It’s déjà vu in the Microsoft Flight Simulator skies: Captain Sim has released the Boeing 717-200 for MSFS 2024. If this news feels oddly familiar, you’re not wrong — the same aircraft was launched for MSFS 2020 back in 2023. This new release, however, is being pitched as a separate product, repackaged and reworked for the newer simulator. And there’s no upgrade discount if you already bought it…
The 717-200 Base Pack for MSFS 2024 landed yesterday on the in-sim Marketplace. It’s priced at $29.99 and labeled as a “2024 Edition.” According to Captain Sim, this version includes new 8K textures, improved cockpit animations, and compatibility adjustments to align with MSFS 2024’s updated platform. Under the hood, though, the systems appear to remain largely consistent with the previous release.
The MSFS 2020 version of the 717 launched in September 2023. For those hoping the MSFS 2024 release would be an upgrade or a patch to that version, the news isn’t great. Captain Sim has confirmed there is no upgrade pricing or transition offer — the new release is treated as an entirely separate purchase.
So, what’s actually different this time around? Captain Sim claims several visual and technical improvements have been made for the 2024 release:
- Enhanced 3D model with refined cockpit animations
- 8K textures throughout the aircraft
- Full compatibility with MSFS 2024 platform features
- Custom autopilot and aircraft systems (as per official product page)
There’s no mention of major changes in flight model fidelity or avionics functionality compared to the 2020 version. Both are described as having over 300 functional switches and a custom-coded systems suite, including the FMC.
Captain Sim’s release of the 717-200 for MSFS 2024 brings the aircraft into the new simulator with upgraded visuals and stated improvements to cockpit animations and compatibility. Don’t expect a high-fidelity simulation of the aircraft, but it’s perhaps the lack of an upgrade path that raises the biggest red flag. Those who purchased the 2020 version are now expected to pay full price again for a product that, by many accounts, isn’t particularly remarkable — which is a shame.
Still, for new simmers in MSFS 2024, this release may offer a chance to explore a less common airliner type within the sim’s current ecosystem.
