Years before being taken seriously as a brand invested in gaming, Microsoft Flight Simulator was the staple for taking virtual aircraft to the skies.
It's still true today, as the 2020 reboot brought a picture-perfect recreation of planet Earth to PCs and Xbox consoles with a massive collection of planes, helicopters, and more as it continues with the upcoming Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 release.
While it's possible to play the title with a mouse and keyboard or sit back with an Xbox controller, the experience is geared towards ultimate realism when paired with at least a joystick or a fully-fledged HOTAS (hands-on throttle-and-stick) set or yoke.
I've tested my fair share of sim hardware and, following discussions with colleagues, have curated this list of the absolute best flight sticks for Microsoft Flight Simulator in 2024, with the $399.99 Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightdeck ranking at the top.
If you have more particular needs, I can help you pick the right joystick for your budget. So, let's dive into Microsoft's world of flight simulation.
Recent updates
October 30, 2024: All picks checked and still the best available. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 will launch on November 19, and I'll test flight stick compatibility as soon as possible. — Ben Wilson
The quick list
Solid with a hybrid of metallic dials and rubber-gripped plastic, this HOTAS setup is designed exclusively for PCs, and I've never tried anything better.
Combining design, incredible functionality, ergonomics, and proper compatibility with Xbox, this is the flight stick you need if you want the solution to upping your Flight Simulator experience on Microsoft's consoles.
Anyone looking to save money should consider the Thrustmaster T. Flight HOTAS One. It has a PC and an Xbox version; both are some of the most affordable options.
If you're looking for a far more authentic control set that more accurately simulates real-world flying, this is it. It's expensive but also offers intricate customization.
Honeycomb has once again delivered with the updated Alpha Flight Controls XPC, featuring several improvements and a redesigned front panel. This high-quality product continues to exceed expectations for its price.
The VelocityOne Flight represents a significant upgrade, particularly on Xbox where options are limited. It is easy to recommend to those who want a comprehensive yoke and throttle system.
I've been a fan of simulation games on PC for most of my adult life, and I couldn't have been happier to see Microsoft Flight Simulator make its way to Xbox in 2020. Testing the latest peripherals, I can help newcomers and seasoned fans find their next flight stick.
The best HOTAS joysticks and yokes for Microsoft Flight Simulator in 2024
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Best for PC
Turtle Beach, despite my previous habit of associating the brand with cheap Xbox headsets, managed to create a top-tier flight HOTAS combo that excels in design and functionality. It really only lacks force feedback, which I quickly disable anyway. It features one of the most straightforward assembly processes, making it nice and easy to set up, and both units feature a gigantic range of programmable buttons with a digital touchscreen display offering even more.
My Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightdeck review explains how the whole package has a satisfyingly weighty feel for stability and unique features such as the chunky 'FIRE' button doubling as a touchpad to help with menu navigation instead of reaching for your mouse. The OLED screen pair offers a traditional chrono timer, though it can help with in-game adjustments and toggle the built-in RGB lighting if you want a bit of added flair. Turtle Beach's companion app, Flight Hangar, is essential for firmware updates. Still, it also offers deeper RGB customization and personalized control profiles, helping with broader compatibility in Microsoft Flight Simulator when you want to assign axes as buttons or vice versa.
While the lack of pre-made configurations at launch for Microsoft Flight Simulator may challenge beginners, Turtle Beach promises to fix that with an update. Despite this minor drawback, the VelocityOne Flightdeck stands out as the best HOTAS flight stick for Microsoft Flight Simulator I've ever used. Once fully configured, it delivers an unparalleled gaming experience, and what it lacks isn't really impactful at this price range.
Read our full Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightdeck review
Best for Xbox
When looking to elevate your Microsoft Flight Simulator experience beyond the entry experience, securing the best hands-on throttle-and-stick solution is an investment you won't regret. While there are dozens of sim-ready peripherals, the trusty joystick is a must-buy to improve the adventures ahead. The best flight sticks have their benefits, including granular input over fundamental control surfaces and components, with assignable keys for everyday functions.
As you can see from our Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick review, this accessory checks numerous boxes for those with a taste for Microsoft Flight Simulator. It works with both PC and Xbox, so you can fly on whatever system works best for you. The joystick axes provide high-precision control over pitch and roll, with a twist of the stick also handling yaw for horizontal adjustments.
