come. It’s a shame that EA’s post-launch plans never extended beyond simple cosmetics. Our Star Wars Squadrons review goes into detail about how it’s one of the best Star Wars games in years and a damn fine flying game to boot.
There you have it – our list of the best plane games and flying games on PC. Hopefully, we’ve helped narrow things down for you so you can install the right flight game without encountering any turbulence. If it’s the military aspect of these games that appeals to you most, you should read our guide on the best war games for more recommendations.