Google has a free flight simulator you can pilot

Mike Snider

Google is giving you a free flight – with its new flight simulator app.

The tech giant has added a free-to-play flight simulator within its Google Earth map software. What's so special about the Google Earth Flight Simulator is that you can play with it directly in the browser, whether it's Google Chrome or Apple's Safari, for instance.

Google first began offering a flight simulator as a hidden feature within its Google Earth software in 2007. But that version required downloading the software. This experimental simulator is free to use with your mouse and keyboard.

The company announced the inclusion of the flight simulator "just for fun," along with many other features added to the web version of Google Earth from the professional desktop edition, Google said in a post on social media platform X on June 12.

How to fly Google Earth Flight Simulator

Go to the Google Earth webpage and click Explore. Click Tools and select Flight Simulator.

You use your up, down, left and right arrow keys of the keyboard to maneuver. There's also a vertical gauge you can click to speed up or slow down (you can also use the Page Up and Page Down keys if your keyboard has them).

For more information, see Google information page on the flight simulator program.

Arrival of the browser version of the flight sim got plenty of attention online with 5.5 million views of the video posted on Twitter. Although several commenters on X admitted having issues controlling their plane. (This reporter admits to having issues losing the horizon line, too.)

"This is great, but controlling is too hard for me," posted one person. "I've crashed so many planes, heeelpp," said another.

Flight controls weren't an issue for some, though. "Finally I can crash a jet into my own house in 4K resolution directly from a browser tab," boasted another X commenter.

Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at  mikegsnider  &  @mikegsnider.bsky.social  &  @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com.