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Microsoft Flight Simulator has several different kinds of racing rather than one universal multiplayer race system. Reno Air Races is a dedicated, real-player competition with equalized aircraft performance and private-match controls. The National Championship Air Races expansion combines solo Time Trials with player-hosted and joinable races. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 adds Challenge League, a ranked weekly competition, while ordinary multiplayer lets friends fly together but does not automatically create a scored race.
Which multiplayer race system are you using?
Start by identifying the activity you want. The rules, progression and access method differ substantially between dedicated Reno races, National Championship events, MSFS 2024 Challenge League and a normal multiplayer group flight.
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| Mode | Competition format | Race control | Progression | Access scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reno Air Races | Real-player circuit races; no AI opponents | Private Match can set aircraft-performance behavior, laps, assists and time of day; performance is equalized for fairness | Individual races rather than a weekly ranked ladder | Dedicated race activity and its multiplayer lobbies |
| National Championship Air Races | Solo Time Trials or organized multiplayer races | Selectable realism, including simulated wear-and-tear that can reduce engine performance according to pilot input | Time-trial results or the outcome of each organized race | Requires the National Championship Air Races expansion for those activities |
| Challenge League (MSFS 2024) | Ranked competition across three courses that rotate weekly | Events include rally races, low-altitude challenges and precision landings | Top pilots can move to a higher division at the end of each week | Built into the 2024 competitive activity system |
| Ordinary multiplayer | Group flight or an informal race arranged by players | Players choose aircraft and their own rules; the simulator’s visibility and server settings determine who can see whom | No dedicated race ranking or automatic race scoring | Base multiplayer, subject to the selected server and visibility settings |
These systems should not be treated as interchangeable. A Reno lobby, a National Championship race and a Challenge League event can all involve several pilots, but they use different rules and have different result and progression systems.
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Real players, not computer opponents
Reno was designed as a head-to-head competition between human pilots. In a Microsoft developer Q&A, the team stated that there is no AI in Reno and that the intent is to focus on the competitive aspect with real players. If a lobby is empty, you should not expect computer aircraft to fill the grid.
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Equalized aircraft performance
The race mode equalizes aircraft performance so that a faster setup or aircraft configuration does not automatically decide the result. Winning therefore depends more on line choice, throttle control, braking, overtaking and consistency than on bringing an inherently superior machine. This equalization applies to the Reno competition rules; it should not be assumed to apply to every multiplayer flight or to National Championship realism settings.
Collisions and the “back on track” recovery
Contact can happen in a tightly packed circuit. Reno includes a “back on track” feature that lets a pilot continue after a collision instead of ending the session immediately. The recovery keeps the race moving, but it does not erase the time or position lost in the incident, so avoiding contact remains strategically important.
Private Match controls
A Private Match is the practical choice when a group wants predictable rules. The host can customize:
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- Number of laps.
- In-race assists.
- Time of day.
Agree on these settings before inviting everyone. Changing assists or lap count changes the skill test, while a different time of day can affect visibility and the way pilots judge the circuit. Because the host controls the match, all participants should confirm the settings shown in the lobby before launching.
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Hosting or joining a Reno race
- Open the Reno Air Races activity in the simulator and choose the multiplayer or Private Match option.
- If hosting, set aircraft-performance rules, laps, assists and time of day before sending invitations.
- Share the lobby invitation with the pilots you want to race. A private lobby prevents unrelated players from changing the field.
- If joining, accept the invitation, review the displayed settings and select the requested aircraft or class.
- Complete the pre-race setup and remain on the lobby screen until the host starts the race. Leaving for another activity can remove you from that session.
Menu labels can change with simulator updates, so the activity name and the options visible in your installed version take precedence over older screenshots or videos.
How National Championship Air Races multiplayer works
Time Trials are separate from multiplayer
The National Championship Air Races expansion supports solo flying through Time Trials Mode. You can practice a course and record a time without waiting for other pilots. This is useful for learning braking points and lines, but a Time Trial is not the same as a live multiplayer race: there is no shared field whose position changes during the run.
Organizing and joining races
Microsoft describes the expansion this way: “The National Championship Air Races expansion allows pilots to fly solo using Time Trials Mode, organize their own multi-player races, and join established multi-player races.” In practical terms, one pilot can create the session and define the event, while others can enter a race that has already been created. The established-race option is useful for joining a community or scheduled event instead of finding opponents one by one.
Realism and simulated wear
National Championship events expose more realism choices than a simple arcade sprint. One option simulates wear-and-tear: pilot inputs can degrade the engine, so aggressive handling may produce a performance penalty later in the run. If your group enables that setting, throttle discipline, temperature management and smooth control become part of the race. Do not compare a result from a wear-enabled event directly with a result from a race using simplified handling.
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Planning a National Championship session
- Install and open the National Championship Air Races expansion.
- Use Time Trials to learn the course if you are unfamiliar with its turns and elevation changes.
- For a group event, choose the multiplayer race organizer and set the realism level, including whether simulated wear-and-tear is active.
