Start Your Own Virtual Airline
Everything you need to know about creating, launching, and growing a Virtual Airline that pilots actually want to join.
What is a Virtual Airline?
A Virtual Airline recreates the experience of running a real airline - routes, schedules, ranks, and community - inside flight simulators like MSFS, X-Plane, and Prepar3D.
Pilots book flights from routes you create, log their hours, and progress through ranks. Some Virtual Airlines mirror real-world carriers with accurate liveries and route networks. Others create entirely fictional airlines with custom branding and imaginative destinations.
Virtual Airlines range from casual groups of friends flying together on weekends to large organizations with hundreds of active pilots - and even entire networks where teams run multiple airlines under one umbrella.
Why Start a Virtual Airline?
Starting and running a Virtual Airline is rewarding in ways that solo flying simply cannot match.
Build something yours
Your routes, your liveries, your rules. Create an airline that reflects your vision of aviation.
Build a community
Flight simulation can be solitary. A Virtual Airline brings people together around a shared passion.
Add purpose to flying
Structured goals, rank progression, and achievements make every flight meaningful.
Learn management
Running an airline teaches you things - planning, coordination, leadership. Skills that translate beyond the sim.
What You Need to Get Started
Starting a Virtual Airline is easier than you'd expect. Here are the essentials:
The Must-Haves
- A concept - Real-world recreation or fictional? Regional or global? Cargo or passenger? Define what makes your airline unique - especially if similar Virtual Airlines already exist, think about what yours offers that they don't.
- A name and brand - Logo, livery colors, and a callsign that pilots will remember.
- A management platform - Software to handle pilot registration, flight tracking, and statistics. This is where vAMSYS comes in.
- A place to gather - Discord is the standard. Easy to set up, free, and familiar to most flight simmers.
Nice to Have (But Not Required to Start)
- A custom domain and website
- Custom aircraft liveries
- Detailed SOPs and training materials
- Partnerships with other Virtual Airlines
- VATSIM or IVAO division membership
You can add these as your airline grows. Focus on the basics first.
Step-by-Step Guide
A general roadmap - not every step applies to every airline, but this covers the essentials.
Define Your Identity
Decide what type of airline you want to run:
- Flag carrier - A national airline with a broad route network
- Regional - Focus on a specific geographic area
- Cargo - Freight operations with different aircraft types
- Charter - On-demand flights to varied destinations
- Fictional - Complete creative freedom
Check Virtual Airline directories to see what already exists - you might find inspiration or decide to differentiate.
Plan Your Route Network
Your approach depends on what you're building:
Real-world recreation? You'll likely want to include all routes your counterpart operates. Airlines with history offer even more possibilities - consider adding historical routes over time to give pilots variety and a sense of the airline's legacy.
Fictional airline? Start small. A single hub with a handful of routes is plenty for launch. Grow organically - imagine you're running a real startup airline. Listen to pilot feedback, add popular destinations, and let your network evolve naturally.
Choose Your Management Platform
Your management platform handles the operational backbone of your airline:
- Pilot registration and profiles
- Flight booking and dispatch
- PIREP (Pilot Report) tracking and scoring
- Ranks, awards, and progression
This is exactly what vAMSYS does. One platform, everything included, ready to scale with your airline.
Set Up Your Community Space
Discord is the standard for Virtual Airline communities. Create a server with channels for:
- Announcements and news
- General flight chat
- Support and questions
- Screenshots and media
The vAMSYS Discord bot handles automatic role syncing based on pilot ranks - one less thing to manage manually.
Recruit Your First Pilots
Start with people you know. Friends who already fly are your easiest first recruits.
Then expand:
- Post on flight simulation forums and subreddits
- Share in relevant Discord communities
- List your airline on Virtual Airline directories like MyNextAirline
- Apply for VATSIM or IVAO partnership - official recognition helps with visibility and credibility
Launch and Keep Going
Here's the reality: starting a Virtual Airline is the easy part. Running one takes consistent effort.
The ongoing work:
- Reviewing PIREPs and handling pilot queries
- Updating routes and schedules
- Engaging with your community daily
- Recruiting and retaining pilots
Manage your expectations: Growth is slow. Getting visibility for a new Virtual Airline is difficult. Don't expect hundreds of pilots in your first months - or even your first year. The Virtual Airline space is competitive.
Define your style: Some VAs run casual operations where anything goes. Others enforce strict procedures, mandatory VATSIM flights, and demanding standards. Both approaches work - the strict ones often build smaller but fiercely loyal communities that stick around for decades. Know what you want before you start.
Why vAMSYS for Your Virtual Airline
Skip months of setup. Launch this week.
Everything included
Pilot portal, admin tools, flight tracking, Discord bot, and API. No piecing together multiple systems.
SimBrief built-in
One-click flight plans generated in the background. No popups, no external windows, no waiting.
Real-time tracking
Watch your pilots fly on a live map. Pegasus ACARS supports MSFS, X-Plane, and Prepar3D.
Gamification ready
Ranks, badges, leaderboards, and Community Goals out of the box. Keep pilots engaged from day one.
14-day free trial
Full platform access. No credit card required. See everything before you commit.
Transparent pricing
One plan at £25/month. Unlimited pilots, unlimited flights, all features included.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to run a Virtual Airline?
Platform costs vary. vAMSYS is £25/month with unlimited pilots and flights. Discord is free. Custom liveries can be commissioned or created by talented community members. Many successful Virtual Airlines operate on less than £30/month total.
Do I need coding skills?
No. vAMSYS is fully managed - no servers to configure, no code to write, no maintenance to handle. Everything runs in your browser.
How many pilots do I need to start?
You can launch with just yourself. Many successful Virtual Airlines started with two or three friends and grew organically from there.
Can I use my own branding?
Yes. Custom logos, colors, dashboard layouts, and email templates throughout the pilot experience. Your airline, your brand.
What flight simulators are supported?
MSFS 2020 and 2024, X-Plane 10, 11, and 12, Prepar3D, and FSX via Pegasus ACARS. The tracker runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
How do I create a Virtual Airline?
Define your concept, pick a name, set up a management platform like vAMSYS, create a Discord server, and start inviting pilots. You can launch with the basics and add complexity as you grow. This guide covers the full process.
Can I migrate from another platform?
Yes. vAMSYS supports CSV imports for routes, airports, aircraft, fleet, and more - or you can use the API for more control. Pilots are invited rather than imported, but you can bring over their previous flight time and points. Full flight history can't be migrated since vAMSYS tracks far more detail than other platforms. We don't offer official migration assistance, but we're happy to help where we can in our Discord.
Ready to build something?
Your Virtual Airline is one signup away. Full platform access, no credit card, 14 days to explore.
Start your 14-day free trial