The flight stick delivers a comfortable, ergonomic design when in hand, with various inputs to bolster functionality. An OLED display near the top of the flightstick makes it easy to access internal settings quickly, and you can customize the accessory's RGB lighting to get it looking the way you want. Just remember to take the time to update Turtle Beach firmware if you plan on using it with games outside of Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Read our full Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick review
Best budget
The latest Microsoft Flight Simulator was the first to hit Xbox consoles, bringing the full scale of its virtual globe to the luxury of the living room. While the title makes a smooth transition, retaining the full depth of this ultra-realistic sim, it’s let down by a poor ecosystem of accessories for diehards. Consoles never needed an exhaustive range of flight gear, with its Xbox version set back literal decades versus the full-fledged PC experience. That’s not to say you can’t find great joysticks and flight gear for Xbox, but it pays to be picky about which joystick you buy.
As you can see from our Thrustmaster T.Flight Hotas One review, this is an excellent budget option for PC and Xbox, offering a relatively affordable one-stop solution for all flying games. While it pairs best with Microsoft Flight Simulator, it’s compatible with popular titles like Elite Dangerous and Star Wars: Squadrons, making this a wise investment for budding pilots. This entry-level setup includes a full-sized joystick and throttle, with smooth yet precise inputs, offering complete oversight over control surfaces. It also works on PC, too.
The joystick offers the standard inputs for controlling pitch and roll, with a twist for yaw and adjustable resistance to fine-tune handling. There’s an eight-way hat switch, ideal for looking out over stunning, sky-high views, while 14 other buttons, a rear trigger, and reverse thrust provide ample inputs as you see fit.
We named Flight Simulator a must-play for Xbox players in our initial review, but the poor choice of accessories overshadowed its rollout. While some manufacturers have looked to appease the Xbox audience, your options are still relatively limited. While the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flight offers a compelling yoke for console and PC, we’re yet to see a better contender among joysticks.
With an affordable retail price and a robust suite of features, the Thrustmaster T.Flight Hotas One is an easy pick for Xbox users. While the PC market features a vibrant space of contenders spanning different price points, we recommend the Hotas One to any Xbox user, whether new to the scene or a seasoned pilot.
Read our full Thrustmaster T.Flight Hotas One review
Best for realism
If you want a highly realistic control experience while playing Microsoft Flight Simulator, consider the Thrustmaster TCA Captain Pack X Airbus Edition. The high level of detail put into the design and function of this joystick sets it apart on another level from other flightsticks out there. As you might expect, you will have to pay a pretty price for it, but it's still well-priced overall.
Like many other flightsticks, this one is compatible with PC and Xbox. However, you might have difficulties interacting with specific Xbox game menus without a traditional controller handy. Speaking of hands, the TCA Captain Pack X Airbus Edition allows you to swap the brake buttons and autopilot to accommodate anyone who prefers right-handed flying. Plus, the user experience is nice and smooth, thanks to the fact that there are no dead zone issues.
As you might imagine, this joystick is intended explicitly for realistic flight simulation and isn't ideal for more action-packed flying games such as Star Wars: Squadrons. But if your main goal is an incredibly realistic Microsoft Flight Simulator experience, this is the flight stick for you.
Read our full Thrustmaster TCA Captain Pack X Airbus Edition review
The best PC yoke
Honeycomb Aeronautic is a relatively new arrival to the flight sim hardware scene, but the company has already impressed to a major degree with its excellent, high-quality peripherals. The latest iteration of its Alpha Flight Controls (now under the XPC moniker) includes massive improvements over its predecessor, cementing Honeycomb's place at the top of the very best flight yokes for any flight simulator (but especially for Microsoft Flight Simulator).
Build quality is unbelievably good, with premium materials, industry-leading button actions, and impossibly smooth yoke control making it very obvious that this isn't just another flight yoke. The Alpha Flight Controls feel substantial, and the innovative clamping system for installing your new flight sim setup ensures there will never been any slipping or dislodging (although reinstallations can be frustrating, because the clamping force when using the optional suction pads is just that strong).
