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Airline Manager Game Cover

About

Airline Manager is a single player and multiplayer simulation game. It was developed by Trophy Games and was released on June 23, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Create & manage your own airline

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71%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,471 reviews
gameplay17 positive mentions
monetization4 negative mentions

  • Engaging management gameplay that allows players to create and manage their own airline.
  • Realistic simulation with a variety of aircraft and routes, providing a sense of accomplishment as players grow their fleet.
  • Free to play with the option to progress without spending real money, making it accessible to a wide audience.
  • Gameplay is slow-paced as flights operate in real time, requiring long waits for progress.
  • Limited options for speeding up gameplay without spending money, which can lead to frustration.
  • User interface issues, such as small text and lack of zoom functionality, make navigation cumbersome.
  • gameplay
    72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by a complex yet engaging managerial loop involving route planning, fleet management, and financial oversight, which can be addictive but often becomes repetitive and slow-paced due to real-time flight mechanics. While the game features a user-friendly interface and interesting mechanics like a stock market system, many players find the lack of clear tutorials and the slow progression frustrating, especially with the added pressure of pay-to-win elements. Overall, the game has potential but suffers from design flaws that hinder its enjoyment and accessibility.

    • “The gameplay loop of planning routes, managing finances, and upgrading your fleet is very addictive.”
    • “The game's user-friendly interface, comprehensive mechanics, and attention to detail create a satisfying and engaging gameplay environment that keeps players coming back for more.”
    • “With its robust features, realistic gameplay, and attention to detail, Airline Manager 4 sets a new standard for the genre.”
    • “The relevant game mechanics are sort of impossible to parse from what's presented.”
    • “On top of that, the gameplay loop gets very repetitive.”
    • “The game also has a slow progression system, which might not appeal to those looking for fast-paced gameplay.”
  • monetization
    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization model of the game is primarily free-to-play, featuring numerous in-game purchases that can significantly enhance progression, though players can advance without spending money if they are patient. Many reviews highlight that while microtransactions are present, they can feel invasive and are designed to encourage spending, leading to a mixed reception regarding the game's overall value. Some players appreciate the option to progress without purchases, while others criticize the slow growth and pressure to buy in-game currency.

    • “There are in-app purchases, but it's possible to progress without them if you're patient.”
    • “Airline Manager 4 adopts a free-to-play model, offering in-game purchases for various premium features and resources.”
    • “Does have in-game purchases but fairly cheap for what you get, with the core game being free.”
    • “However, after extended play, it becomes clear that progression is heavily tied to in-game purchases.”
    • “The game steers impatient players into making in-game purchases with real-world money.”
    • “When looking at aircraft pricing, maintenance, and overhead costs, the designers carefully fudged the numbers to nickel and dime you into such a slow pace of growth, that most players will make the in-game purchases to speed the process.”
  • graphics
    25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are generally described as simple and not particularly stunning, often resembling basic user interface elements rather than detailed visuals. While some players appreciate the immersive experience and find the graphics adequate for a casual gameplay style, others criticize the lack of graphical options and the overall simplicity. Overall, the graphics serve the game's purpose but may not satisfy those seeking high-quality visuals.

    • “With stunning graphics, intricate airline operations, and a blend of strategy and simulation, it's a must-play for aviation enthusiasts.”
    • “With its stunning visuals, realistic gameplay mechanics, and engaging multiplayer features, it provides an immersive experience for aviation enthusiasts and simulation gamers alike.”
    • “Though it may seem daunting to wait for flights to generate money, once you have a few routes set up, it's a nice relaxing real-time strategy airline game with endless potential in its own niche of flight management games, and stands out being truly defined by its game mechanics, graphics and all.”
    • “I don't mean to be rude, but you probably don't even need a graphics processor for this game. It's literally just a UI (user interface, aka a bunch of buttons) showing the earth and a bunch of simple icons of yellow planes moving around.”
    • “Even worse than those, the game doesn't even bother trying to remember the graphical settings from the last time you played.”
    • “No resolution or graphic or usual PC options.”
  • grinding
    23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game is frequently criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, with players often feeling the need to invest significant hours just to progress. While some enjoy the realism and long-term engagement it offers, many find the slow pace and repetitive tasks frustrating, suggesting that it may not appeal to those who prefer quicker gameplay. Overall, the game is described as fun but heavily reliant on grinding, which can detract from the experience for some players.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Since it runs in real-time, you end up just staring at the screen for hours, waiting for a flight to finally reach its destination, and then the same tedious cycle starts all over again.”
    • “It's extremely grindy and not worth the time.”
    • “This game is playable but only if you're AFK grinding because it takes way too long for a flight to finish. I would say this game needs the option to speed up time.”
  • story
    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews indicate a unanimous sentiment that the game lacks a compelling story, with many users expressing disappointment in its narrative depth and engagement. Overall, the storyline is described as underwhelming and failing to meet expectations.

