Gifts for Flight Sim Pilots: Christmas Ideas That Fit Their Setup (2026)

Buying for someone who flies a simulator is harder than it looks. You know they love it. You've heard them talking to air traffic control at 11pm. But the hardware is a maze of yokes, sticks, quadrants and pedals, plenty of it only works on one platform, and the thing you pick might already be clamped to their desk.

This guide is here to help you get it right. It starts with three questions to answer before you spend anything, then goes through the gifts that genuinely get used: one training gift that works whatever they fly on, and the hardware picks we'd actually recommend, grouped by what kind of flying they do.

Prices move constantly, especially in November and December, so we haven't printed any. Check the current price on each link before you decide.

Before You Buy: Three Questions

1. What do they fly on?

This is the big one. Flight sim hardware is not universal.

• PC: almost everything in this guide works. PC is where the widest choice is.
• Xbox: you need hardware that is specifically sold as Xbox-compatible. Many popular controls are PC only.
• PlayStation 5: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 arrived on PS5 on 8 December 2025, and the list of flight controls that work there is still short. Our PS5 flight sticks and yokes guide tracks exactly what works.

If you're not sure, look at what the sim is running on. A gaming PC under the desk means PC. A box under the TV probably means a console.

2. What kind of aircraft do they love?

Simmers tend to have a favourite type of flying, and it changes what makes a good gift.

• Airbus fans (A320, A330, A350) want a sidestick, because that's what the real aircraft uses.
• Boeing fans (737, 777, 787) and light-aircraft fans (Cessna, Piper) want a yoke, the control wheel you see in most cockpits.
• Military jet fans usually want a joystick and separate throttle, often called a HOTAS.

If they talk about "the Fenix" or "the A320", think sidestick. If they talk about "the PMDG 737" or "the Cessna", think yoke.

3. What do they already have?

Take a quiet look at their setup. A common order to buy in is: a stick or yoke first, then a throttle, then rudder pedals, then head tracking. The best hardware gift is usually the next thing on that list, not a better version of something they already own.

The Training Gift: SimTuts Premium Gift Voucher

Full disclosure: this one is ours. SimTuts makes cockpit trainers that teach the flight-computer procedures used in the A320, the 737 and the G1000, and we sell a gift voucher for a year of it. We've put it first for one practical reason: it doesn't depend on their hardware or their platform. The trainers run in a web browser on a desktop, tablet or phone.

What they get

A SimTuts Premium gift voucher is 12 months of SimTuts Premium. It unlocks every scenario in these cockpit trainers:

• the Airbus A320 MCDU, the flight computer pilots programme before an A320 flight
• the Boeing 737 CDU, the 737's equivalent
• the Garmin G1000, the glass cockpit fitted to many modern light aircraft, including the Cessna 172

Premium also includes AI feedback on their technique, radio scenarios with debriefs, and a results history so they can see their progress.

This is the gift for the person who has the hardware and the aircraft, and keeps getting stuck on the bit before the takeoff: the flight plan that won't load, the route that won't connect, the autopilot that won't follow it. Our A320 MCDU explainer and 737 CDU explainer show what that part of the flight involves.

Let them try it first

You don't have to guess whether they'll like it. Every trainer has free scenarios, no account or payment needed:

• A320 MCDU trainer
• Boeing 737 CDU trainer
• G1000 trainer

If you'd rather keep it a surprise, try one yourself for five minutes. You'll see quickly whether it matches what they fly.

How the voucher works

• You pay once. There's no subscription for you and nothing renews.
• A printable voucher with a code arrives by email within a few minutes. Print it, put it in a card, wrap it.
• They type the code at simtuts.com/redeem whenever they're ready, and their 12 months start then. They don't need a card to redeem it.
• The voucher is valid for five years from purchase.

The gift page shows the current price in your currency, along with the full terms.

One honest limit: Premium is training, not a simulator. It doesn't include Microsoft Flight Simulator or any aircraft add-ons. They practise the procedures in the trainer, then fly them in their own sim.

Flight Controls: Sticks and Yokes

For Airbus fans on PC: Thrustmaster TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition

The Thrustmaster TCA Sidestick Airbus Edition is officially Airbus-licensed, and Thrustmaster models its shape on the real Airbus sidestick. It's one of the cheaper picks in this guide and a popular first stick for Airbus simmers.

If you want to give the full set, the TCA Officer Pack Airbus Edition bundles the sidestick with the TCA Quadrant, the matching twin thrust levers. It's a complete Airbus desk setup in one box, and an easy gift to get right for an A320 fan who doesn't have controls yet.

Both are listed as PC controllers, so they're not the pick for a console simmer.

For Boeing and light-aircraft fans on PC: Honeycomb Alpha

The Honeycomb Alpha Flight Controls is one of the best-known yokes in flight simming. It has a steel shaft, desk clamps, and a switch panel with toggle switches and a five-position ignition switch, so starting a Cessna feels like starting a Cessna.

This is a big-ticket gift. It's also one people keep for years.

For Xbox simmers: Honeycomb Alpha XPC

The standard Alpha is a PC product. The Honeycomb Alpha XPC is the version built to work with both Xbox and PC, so it's the one to buy for someone who flies on Xbox. One thing to know: if you later add Honeycomb's Bravo throttle on Xbox, it connects through Honeycomb's separate Xbox Hub.

