California Overhaul Lands in Microsoft Flight Simulator – 18 Urban Upgrades

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Microsoft has released City Update 13: California for Microsoft Flight Simulator, a state-wide refresh focused on urban detail. The package enhances 18 areas of interest (AOIs) with high-fidelity cityscapes built using TIN (triangulated irregular network) surface texturing. Coverage spans the capital in the north through the Bay Area and Central Valley, across the Central Coast and Greater Los Angeles, and down to San Diego. The update is free for existing owners and is available as of 01/28/2026.

What’s Included Across the State

The update concentrates on major metropolitan corridors and notable hubs. Below is a breakdown of the covered regions and highlighted cities. Several AOIs group multiple cities under a single metropolitan area.

Table – Covered regions and highlighted cities

Visual Upgrades and Tech

Microsoft and its partners used TIN surface texturing to raise urban fidelity, improving skyline silhouettes, waterfronts, and landmark readability during low-and-slow VFR and IFR approaches. The update highlights well-known structures and vistas across the covered cities, including:

• San Francisco – Golden Gate Bridge, Transamerica Pyramid, Coit Tower, Alcatraz Island, Fisherman’s Wharf
• Oakland – Lake Merritt, San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge
• San Jose – San Jose City Hall, The 88, Bank of Italy Building
• Fresno – Old Fresno Water Tower, Kearney Mansion
• Santa Barbara – Old Mission Santa Barbara, Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara Harbor
• Los Angeles – Griffith Observatory, Walt Disney Concert Hall, U.S. Bank Tower, Wilshire Grand Center
• Long Beach – RMS Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, Shoreline Gateway Tower
• San Diego – USS Midway Museum, One America Plaza, Coronado Bridge

Availability and Update Versions

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City Update 13: California is free for Microsoft Flight Simulator owners. Ensure the simulator is updated to the latest build before downloading the package:

• MSFS 2020 – version 1.39.9.0
• MSFS 2024 – version 1.6.34.0 (Windows PC – Steam build as of 01/28/2026)

Official trailer:

Bottom Line – Why It Matters

For virtual pilots who frequent the U.S. West Coast, this update concentrates on busy airspaces and recognizable skylines to improve navigation and immersion. Whether you’re shooting approaches into KLAX, pattern work in the Bay, or sightseeing along the Pacific, the state-wide uplift to 18 AOIs means more visual cues, richer landmarks, and clearer city geometry where it counts.