When it comes to actually taking to the skies, the Alpha Flight Controls is littered with satisfying, remappable buttons, switches, toggles, and more. Everything is easy to access and feels incredible to use, especially the reinforced steel yoke; here, you're getting full 180-degrees rotation with hall effect sensors for superior precision and long-term durability. It's effortlessly smooth, but I did wish for a little more tension when I reviewed the Honeycomb Aeronautic Alpha Flight Controls XPC. Overall, though, the actual experience of using this flight yoke is first-class.
To get the full experience, though, you'll also need to invest in Honeycomb's other accompanying peripherals, like the Bravo Throttle Quadrant and Charlie Rudder Pedals. If you plan to use the Alpha Flight Controls with these accessories on Xbox consoles (yes, there is full Xbox Series X|S compatibility), you'll need a separate hub to make it happen. It's also worth mentioning that I felt the Bravo Throttle Quadrant didn't impress quite as much as the Alpha Flight Controls when it came to the quality of its levers.
The full setup is incredibly expensive ($350 for the yoke, $280 for the throttle quadrant, etc.), although the sheer quality here is unparalleled at this price point — to find anything nicer, you'd have to spend considerably more. Finding the Honeycomb Aeronautic flight sim setup in stock and at reasonable prices can be difficult, however, so you may be better off checking the Honeycomb Aeronautic website.
Read our full Honeycomb Aeronautic Alpha Flight Controls XPC review
The best Xbox yoke
Microsoft Flight Simulator's expansion to consoles has spawned new Xbox-compatible accessories, including the all-inclusive VelocityOne Flight system from Turtle Beach. While better known for gaming headsets, the manufacturer recently debuted its first Flight Simulator-ready accessory, primed for Xbox consoles and Windows PCs.
The Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flight Universal Control System, extravagant naming aside, provides a simple but comprehensive setup for either beginners or seasoned pilots. The yoke, accompanying throttle quadrant, and wealth of ancillary switches and inputs each ensure complete control, from critical flight surfaces to lights and landing gear.
The yoke alone demonstrates attention to quality, with firm motions, 180-degree rotation, and responsive control over virtual aircraft. The chosen hall-effect sensor also provides extra confidence in the device's long-term durability. You get rocker switches, joysticks, various assignable buttons, and rear-mounted triggers to emulate rudder pedals. That's topped with the Flight Management Display, an integrated 1.5-inch LCD with quick access to control profiles while relaying some key flight metrics.
The accompanying throttle quadrant throws more inputs in the mix, from throttle levels to vernier controls, plus a dedicated trim wheel. There's also a status panel with various switches and LEDs, all tied to the game. While the throttle doesn't feel as refined as the yoke, it's impeccable in terms of function.
The VelocityOne Flight kit provides everything you need for a complete Flight Simulator experience on consoles or PC. But Xbox compatibility is the standout here, among the few manufacturers catering to console gamers in 2022. It's the only Xbox yoke available right now, and while more brands have pledged future support, it's by far the best way to play Flight Simulator on a console.
The VelocityOne Flight system isn't cheap, especially compared to standard Xbox gamepads. It's an all-in-one system that, while expensive compared to other yokes, comes out more affordable than rivals offering piecemeal components. It's a simple plug-and-play solution, easy to store between sessions, yet still ideal for diving in without limits. Turtle Beach condensed everything you need into one product, and for Xbox owners, there's nothing quite like it.
Read our full VelocityOne Flight system review
How to choose the right flight stick
Microsoft Flight Simulator enables virtual globetrotting on an unprecedented scale. The series' revival and new 2024 release bring a newfound demand for dedicated flight hardware on PC, with a handful of impressive peripherals on the scene. Thrustmaster usually flies as the market leader with the best joystick technology for the price; however, the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightdeck is our overall top pick for PC.
With Flight Simulator-ready hardware in high demand and short supply, the Flightdeck is one of the few high-quality solutions available at a reasonable price. That includes a reliable hands-on throttle-and-stick combo covering everything you need to get started, with a robust build and features for even the most sophisticated aircraft.
Meanwhile, those playing Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox Series X and Series S require specific console-compatible hardware, like the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick and VelocityOne Flight System, among the Xbox flight sticks. Alternatively, it also makes a fantastic budget flightstick for PC.
