Airlines are one of the most commonly simulated businesses in the world.  From cockpit simulators for pilots, to simulations of airline route scheduling, management procedures, ticket selling, and gate operations, the airline world relies heavily on both computer and text simulations.  Yet, for airchair CEO's, the pickings are pretty slim, although they are improving.  Board games tend toward simplistic models, while the computer simulations offered often do not meet the challenge.  Nevertheless, you might find some of these games fun and educational.  Also, I've recently added two new flight simulators that concentrate entirely on the airline pilot and aircraft environment.  [2-06-01: I had hoped to revamp this page visually, but . . . no time.  But I have managed to update much of the info.]

Airline Pilot Simulations:

Airline Simulator 2 (Nomissoft) --  A complete update of Sublogic's old Air Transport Pilot with three new aircraft (MD83/MD88 and B747-400) with new graphics, flight models, and scenery.  An immersive experience that includes 96 flights in Europe as a part of your "career" as well as more in the North Atlantic and the USA.

Precision Simulator 1.3 (Aerowinx)   --  A total simulation of the B747-400 systems from the hydrolics to the FMC.  Used by professionals, NASA, and commercial airlines as a trainer and flight simulator.  At $260.00, it is out of the price range of many sim'ers, but according to its users, well worth it. NOTE:  I'm looking to purchase a used copy of this simulation (any version).  If you have one you are no longer using, please contact me.

Computer Simulations:

Airport Inc. and Airport Tycoon (Krisalis)  --  A 3D business simulator of airport operations in which you build and run your own airport from the ground up, with a real-time, full 3D environment!   The game is available for about $20, and is a pretty fun little game, if you don't go in expecting too much.  

Airline Tycoon(Spellbound) -- A very tongue-in-cheek computer game from Germany, now offered in the U.S., by Talonsoft. Take command of an airline and run routes across the entire globe.  Lots of silliness.  Spellbound now offers an English language demo of Airline Tycoon.  Info on the American release is available at Talonsoft.

I'm pleased to see Talonsoft picking up both Airport Tycoon and Airline Tycoon, looking for the wider audience for these sims, and keeping the price generally below $20.  But neither game promises to please most simmers.  Airline Tycoon's cartoon graphics and conception are amusing, but don't let you do anything productive with aircraft or airports, other than run around the same comic airport layout game after game.  On the airline management side of the game, there are some innovative elements such as a plane scheduling form that takes into acount flight times, gate availablity, and turn around times, allowing you to quickly see how long an aircraft is going to be busy to a particular flight.  But there is little else here that could be considered a reflection of the airline industry.  For example, when you need used aircraft, you literally "run" down to the plane museum and puchase whatever aircraft they happen to have on display.  You then get to "fly" it off the lot--no wait for escrow, no leasing options or details, it just appears instantly ready.

And the fact that even in such a visually imaginative environment as Airline Tycoon you never really get to see your aircraft in opertation, leaves the player feeling that the fun has really been left out of the game.  For $15, this game will entertain some players, but for most, it is best left on the store shelf.

Airline Simulation(eFZed) -- An Austrialian offering in the making.  Airline Simulation looks like it might be very good, with a good interface, excellent details, and lots of photos.  Although due out earlier this year, eFZed has run into trouble with trademark and copyright conflicts.  (Their sim appeared to use a lot of "real-world" images of airliners with their complete color schemes for example.)   They have managed to overcome the various problems and expect to start shipping in March. Expected price should be about $55 U.S. dollars.

Airpro -- A fine freeware airline simulator with an easily edited airport list to create your own scenarios.  Lots of different aircraft that become available over time and the option to begin any time between 1945 and 1990.  (The server is slow, so give it a little time.)  Game might be a little too easy; you end with hundreds of aircraft in just a year or two.  But the author is working on a new Windows-based version with all new graphics which is expected to be available in February or March.

JetWars (Alexsis)  -- A 2 player game simulating the airline industry and its severe competition.  Alexis has dropped the price of their sim and are now offering it as a download on their site.  However, it isn't very impressive.  Two players compete for six fixed routes in a program that seems little more than an unfinished project for a Freshman computer class.

Airline: A Strategic Management Simulation -- A business management school text book and program in which groups of students "run" a small commuter airline, dealing with a wide range of economic, social, and management issues.  Widely used and in its third edition.

Entrepreneur (Stardock) -- A (slightly) tongue-in-cheek, real-time strategy simulation of global business operations.  Has received great praise from reviewers and has a very large number of players.  Can be played solitaire or with other humans and online.  An add-on module includes a simulation of the aircraft manufacturing industry.  Try Stardock's demo.

Air Bucks (Impressions) -- An older computer game that was the first (an only?) real attempt to simulate airline operations and the history of the industry (1946-1986).  The game was a good effort, but it was hampered by a poor interface and a very difficult seat configuration and pricing structure.  (You could set the prices for 1st and 2nd class seats and be told how much you were earning, but you could never find out how many people were flying on your airline or what classes they flew in, for example.)  Still very much worth playing, though. Inexpensive, if hard to find these days.  Try HERE or HERE. Also run as an on-line/play-by-email game.

Airline (Ariolsoft) -- An old German game on the C64 computer for four players starting an airline based in Frankfort.  Reminds me of MULE.  Requires a C64 emulator.  You can assign personnel by pressing the fire button and pushing "up"/"down" at the same time, works also for acquiring personnel. [Thanks, Stefan]  (When using the emulator, make sure your screen is running in 256 color mode.)

Aerobiz (Koei) -- A 1994 game for the Sega machine that Koei inexplicably never ported to the PC.  This is an outstanding game where 4 players (humans or computer) battle for world-wide airline dominance in one of four different historical eras.  Really quite a gem.  Although no longer in print (as the saying goes), you can often purchase used copies on EBay or play it via a Sega emulator on your PC.   [Download the Aerobiz Supersonic ROM file]

Airport '97 (21st Century Entertainment) -- An abortive attempt at simulating Airport management.  What this entailed will never know since -- despite some discussion on German-language Usenet groups (where it was refered to as "Flughafen Manager") -- 21st Century abandoned the project in 1997.

Board Games:

Air Baron (Avalon Hill) -- An airline version (apparently) of their classic Rail Baron game.  You compete for airport hubs and routes.  Unfortunately, AH has been purchased by Hasbro which announced that they did not plan to produce AH games any more.  The exact meaning of that statement remains to be seen.

Airlines (Abacas) -- Another game from Germany.  Sort of an airline version of Acquire -- focused on stock ownership, but also including competition for routes. Although the game is from Europe, it focuses on the continental U.S.  (What is it about Germans and airlines?)

Card Games:

Airlines and Airlines2(Avalanche) -- An interesting game that uses cards to represent airports, aircraft, and events as you compete for gates, hubs, and seats.  The cards are downright lovely, but it has received less than stellar reviews which may make its $38 price-tag a bit steep.  However, I recently purchased Airlines for $10 from Boulder Games, and must say that I like it.  It playfully captures the feel of contemporary airline competition, and has a very good mix of luck and strategy.  Constantly counting seats every turn does drag on the game a bit, though.