    • “The airline manager's graphics flew high, but the storyline crashed and burned on the runway of my expectations!”
  • optimization
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players noting significant improvements in performance on PC after updates, while others still experience issues such as lag and poor network usage. Players emphasize the importance of managing various aspects of their airline for smooth operation, but many feel that the initial performance problems hindered their experience. Overall, while recent updates have enhanced stability, optimization remains a concern for some users.

    • “As long as you stay on top of fuel, CO₂ levels, and aircraft maintenance, things run smoothly.”
    • “Whether it’s negotiating contracts, choosing which planes to buy, or deciding which routes to fly, every decision matters, and the consequences of those decisions are clearly visible in your airline’s performance.”
    • “Initially the PC version was having performance issues, but they have been solved for a while now and the game is rock solid on PC.”
    • “This game needs a lot of updates, especially in performance optimization and network usage.”
    • “It's badly optimized that you can't even play it.”
    • “This game's performance is poor.”
  • music
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game features no background music or soundtrack, leading players to rely on their own music while playing. Many users find the absence of audio elements acceptable, although the overall experience is described as slow-paced and lacking in engagement.

    • “There's no soundtrack or music, but that's fine - just play my own music.”
    • “The game is real-time, and it is too slow; even in easy mode, the map is incorrect and there is no background music or any sounds.”
    • “Extremely slow going, as the flights happen in somewhat 'real time', and there is no music or sound.”
    • “No music and no auto guidance except a few clicks in the first minute.”
  • stability
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game currently suffers from significant stability issues, including various bugs that affect UI elements and gameplay mechanics, such as a departure bug that impacts resource management and income. Users report that the longer the game is played, the more glitches occur, detracting from the overall experience despite its potential as a solid airline management simulator.

    • “It's also buggy; plane icons change shape depending on what the last plane was you clicked on, and they change colors seemingly at random.”
    • “It's way too buggy at the moment. The worst issue is a departure bug where you depart airplanes, and it takes the fuel and CO2 from the reserves, but you get no income. It also looks like it didn't depart them, but it did.”
    • “And the longer you keep it open, the more it glitches.”
  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is noted for its high replayability, with players finding it engaging enough to return to multiple times. Its interesting transport mechanics contribute to its overall replay value.

    • “Highly replayable: the game offers incredible replayability.”
    • “Yes, it's an interesting transport game, with replay value.”
  • atmosphere
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of "Airline Manager" is praised for being both challenging and rewarding, enhanced by its complex mechanics that create an immersive experience, setting it apart from similar titles.

    • “Challenging yet rewarding, Airline Manager outshines similar titles with its complex mechanics and immersive atmosphere.”
  • humor
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the game to be highly entertaining and humorous, praising its variety of planes and options. The overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, with many recommending it for its comedic elements.

    • “This game is very funny and has every plane you can imagine. It has amazing options, and I love this game so much. I really recommend it; it is amazing.”
  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players report that the game effectively evokes a sense of importance and control, enhancing their emotional engagement with the narrative and gameplay.

    • “This game has made me feel important and in control of what happens in the game.”
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31h Median play time
39h Average play time
8-52h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 7 analyzed playthroughs
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Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Airline Manager is a simulation game.

Airline Manager is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 39 hours playing Airline Manager.

Airline Manager was released on June 23, 2021.

Airline Manager was developed by Trophy Games.

Airline Manager has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its monetization.

Airline Manager is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Airline Manager - 2024, Airlines Manager: Plane Tycoon, Transport INC, Sim Companies, Train Manager - 2025 and others.