Flight is the genre where VR makes the biggest difference. A flat screen shows you a cockpit; a headset puts you inside one, with real depth to judge a landing and the freedom to look over your shoulder for a bandit on your six. That’s why flight and space sims remain some of the most played PC VR titles years after release.
This list ranks the 10 best VR flight simulators you can buy in 2026, from study-level combat sims to arcade dogfighters. Prices and Steam user ratings were checked on the Steam store on November 12, 2026. Ratings are the share of positive English-language user reviews, and prices are US list prices on that date. Expect both to move as Black Friday sales start.
Quick comparison
| Rank | Game | Style | Steam price (US) | Steam rating | VR on Steam |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VTOL VR | Modern combat, VR-first | $29.99 | 98% of 17,173 | VR Only |
| 2 | Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) | Civil, whole planet | $59.99 | 78% of 44,553 | VR Supported |
| 3 | DCS World Steam Edition | Study-level combat | Free (paid modules) | 84% of 23,377 | VR Supported |
| 4 | X-Plane 12 | Civil, physics-focused | $59.99 | 87% of 3,217 | VR Supported |
| 5 | Project Wingman | Arcade dogfighting | $24.99 | 95% of 12,628 | VR Supported |
| 6 | IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad | WWII combat sim | $7.49 (85% off $49.99) | 79% of 5,481 | VR Supported |
| 7 | Elite Dangerous | Space sim | $19.99 | 76% of 53,949 | VR Supported |
| 8 | Warplanes: WW1 Fighters | WWI, arcade to sim | $19.99 | 88% of 404 | VR Supported |
| 9 | No Man’s Sky | Space exploration | $59.99 | 82% of 187,823 | VR Supported |
| 10 | Star Wars: Squadrons | Space dogfighting | $39.99 | 67% of 19,174 | VR Supported |
How we ranked them: Steam user sentiment carries the most weight, but we also considered how well each game uses VR, how deep it is, and how many players it has reviewed it. A 98% rating from 17,000 reviews counts for more than a similar score from a few hundred. We don’t test hardware or play-test for this list, so read it as a data-led buyer’s guide, not a review.
1. VTOL VR
Price: $29.99 on Steam | Rating: 98% positive (17,173 reviews; 97% in the last 30 days) | Developer: Boundless Dynamics
VTOL VR is the best-rated game on this list by a wide margin, and the reason is simple: it was built for VR from day one. Instead of mapping hundreds of functions to a HOTAS, you reach out and press cockpit switches and screens with your motion controllers, and you fly with a virtual stick and throttle. That makes it the most approachable “real” combat sim available. The fictional aircraft are deep enough to reward practice without demanding a manual. Steam Workshop support and a built-in mission editor keep the content coming. If you buy only one game on this list, make it this one.
2. Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020)
Price: $59.99 on Steam | Rating: 78% positive (44,553 reviews; 84% in the last 30 days) | Developer: Asobo Studio
For sightseeing and civil aviation, nothing beats flying your own neighborhood in Microsoft Flight Simulator. The whole planet is modeled, and in a headset the sense of scale over a city or mountain range is the closest thing to a real light-aircraft flight most people will get. The trade-off is performance. This is the most demanding game here, so plan on a strong GPU and expect to tune settings. Our guide to playing PC VR games on Quest 3 covers the streaming setup.
A note on the 2024 edition: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 ($69.99, 59% positive of 13,541 reviews) doesn’t carry a VR feature tag on its Steam listing as of today, so we ranked the 2020 edition, which does. The 2024 game’s rating has also recovered recently, with 83% positive reviews in the last 30 days.
3. DCS World Steam Edition
Price: Free on Steam, with paid aircraft and map modules | Rating: 84% positive (23,377 reviews) | Developer: Eagle Dynamics
DCS World is the reference point for study-level military flight simulation. The base game is free and includes a small set of aircraft and a map. The depth comes from paid modules that replicate real aircraft systems in extraordinary detail. In VR, being able to look down at a correctly modeled cockpit and read the gauges is a genuine advantage over a monitor. It is also the least forgiving game here: expect a HOTAS, a long learning curve and a high-end PC. Start with the free content before you buy modules.
4. X-Plane 12
Price: $59.99 on Steam | Rating: 87% positive (3,217 reviews; 92% in the last 30 days) | Developer: Laminar Research
X-Plane 12 is the enthusiast’s alternative to Microsoft Flight Simulator. Its scenery isn’t as photoreal, but it is known for its flight model and systems depth, and it rates higher on Steam than either Microsoft sim. It is a strong pick if you care more about how a plane flies than how the ground looks, and its recent reviews are the strongest of any civil sim here.
