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Star Citizen · Free Fly Tracker

Star Citizen Free Fly Events

Anyone can play Star Citizen for free during Free Fly events. Find out when the next one is, what's included, and how to lock in a 50,000 UEC referral bonus before you launch.

See current event status ↓
The Basics

What is a Free Fly event?

Twice a year, Cloud Imperium Games — the studio behind Star Citizen — opens the game to everyone. For roughly 10 days, no purchase is required. You make a free RSI account, download the launcher, and you're in.

The two main events are Invictus Launch Week in May (a Navy fleet showcase) and the Intergalactic Aerospace Expo (IAE) in November (the largest ship show of the year, with 100+ ships rotating through the free roster).

Free Fly is the moment to try Star Citizen. If you bounce off, you've lost nothing. If you're hooked, you'll know it within an afternoon — and you can decide whether to grab a Game Package while still inside the event window.

Your First 60 Minutes

What can you do during a Free Fly?

Use this checklist whether the event is live now or you're preparing for the next one. Each step is bite-sized — get through them and you'll have a real sense of the game.

  1. 1

    Create your free RSI account

    Use a referral code at signup so 50,000 UEC lands in your account when you log in. During some events CIG adds a limited extra signup bonus on top — the banner at the top of this site shows one when it is live. You cannot add the code after the 24-hour grace window — get it right the first time.

  2. 2

    Download the launcher

    Grab the RSI Launcher from your account page. It downloads the game client (~100 GB). Start this early — the launcher will keep running while you read on.

  3. 3

    Pick a ship from the Free Fly list

    During the event, several ships are unlocked for everyone. The featured ships rotate by event — check the current event card on the homepage.

  4. 4

    Run the new-player tutorial

    Spawn at your starting station, follow the contract markers, and learn flight, quantum travel, and ship combat basics. 30–45 minutes well spent.

    Full first-day walkthrough at dayonecitizen.com →
  5. 5

    Try a delivery mission

    Easiest first earner. Pick up boxes on one moon, drop them on another. Pays well, low risk, and you see a lot of the universe quickly.

  6. 6

    Explore a major planet

    Microtech (snow), ArcCorp (city), Crusader (gas giant), or Hurston (industrial). Each is enormous and worth a quantum jump.

  7. 7

    Group up with friends

    Star Citizen is unforgivingly fun in groups. Use chat or Spectrum to find a crew. Friend other players and queue into shared instances.

  8. 8

    Decide before the event ends

    If you're enjoying it, pick up a Game Package while still inside the event window. Your referral bonus and any Free Fly progress carry over.

New to Star Citizen?

Free Fly is a great time to start. If you've never played before, DayOneCitizen.com has a plain-English guide for your first 30 days in the 'Verse.

The Referral Bonus

50,000 UEC — only if you use a code at signup.

When you create your RSI account, paste a referral code into the Referral Code field. You receive 50,000 UEC — Star Citizen's in-game currency — the moment you log in. That's real money to spend on rentals, ammo, components, and gear during the event.

Use this code
STAR-GCQJ-N6NC
The RSI signup form — paste the code into the Referral Code field before you click Enlist.
Create Your Free Account Now

Already signed up? Join the DayOneCitizen Discord for starter help and ship advice.

Want the full referral code details? screferralreward.com has everything you need.

Important: use the code at signup.

RSI offers a 24-hour grace period to add a referral code after signup, but in practice it's easy to miss. The reliable path: paste the code into the Referral Code field on the signup form itself.

After 24 hours have passed, the code cannot be added — you forfeit the 50,000 UEC permanently. There's no support ticket that fixes it.

Most Recent Event

DefenseCon 2956

PASTMay 14–27, 2026

DefenseCon 2956

What's Included

  • 100+ ships via 48-hour rentals — full manufacturer lineup
  • Anvil Ironclad (Flight Ready debut)

Drake-hosted DefenseCon 2956 (May 14-27). Free Fly initially cancelled ~May 14 due to server performance issues — first cancellation in SC history — then reinstated May 18 and active through May 27. Anvil Ironclad made its Flight Ready debut. Referral bonus: Drake Dragonfly with Coalfire paint. Schedule comm-link: 21129; farewell: 21166.

50,000 UEC referral bonus was available
PASTNov 20 – Dec 3, 2025

Intergalactic Aerospace Expo 2955

What's Included

  • Crusader Intrepid (event loaner)
  • Daily manufacturer rotation — RSI Perseus debut Day 1
  • 100+ rotating ships

IAE 2955 (Nov 2025). Largest ship showcase of the year. RSI Perseus made its flyable debut on Day 1.

50,000 UEC referral bonus was available
Track Record

Free Fly Event History

Every Free Fly we've catalogued. Use this to estimate when the next one is likely — patterns repeat year over year.

What Was FlyableSource
DefenseCon 2956May 14–27, 202613 days100+ ships via 48-hour rentals — full manufacturer lineup · Anvil Ironclad (Flight Ready debut)RSI Comm-Link ↗
Intergalactic Aerospace Expo 2955Nov 20 – Dec 3, 202513 daysCrusader Intrepid (event loaner) · Daily manufacturer rotation — RSI Perseus debut Day 1 · 100+ rotating shipsRSI Comm-Link ↗
Invictus Launch Week 2955May 15–27, 202512 daysAegis Avenger Titan (event loaner) · 2-day manufacturer rotationRSI Comm-Link ↗
Intergalactic Aerospace Expo 2954Nov 22 – Dec 5, 202413 days100+ rotating ships — daily 48-hour manufacturer halls · Finale days (Dec 2-5): all event ships rentable at Tobin Expo CenterRSI Comm-Link ↗
Invictus Launch Week 2954May 17–29, 202412 daysMilitary ship showcase — 2-day manufacturer rotation at the Bevic Convention CenterRSI Comm-Link ↗
Intergalactic Aerospace Expo 2953Nov 17–30, 202313 days100+ rotating ships — daily 48-hour manufacturer hallsRSI Comm-Link ↗
View full sortable history →

Sources

Every factual claim on this page is verified against official Cloud Imperium Games sources. Dates and figures are checked against the primary RSI Comm-Link or page linked below — not third-party trackers.