For PS5 simmers: Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS 4 or HOTAS 5

On PS5, the safe choices are Thrustmaster's T.Flight sticks. The T.Flight HOTAS 4 was the officially supported flight stick when the sim launched on PS5. The newer T.Flight HOTAS 5 Microsoft Flight Simulator Edition is officially licensed for the sim and works on PS5 and PC.

Both come with a throttle that detaches from the stick. Read our PS5 hardware guide before buying anything else for a PlayStation. Plenty of controls that look compatible aren't.

A budget stick for PC: Thrustmaster T16000M FCS

If you want a smaller gift for a PC simmer, the Thrustmaster T16000M FCS is a long-standing favourite. It's a precise joystick with 16 programmable buttons, sold for combat sims but widely used for airliners and light aircraft too, and it's one of the cheapest picks here.

Throttles

A throttle is usually the second purchase, after the stick or yoke. It's a good gift for someone who already has one of those and is still flying with keyboard shortcuts for power.

For Airbus fans: Thrustmaster TCA Quadrant Airbus Edition

If they already have the TCA Sidestick, the TCA Quadrant Airbus Edition is its partner. It has two thrust levers with detents, so the levers click into the same positions as on the real Airbus. Check they don't already own the Officer Pack, which includes it.

For everything else: Honeycomb Bravo Throttle Quadrant

The Honeycomb Bravo pairs naturally with the Alpha yoke. It has interchangeable levers for different aircraft types, an autopilot panel, an annunciator panel of warning lights, a landing gear lever with indicator lights, and a trim wheel.

Some owners find the trim wheel needs a lot of turning, but the rest of the unit is well liked. It's a strong gift for someone who flies a bit of everything.

Rudder Pedals

Pedals often come later than a stick and throttle, which can make them a good surprise. They control the rudder and the wheel brakes, which matters most for crosswind landings and taxiing.

• Thrustmaster TFRP is the entry-level choice and the most flexible on platform: it's sold for PS5, Xbox and PC. On a console, the pedals plug into a compatible Thrustmaster stick rather than directly into the console, so check they have one.
• Logitech G Pro Flight Rudder Pedals are a step up for PC, with self-centring pedals, separate left and right toe brakes and adjustable resistance.
• Thrustmaster TPR is the expensive, serious option for PC: heavy, built from metal, and aimed at people who already know they love flying with pedals.

Head Tracking

Head tracking lets them look around the cockpit by moving their head slightly, instead of holding down a button or dragging the view with a mouse. Both picks below are for PC.

TrackIR 5

TrackIR 5 uses a small infrared camera on top of the monitor and a reflective clip that attaches to a cap. A clip for headphones, the TrackClip PRO, is usually sold separately. TrackIR tracks head movement in all six directions, so they can lean in towards an instrument as well as turn their head. It's a long-established choice and works in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.

Tobii Eye Tracker 5

The Tobii Eye Tracker 5 sits under the monitor and tracks both head and eyes, with no clip to wear. It's built into Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024's settings. Two cautions:

• Tobii's own help centre says the tracker doesn't work correctly in MSFS 2024 if TrackIR or OpenTrack is installed. Don't buy it as an add-on for someone who already uses TrackIR.
• Tobii lists a maximum supported screen size of 27 inches for a standard 16:9 monitor, or 30 inches for an ultrawide, so check their monitor before you buy.

If you're unsure, TrackIR is the simpler gift.

Something Smaller: Elgato Stream Deck MK.2

The Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 is a small pad of 15 buttons, each with its own little screen. Simmers set the buttons up for things like the autopilot, lights or radio, so they don't have to click around the cockpit with a mouse. It works on PC and is popular well beyond flight sims, so it's useful even if the sim phase passes.

Quick Picker

If they...	Consider
Fly anything, on any platform	SimTuts Premium gift voucher
Fly Airbus on PC, with no controls yet	TCA Officer Pack Airbus Edition
Fly Boeing or light aircraft on PC	Honeycomb Alpha
Fly on Xbox and want a yoke	Honeycomb Alpha XPC
Fly on PS5	T.Flight HOTAS 5 or HOTAS 4
Already have a yoke, no throttle	Honeycomb Bravo
Already have a stick and throttle	TFRP or Logitech pedals
Have controls and fly on PC	TrackIR 5

Gift Mistakes to Avoid

• Buying for the wrong platform. The easiest mistake to make. A PC-only yoke is no use on an Xbox or PS5.
• Doubling up. A second throttle is rarely as welcome as a first set of pedals.
• Surprise VR. A virtual reality headset is a big gift that depends heavily on their PC's graphics card. Our VR setup guide explains what's involved. Ask before buying one.
• Assuming one sim. If they fly combat sims like DCS World, they may want a joystick and throttle rather than a yoke. Ask what they've been flying lately.

If you want to go deeper on the hardware side, our airliner hardware guide covers each category in more detail, including the higher-end options.

The Short Version

Find out what they fly on and what they love to fly, then buy the next piece of hardware on their list. If you can't tell, or they already have everything, a SimTuts Premium gift voucher works whatever their setup. Try the free A320 trainer first and see what you think.