- Invite pilots or join an established race, then verify that everyone is using the same realism settings.
- Run the race and record the result shown by the event. Keep separate records for different realism configurations.
How Challenge League works in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
A ranked weekly cohort
Challenge League is the 2024 answer to the question “Does MSFS have ranked races?” It is a ranked cohort competition, not simply an open lobby. Each weekly competition uses three courses. At the end of the week, the highest-performing pilots can advance to a higher division, after which a new weekly competition begins.
More than circuit racing
The weekly set can include rally races, low-altitude challenges and precision-landing events. A pilot who is excellent at a fast circuit may not automatically lead the league if the other courses reward altitude control, route accuracy or landing precision. Read the event description before choosing a strategy; the objective is not identical across all three courses.
What “ranked” means here
Challenge League supplies recurring competition and division promotion. It is therefore different from a one-off Reno or National Championship lobby, where the winner is determined for that session but there is no equivalent weekly cohort ladder described. Promotion is based on finishing near the top of the current division; the exact thresholds and interface can change as MSFS 2024 is updated.
How ordinary multiplayer works when you arrange your own race
Everyone must be on the same server
In standard multiplayer, players can see one another only when they are connected to the same server. Group mode assigns the server through the group leader. If two friends are on different servers, they can both be online and still appear to be missing from the world.
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Set visibility before you fly
On the World Map, open the Flight Conditions menu and choose the visibility mode that fits the session:
- Live Players shows the live-player population according to the simulator’s rules.
- All Players broadens visibility to all available multiplayer traffic.
- Group-related visibility limits the view to the players in your group, depending on the option shown in your version.
The multiplayer mode cannot be changed after you select Fly. Set it on the World Map first, then launch. If you discover that a friend is invisible after takeoff, returning to the map and changing the setting is usually required; changing it in the cockpit is not supported.
Group size and informal race rules
Microsoft accessibility documentation for MSFS 2024 describes groups of up to five other users, or six people including the leader. That is a group-participation rule, not a promise that every dedicated race supports exactly six entrants. For an informal race, decide on a start point, finish point, aircraft, weather, communication channel and any penalties before departure, because ordinary multiplayer does not impose a standard race format.
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The official software development kit defines a SIMCONNECT_DATA_RACE_RESULT structure for race-result data. It records the racer count, mission identifier, player name, session type, aircraft, player role, total time, penalty time and disqualification state. These fields explain why two pilots can finish close together yet receive different official results: a penalty or disqualification flag is part of the recorded outcome.
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MSFS 2024’s event list includes a control to show or hide the multiplayer race-results window. If the window is hidden, the race can still produce result data; the display setting only changes whether the results panel appears. For organized events, take a screenshot or write down the result before leaving the session if your group needs an auditable record.
Choosing the right format
| If you want… | Use… | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A tightly controlled race with equalized performance | Reno Private Match | The host can set laps, assists, performance behavior and time of day, and the mode is built around real players. |
| Solo practice followed by a hosted event | National Championship Air Races | Time Trials and organized or established multiplayer races are in the same expansion. |
| A recurring ladder and promotion | MSFS 2024 Challenge League | Three weekly courses and division movement create ongoing ranked competition. |
| A casual race anywhere in the simulator | Ordinary multiplayer | Friends can agree on their own route and rules without using a dedicated race activity. |
Troubleshooting multiplayer race problems
You cannot see a friend
- Confirm that both pilots selected the same server; in a group, the leader’s server controls the session.
- Return to the World Map and check the Flight Conditions visibility choice.
- Make sure the setting was changed before selecting Fly, since it cannot be altered in flight.
- Verify that everyone accepted the same invitation or joined the same established race rather than merely being online.
The race feels unfair
- In Reno, confirm that the lobby is using the intended equalized-performance rules.
- In National Championship events, compare the realism level and whether simulated wear-and-tear is enabled.
- Do not compare Challenge League results with a casual race: the objectives and scoring context differ.
A pilot disappears after a collision
Reno’s back-on-track recovery is intended to let a collided pilot continue. In an ordinary multiplayer flight or a different race activity, collision behavior may not be identical, so check the rules of that specific mode rather than assuming Reno’s recovery applies everywhere.
No results window appears
In MSFS 2024, check the event-list control that shows or hides the multiplayer race-results window. A hidden window does not necessarily mean the race failed to record a result; the SDK result structure can still contain timing, penalty and disqualification fields.
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Expansion ownership, versions and changing labels
Reno Air Races and National Championship Air Races are dedicated race expansions, while Challenge League is a competitive activity in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Before purchasing an expansion, check the current in-game Marketplace listing for your platform, edition and region; availability and pricing can change. A feature described during development or in older MSFS 2020 material may not have the same menu wording in a later update.
Most importantly, distinguish MSFS 2020 Reno behavior from MSFS 2024 Challenge League. Reno’s published developer description is a development-era statement about a real-player mode, whereas Challenge League is the 2024 ranked system with weekly courses and division promotion. Treat current in-game rules as authoritative if an update changes a setting, event schedule or eligibility requirement.
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