Poland’s historic cities, medieval castles, Baltic coastline and mountain landscapes have received a major digital makeover in Microsoft Flight Simulator, allowing virtual pilots around the world to explore the country in considerably greater detail.
Released on 26 October 2026, World Update 23: Poland and the Baltics introduces improved scenery across Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, including more detailed representations of major cities, individually modelled landmarks and five specially recreated airports.
It is the first regional world update in the flight simulation franchise dedicated to these four countries.
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The update is available at no additional charge to existing owners of Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.
For Poland, it represents a substantial expansion of the digital scenery available to users, from Warsaw’s urban skyline and Kraków’s historic centre to the Baltic coast and the mountainous south.
Seven Polish cities receive enhanced scenery
According to the official announcement from the Microsoft Flight Simulator development team, the update introduces 12 enhanced areas across the four countries.
Eight of those areas are in Poland, with the company specifically identifying seven Polish cities: Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk, Wrocław, Poznań, Łódź and Katowice.
The enhancements use updated photogrammetry, improved terrain information and digital elevation models to reproduce real-world geography more accurately.
Photogrammetry is a technique that reconstructs three-dimensional environments from overlapping photographs and other geographical data.
Rather than representing every building with a generic structure, it allows the simulator to reproduce the approximate shapes, heights, colours and arrangements of real urban environments.
The result is a virtual landscape that can be more recognisable when viewed from an aircraft, particularly at lower altitudes.
In Warsaw, players can explore a more detailed representation of Poland’s capital, including its distinctive mixture of historic architecture, post-war development and modern skyscrapers.
Kraków offers an opportunity to fly over one of Europe’s best-known historic city centres, while Gdańsk brings the maritime architecture of Poland’s Baltic coast into sharper focus.
The update also includes enhanced scenery for Wrocław, known for its islands and bridges; Poznań, a major commercial and academic centre; Łódź, historically associated with Poland’s textile industry; and Katowice, the principal city of the Upper Silesian metropolitan area.
Although Microsoft identifies eight enhanced Polish areas, its published list names seven cities. The company has not separately identified an eighth Polish city in the release announcement.
From Malbork Castle to Sopot Pier
The new scenery extends beyond city skylines.
Across the four countries, World Update 23 introduces 77 individually modelled points of interest, including castles, bridges, lighthouses, cathedrals and other notable structures.
Among the Polish landmarks highlighted by Microsoft is Malbork Castle, the vast medieval fortress in northern Poland that once served as the headquarters of the Teutonic Order.
The UNESCO-listed castle is one of Poland’s most recognisable historic monuments and an important destination for visitors interested in medieval European history.
Another featured landmark is Sopot Pier, the long wooden structure extending into the Baltic Sea at the popular Polish seaside resort.
The update also includes Urania Hall in Olsztyn, known for its striking domed architecture.
These individually modelled landmarks are distinct from the wider photogrammetry coverage.
While photogrammetry improves the appearance of entire areas, handcrafted points of interest give particular buildings and structures their own detailed digital models.
That approach helps prominent monuments stand out within the wider virtual landscape.
Two Polish airports recreated by hand
The update also introduces five handcrafted airports across Poland and the Baltic states, developed by Microsoft’s long-standing scenery partner Gaya.
Two are located in Poland.
Warsaw-Babice Airport (EPBC), situated within the capital, is used for activities including private aviation and flight training.
The second is Opole-Kamień Śląski Airport (EPKN), a smaller airfield in southern Poland with a history dating back to the 1930s.
Unlike the extensive photogrammetry areas, these airports have been individually designed to reflect their real-world facilities more closely.
For flight simulation enthusiasts, the additions provide further destinations for shorter regional flights and general aviation activities.
The other three handcrafted airports are Kärdla in Estonia, Jūrmala in Latvia and Palanga International Airport in Lithuania.
A virtual landing on Sopot’s famous pier
One of the more unusual additions is a landing challenge inspired by a real aviation achievement involving Polish pilot Łukasz Czepiela.
In April 2019, Czepiela landed a specially modified light aircraft on Sopot’s wooden pier, an operation requiring considerable precision because of the structure’s limited width and the surrounding water.
The achievement was documented at the time by the City of Sopot, which reported that the pilot had spent months preparing for the landing.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 now includes a challenge recreating the unusual manoeuvre.
The same edition also introduces a guided aerial tour of Tatra National Park, giving players a structured way to explore the dramatic mountain landscape along Poland’s southern border.
Other activities include a discovery flight over Warsaw, several precision landing challenges at regional airports and a rally-style flying event.
These missions are designed to give players reasons to explore the updated scenery beyond simply selecting an airport and flying freely.
What is included in the 2020 and 2024 versions?
Both Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 receive the new scenery, enhanced geographical data, landmarks and airports.
Both also receive three discovery flights, including one over Warsaw, and four airport landing challenges.
However, some additional activities are exclusive to the 2024 edition.
These include the Sopot Pier landing challenge, the guided Tatra National Park tour and the rally race.
Microsoft has confirmed that the update can be downloaded through the simulators’ in-game Marketplace.
It is free for existing owners of the relevant games, but it is not a standalone free version of Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Users must have access to the simulator itself and ensure that their installation is updated before downloading the additional regional content.
Poland joins a growing collection of detailed virtual destinations
Microsoft Flight Simulator combines geographical information, aerial imagery, terrain modelling and computer-generated scenery to create a navigable digital representation of the world.
The series is designed primarily as an aviation simulator rather than a conventional travel game, but its global scenery also makes it possible to explore cities and landscapes that players may never have visited.
World updates progressively enhance selected regions using improved geographical data and custom-built scenery.
For Poland, the new release means that several of its largest cities and best-known landmarks are represented with greater detail within a simulation accessible to an international audience.
The same update also brings new attention to neighbouring Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, including Vilnius, Kaunas, Riga and Tallinn.
Microsoft developed the release with contributions from Bing Places, Asobo Studio and Gaya.
The improvements do not mean that every street, town or historic building in Poland has been individually recreated.
Nor should the virtual landscapes be treated as exact, fully current records of their real-world counterparts.
Nevertheless, the combination of updated city models, handcrafted monuments and regional flying activities creates new ways to experience Poland’s geography and architecture from the air.
For existing simulator owners, that might mean a short flight over Warsaw, following the Baltic shoreline towards Gdańsk, exploring the Tatra Mountains or attempting a virtual version of Czepiela’s remarkable landing in Sopot.
And for players who have never visited Poland, the update provides another way to discover some of the country’s most distinctive places.
