Best Canadian Airport Scenery for MSFS 2020/2024

The best Canadian airport scenery for MSFS 2024/2020 has never been a better-stocked category. A new CZBB Boundary Bay release just dropped from Canadian Flight Sim Studios this month, CYVR got a significant V2 update from FSDreamTeam, and the big three hubs all have solid payware options. If you fly Air Canada routes virtually, here's where to put your money.

Start With the Free Baseline: World Update XI Canada

Before buying anything, make sure World Update XI: Canada is installed. It's a free update from Microsoft that improved photogrammetry across the country, added hundreds of hand-crafted points of interest, and raised the baseline quality of airports that don't have dedicated scenery addons. It's not a replacement for payware at major hubs, but it means the airports you land at between CYYZ and CYVR actually look like Canada and not a satellite photo from 2010.

The update is in the Xbox/PC Marketplace as a free download. If you skip it, you're leaving a lot of quality on the table for nothing.

CYYZ Toronto Pearson: The Hub You'll Fly Most

For Virtual Air Canada flying, Toronto Pearson is home base. The FlyTampa CYYZ is the current standard for MSFS 2024 and it earns it. Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 are both fully modeled with interior ground floor detail, the Infield road and tunnel system is there, and the airport sits correctly in its flat suburban geography with the 427/401 interchange visible to the northeast.

The taxiway layout matches current charts, which matters when you're running a SID out of CYYZ on VATSIM and ATC references taxiways by letter. Getting the right taxi route from Gate F50 to runway 23 is a lot easier when you can actually see the taxiway labels on the ground.

Frame rates hold well on approach. The CYYZ area can be a killer with default scenery, but the FlyTampa version is reasonably optimized. Expect a 5-10% hit compared to flying over open terrain, which is normal for a complex payware airport. Available on Orbx or directly from FlyTampa.

CYVR Vancouver International: A Major V2 Upgrade

FSDreamTeam released Vancouver International V2 with substantial new terminal modeling. Pier B (Gates 11-28) and the Pier A extension (Gates 1-12) are now fully built out, which covers most of Air Canada's mainline gates at YVR.

The ramp and apron detail is excellent. If you're arriving from Tokyo or Sydney and want the approach down the Fraser River to feel like the real thing, CYVR V2 delivers. The final 5nm on the RNAV Y 26L, descending over Richmond with the terminal complex slowly filling the windscreen, is one of the better approaches in any Canadian airport scenery. Available from FSDreamTeam directly or via simMarket.

CYUL Montreal-Trudeau: MK Studios Does Solid Work

MK Studios' CYUL is the option for Montreal. The terminal is accurately modeled through to Version 1.3.1, jetways work correctly, and the ground textures are sharp. CYUL's unusual pinwheel-style terminal layout with the large central pier comes through clearly, which helps for orientation when taxiing in.

One thing worth knowing: CYUL sits close to the city, and Montreal's urban texture density combined with the airport detail can create frame rate pressure on mid-range systems. If you're running a 3060 or below, keep autogen density at medium on approaches to runway 24L. Available on Orbx.

CZBB Boundary Bay: The New Release Worth Knowing About

Canadian Flight Sim Studios just released CZBB Boundary Bay this month, and it fills a real gap in the Vancouver area scenery lineup. Boundary Bay is one of Canada's busiest airports by aircraft movements, hosting an enormous volume of flight training and general aviation traffic. The real CZBB has two runways both over 5,500 feet, which makes it capable of handling bizjets and turboprops.

CFSS modeled the FBOs, hangars, and apron detail to match current charts and aerials. The lighting is done properly for night ops. For a flight training scenario or a corporate hop down from CYVR, it's exactly the kind of payware that rounds out a regional flying setup. Available on Orbx for CAD $19.99.

Building the Full Route Network

For Virtual Air Canada operations, the priority order is clear. CYYZ first since it has the most routes. CYVR second for the west coast hub. CYUL third if you fly the Atlantic routes out of Montreal. CZBB is optional but genuinely enjoyable if you do any GA flying in BC.

The rest of the Air Canada domestic network, CYYC Calgary, CYEG Edmonton, CYOW Ottawa, CYHZ Halifax, sits mostly on World Update XI quality or smaller freeware releases. Orbx OpenLC North America improves the surrounding terrain mesh significantly if you fly regional routes between those cities. The difference in terrain color accuracy and vegetation is noticeable at cruise altitude over the Rockies between CYYZ and CYVR.

These four airports give you the spine of the network. Come fly the routes with the Virtual Air Canada community and put that scenery to use.