After a 2025 that saw BlueBird’s 757 reach critical milestones but ultimately miss the hangar doors for a release, the developer has officially marked 2026 as the year their highly-awaited debut project will be ready for the flight sim community. The developer says the team has made substantial progress over the last year, allowing them to confidently lock in the 2026 window for both Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024.
For those who have followed the project since its 2022 announcement, the wait has been a masterclass in patience. Originally intended as a mid-tier offering, BlueBird famously pivoted mid-development to a high-fidelity simulation. This decision placed them in direct competition with heavyweights like PMDG and Fenix, but it also extended the development timeline significantly as systems like the FMS and electrical buses were rebuilt from the ground up.
With the aircraft now firmly in a multi-stage beta, this latest update from the developer hints that the complex systems work is nearing its final polish.
BlueBird isn’t quite ready to circle a specific month on the calendar, but the communication strategy for the first half of the year is set:
- January Update: A 10–20 minute deep-dive video is scheduled for the end of this month, providing a high-level overview of recent progress.
- The Final Countdown: Following the January video, only one more major update is planned: the official release announcement, which the developer says will include an in-depth look at the aircraft’s full feature set.
- MSFS 2024 Transition: While the 757 will be “compatible” with the new sim at launch, a fully native MSFS 2024 package is currently in development. The team says this will be a free update for existing owners once it is ready, though they caution that the learning curve for the new platform makes a specific timeline difficult to predict.
- Future Exclusivity: All projects following the initial 757 — starting with the 757 Freighter expansion — will be developed exclusively for MSFS 2024. We’re talking about the 767, 787, and other possible unannounced projects beyond that.
When the 757 finally makes its debut, Bluebird says the base package will retail for $80 USD, a price point that covers both the -200 and -300 passenger variants across multiple engine types. BlueBird says their commitment to the 757 won’t end when the “buy” button goes live; they plan to continue adding features and updates for free well after the initial release.
