The Best Aircraft To Unlock First In X-Plane Mobile

Two of the best aircraft in X-Plane Mobile are already free, so the real first decision is what to learn next and what to pay for.

X-Plane Mobile hands every new pilot the Cessna 172SP and the Cirrus Jet SF50 at no cost, together with the tutorials and challenges built around them. Everything else in the fleet is unlocked through a one-time purchase or a subscription. That changes the usual question. Instead of asking which aircraft to buy first, most beginners get more value by deciding which free aircraft to master and which paid one is worth their first purchase.

Two Aircraft Are Already Unlocked For Free

The app ships with the Cessna 172SP and the Cirrus Jet SF50 unlocked from the very first launch. You also get the tutorials and the challenges that use these two aircraft, plus five free scenery regions. That means you can fly a propeller trainer and a light jet without spending anything.

The rest of the fleet works in two ways. You can buy individual aircraft as one-time purchases, which stay yours permanently. Or you can take a Professional Subscription, which unlocks the entire fleet and global scenery for as long as you stay subscribed. Knowing this upfront stops you from buying an aircraft you would have received anyway through a subscription.

Why The Cessna 172SP Comes First

The Cessna 172SP is the aircraft you should learn before any other, and it costs nothing. It is a single-engine, four-seat trainer with a cruise speed of about 122 knots and a range near 696 nautical miles. The official tutorials and the Takeoff and Landing lessons are built around it, so the app itself treats it as the starting point.

It also carries a full interactive cockpit, which matters more than it sounds. You can start it cold and dark, work every switch, and use the real navigation systems. Those habits transfer directly to heavier aircraft later. Rushing past the Cessna into a jet is the most common mistake new pilots make, because the basics of pitch, power, and trim are far easier to learn at 122 knots than at 300.

The Cirrus Jet SF50 Is Your Free First Jet

If you want jet speed without paying, the Cirrus Jet SF50 is already unlocked alongside the Cessna. It is a single-engine very light jet built for personal travel, and it sits in the “personal jet” category of the app. For most players, this is the gentlest possible introduction to jet handling.

The SF50 also has a full interactive cockpit, so you can practice startup procedures and basic jet management before spending money on a tubeliner. Treat it as the bridge between the Cessna and any airliner you buy later. Learning the Cessna first and then the SF50 covers slow flying and fast flying without a single purchase.

The Best Paid Aircraft To Unlock First

Once you are comfortable with the two free aircraft, the smartest first purchase depends on what you want to fly. For realism and learning value, four paid aircraft stand out above the rest. The table below compares them so you can match one to your goal before you spend.

Boeing 737-800

The Boeing 737-800 is the best first airliner purchase for most players who want the full tubeliner experience. It carries a full interactive cockpit and a working flight management system, so you can program a route and fly it the way real crews do. As the best-selling commercial jet ever, it is also the type you will recognize from countless real flights, which keeps the learning rewarding.

McDonnell Douglas MD-80

The MD-80 is the pick if you want to learn raw jet flying rather than automation. It has a full interactive cockpit but an older, hands-on flight deck with far less help from computers. Flying it well forces you to manage thrust, pitch, and energy yourself, which builds skills the more automated jets hide from you.

Airbus A320

The Airbus A320 suits players drawn to modern airliners with a different control philosophy than Boeing. It is a short to medium range narrow-body that typically carries around 150 passengers about 3,300 nautical miles. Its cockpit is not as fully interactive as the 737-800 in the app, so buy it for the flying feel and the type popularity rather than deep system depth.

Beechcraft King Air C90B

The King Air C90B is the gentlest paid step up from the Cessna, and a strong choice before jumping to jets. It is a six-seat twin turboprop often called “an SUV with wings” for its versatility. You get twin-engine handling and turboprop speed without the workload of a full airliner, which makes it an easy second aircraft to learn.

Aircraft Better Left Until Later

Some aircraft are great fun but poor first purchases, because they teach skills that do not carry over to everyday flying. The combat jets, the F-22 Raptor, the A-10 Thunderbolt II, and the F-4 Phantom II, are built around the dogfighting and ground-attack systems rather than normal flight training. They are worth owning once you can already fly, not as a foundation.

The Sikorsky S76 helicopter is the clearest “later” pick of all. Helicopter controls work nothing like fixed-wing aircraft, so starting there usually frustrates new pilots. Learn the Cessna, the SF50, and one airliner first, then treat the helicopter and the fast jets as rewards rather than starting points.

Should You Buy Aircraft Or Subscribe To The Whole Fleet?

The choice comes down to how many aircraft you actually want. Individual purchases stay yours forever, even if you never subscribe, so they suit players who only want one or two extra aircraft. A Professional Subscription unlocks the entire fleet and global scenery while it is active, which is better value if you want to fly many different aircraft and explore worldwide airports.

Prices change by region and over time, so check the current numbers on the App Store or Google Play before deciding. The annual plan usually costs less than paying monthly across a year. If you only plan to learn one airliner alongside the free aircraft, a single purchase is often the cheaper path.

Some players look instead for a modded version of X-Plane Mobile that claims to unlock the full fleet for free. Be honest with yourself about the trade-offs first. Installing an APK from an unknown source can expose your device to malware, it can put your account and progress at risk, and it bypasses supporting Laminar Research, the studio behind the simulator. If you want to understand how these modded builds actually work, what they unlock, and the real safety risks involved, our full guide breaks it all down in detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which aircraft are unlocked by default in X-Plane Mobile?
The app comes with the Cessna 172SP and the Cirrus Jet SF50 already unlocked. You also get all the tutorials and the challenges that use these two aircraft, plus five free scenery regions. You can fly both without spending anything.

Can I fly a jet for free in X-Plane Mobile?
Yes. The Cirrus Jet SF50 is free from the start and has a full interactive cockpit. It is a light personal jet, so it is the easiest jet to learn before you buy a larger airliner.

Do I keep purchased aircraft if I cancel my subscription?
Aircraft you buy individually stay usable forever, even without a subscription. Aircraft you only accessed through the Professional Subscription become locked again once the subscription ends. The free aircraft and free regions always remain available.

Is the Cessna 172 good enough to start with?
The Cessna 172SP is the recommended starting aircraft, and the official tutorials are built around it. Its slow speed and full interactive cockpit make the fundamentals of flight far easier to learn. Master it before moving to faster aircraft.

The Bottom Line

Your first aircraft in X-Plane Mobile should be the free Cessna 172SP, followed by the free Cirrus Jet SF50 once the basics feel comfortable. When you are ready to spend, the Boeing 737-800 gives the most complete airliner experience, while the King Air C90B is the gentlest paid step up. Save the combat jets and the Sikorsky helicopter for later, and choose a subscription only if you genuinely want to fly the whole fleet.