Get Started With A Star Citizen Free Fly

The Star Citizen Free Fly started on 20 November 2025 at 1600 UTC (11 AM Eastern / 8 AM Pacific in the US) and will be available until 3 December 2025 at 2000 UTC (3 PM Eastern / Noon Pacific in the US) for the annual Intergalactic Aerospace Expo event.

Here are the steps for playing Star Citizen for free during the Free Fly:

1. Create a free Star Citizen account. Our Enlist with Referral page has detailed instructions for creating an account with a referral code to unlock the free 50000 credit referral bonus and the special, limited-time IAE referral bonus.
2. Download and install Star Citizen. Our How to Download & Install page has step-by-step instructions that guide you through installing Star Citizen.
3. Play Start Citizen for free until the Free Fly ends!

During the Free Fly, all players will be given a Crusader Intrepid to use for free, so you'll be able to travel to the IAE showroom in Orison on the planet Crusader. Once you get to the IAE showroom, you'll be able to rent every flyable ship in the game for free during the Free Fly, too!

If you want to play Star Citizen after the Free Fly ends, then you will need to purchase a starter package. All the details you want to know about starter packs are on our Pick a Starter Ship page, including our recommendation for the best Star Citizen starter ship, current starter pack discounts, and ongoing special referral bonuses.

A Star Citizen Free Fly is the only way to try the game for free because Star Citizen does not have a free trial period that is always available. Each Free Fly is a promotion that allows all players to play the game for no cost (aka "free") as long as they have a free Star Citizen account. There are usually 4 to 5 Free Fly events throughout the year, and each event is only available for a limited time.