I would absolutely skip MSFS if I had no internet connection.  I mean you need to download it via the internet.  Or maybe aerosoft still has that really old version on like 10 DVDs lol

You'll be missing the best part of the sim without.

Try XP12 or something.

Just to reinforce what others are saying. You cannot used 2020 or 2024 without and Internet connection, it does not need to be superfast. I have only a 50 Mbps connection and 2024 works absolutely fine for me. If you really have very limited to no internet then I concur x-plane is a better option.

What year is this? 2004? 🙂

18 hours ago, bmarcoux2 said:

I have been gone from msfs since 2012.

 

In the meantime "msfs" has become  Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
In your "day", "msfs" was Flight Simulator X, known for just under 20 years as "FSX".

As already covered in detail, without an internet connection, your Microsoft Flight Simulator experience
will be greatly diminished.

Your best way forward is probably to keep your 2012 hardware and reinstall FSX.
 

The Problem is not that I don't have Internet but that it is metered. I get 100 gig per month. I do not know how much bandwith MSFS uses. Thank You

 

Are you able to upgrade your internet connection to an unlimited option, or is it a restricted service where you live?

4 hours ago, bmarcoux2 said:

The Problem is not that I don't have Internet but that it is metered. I get 100 gig per month. I do not know how much bandwith MSFS uses. Thank You

 

Ok, then you should try 2024. In the settings, you can set a data cap - so you can tell MSFS not to use more than 20GB a month or whatever makes sense to you. I'll update my comment with how much data my sim uses in a little while. 

10 hours ago, Reader said:

 

In the meantime "msfs" has become  Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
In your "day", "msfs" was Flight Simulator X, known for just under 20 years as "FSX".

As already covered in detail, without an internet connection, your Microsoft Flight Simulator experience
will be greatly diminished.

Your best way forward is probably to keep your 2012 hardware and reinstall FSX.
 

True…but I would not wish FSX on anyone  in 2026…🙂…The OP’s topic will be changing from “Coming back to MSFS” to “Going back to FSX”…🙂…not a good way forward…

I stayed devoutly in FSX from 2006 to 2020 (till MSFS2020), and would not recommend it now.

If he has an internet connection (I thought he  didn’t have any at all), it’s worth trying MSFS2024 with a Game Pass, which is what I’d done…

Edited January 15Jan 15 by P_7878

41 minutes ago, JonathanC said:

Ok, then you should try 2024. In the settings, you can set a data cap - so you can tell MSFS not to use more than 20GB a month or whatever makes sense to you. I'll update my comment with how much data my sim uses in a little while. 

Yes, agree with this suggestion. I’ll leave OP’s hardware deficiency (and compatibility) concerns to others here, but even with low-speed internet speeds, MSFS2024 is worth a shot…

I recall at the start of my MSFS2020 transition, I had maybe 100 Mbps, which I increased to 500 Mbps (playing the long-time loyal customer argument…🙂…). However, frankly, I think that didn’t make any perceptible impact to my MSFS experience.

MSFS scenery degradation and bandwidth issues are often on the server side…I believe….at least for my case…

1 hour ago, JonathanC said:

ow much data my sim uses in a little while. 

that's mine for this half month, arghh. I am flying weekdays multiple flights a day, so luckily no metered and unlimited traffic incl. all live services on

Apparently you can't set a data cap inside MSFS 2024, just a warning. However, you can set a data cap in Windows itself.

Under Settings -> Network and Internet -> Advanced Network Settings -> Data Usage

https://postimg.cc/hQjfqDCJ

If you are worried about blowing through your data cap, just set this to 20GB, try out MSFS 2024, and see how it goes. It will cap ALL data from your computer, not just MSFS, but this way you don't inadvertently finish your quota for the month.

Also, in MSFS 2024, you can disable some stuff to reduce data usage. Photogrammetry is the big one. 

On 1/14/2026 at 10:32 PM, ryanbatc said:

I would absolutely skip MSFS if I had no internet connection.  I mean you need to download it via the internet.  Or maybe aerosoft still has that really old version on like 10 DVDs lol

You'll be missing the best part of the sim without.

Try XP12 or something.

I still have that box of DVD's 😂

1 hour ago, Paul Golding said:

I still have that box of DVD's 😂

Alright Mr. Golding - I'm ready for Dreamfleet 2.0 and a new high end 727!  How's Lou these days?

It's an honor to meet you here, Paul.

I was always wondering in my FS9/FSX days, who is this Paul, whose airliners etc. (especially the freeware), I was flying so much...🙂...

Nice to be remembered, though sadly, there’ll be no 727 2.0 Ryan.