5. Project Wingman
Price: $24.99 on Steam | Rating: 95% positive (12,628 reviews) | Developer: Sector D2
If simulators sound like homework, Project Wingman is the antidote. It is an arcade dogfighter in the Ace Combat mold, with huge missile counts, a dramatic campaign and fast, readable combat, and it supports VR for the whole game. Its 95% rating is the second highest on this list. It plays well on a gamepad, so it’s also the easiest recommendation for anyone without a flight stick.
6. IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad
Price: $7.49 on Steam (85% off its $49.99 list price on November 12) | Rating: 79% positive (5,481 reviews) | Developer (per Steam): FOR-GAMES CR LTD
The IL-2 series is the go-to for World War II air combat in VR, and Battle of Stalingrad is the entry point. Propeller-era dogfighting suits VR especially well: fights are close, slow enough to follow, and decided by keeping your eyes on the enemy. At today’s sale price it is the best value on this list, but check the price before you buy, because the discount may not last.
7. Elite Dangerous
Price: $19.99 on Steam | Rating: 76% positive (53,949 reviews) | Developer: Frontier Developments
Elite Dangerous swaps planes for starships and the Earth for a full-scale Milky Way. It remains one of the best cockpit experiences in VR: docking at a rotating station for the first time in a headset is a moment most VR players remember. The game around it is a slow-burn sandbox of trading, exploration and combat, which explains the mixed-positive rating. Buy it for the cockpit and the atmosphere, not for a story.
8. Warplanes: WW1 Fighters
Price: $19.99 on Steam and the Meta Quest Store | Rating: 88% positive on Steam (404 reviews); 4.5 stars from about 3.5K ratings on the Meta Store | Developer: Home Net Games
This is the best pick for Quest owners who want to fly without a PC. Warplanes: WW1 Fighters runs natively on Quest headsets, and its store listing describes 20 playable planes, two campaigns with hundreds of missions, and flight models adjustable from arcade to aerodynamic simulation. Single-player, PvP and co-op modes are included. Biplane combat at low altitude is also one of the most comfortable ways into VR flying for new players.
9. No Man’s Sky
Price: $59.99 on Steam | Rating: 82% positive (187,823 reviews; 91% in the last 30 days) | Developer: Hello Games
No Man’s Sky isn’t a flight sim in the strict sense, but flying from a planet’s surface into orbit without a loading screen is still one of VR’s great experiences. Hello Games’ long run of free updates shows in its reviews: 91% of the last 30 days’ reviews are positive. Choose it if you want flight to be part of a bigger exploration game rather than the whole point.
10. Star Wars: Squadrons
Price: $39.99 on Steam | Rating: 67% positive (19,174 reviews) | Developer: Motive
Squadrons is the only way to sit in an X-wing or TIE fighter cockpit in VR with full licensed production values. Its campaign is short and its multiplayer population has thinned since 2020, which is reflected in the lowest rating on this list. It still earns a place for Star Wars fans, and it is a frequent sale item, so wait for a discount.
Also worth a look
- Ultrawings 2 ($19.99 on Meta Quest and Steam): a relaxed, VR-only flying game from Bit Planet Games, rated 4.2 stars on the Meta Store and 69% positive on Steam (116 reviews). A good gentle introduction for Quest players.
- Aces of Thunder ($29.99 on Steam): Gaijin’s VR-focused WWII combat game launched in February 2026 but sits at 57% positive (1,196 reviews), so we’d wait for further updates.
Which VR flight sim should you buy?
- Best overall: VTOL VR. It has the highest rating, was designed for VR, and doesn’t require a HOTAS.
- Best for sightseeing: Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020).
- Most realistic combat: DCS World, which is free to start.
- Best arcade option: Project Wingman.
- Best on standalone Quest: Warplanes: WW1 Fighters.
- Best value today: IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad at $7.49.
Tips before you take off
Flight sims are seated experiences, which makes them easier on most people than free-locomotion games. Rolls, loops and hard banking can still cause discomfort, though. Our guide on how to prevent VR motion sickness has practical fixes, and our explainer on seated vs standing VR covers setting up a seated play space. Almost every game here except the Quest-native titles is a PC VR game. If you are choosing a headset for them, see our Steam Frame vs Quest 3 comparison.
Looking for more? See our rankings of the best VR racing games, the best Steam Frame games and the best Quest 3 games of 2026.
Data: Steam store pages for each game (US prices, all-time and 30-day English-language user review scores) and Meta Quest Store listings for Warplanes: WW1 Fighters and Ultrawings 2, checked November 12, 2026. Prices change frequently during sales.