When Is the Next Star Citizen Free Fly?
CIG has not announced the next Free Fly yet. The most recent one was Foundation Festival 2026, which ended on Monday, August 10, 2026.The most dependable next window is the Intergalactic Aerospace Expo (IAE) in late November, which has run a Free Fly every year since 2021. There is no CitizenCon in 2026, so nothing is expected in October.
Live status
No Free Fly is scheduled at this moment
CIG has not announced the next event. Based on the yearly pattern, the strongest candidate is the Intergalactic Aerospace Expo (IAE) in late November. The banner above updates the instant a new event is announced.
No Free Fly is running right now. Players who already own the game can earn a free five-day ship rental during RSI Discovery Month, which began October 9, 2026. A free account does not qualify. See the Discovery Month guide on Star Citizen Help.
What to expect for the rest of 2026
CIG has not announced any further Free Fly for 2026. The IAE expectation below is based on how the event calendar has repeated in past years, with the historical instances sourced from official RSI Comm-Links.
Intergalactic Aerospace Expo (IAE) — late November
Strong yearly patternIAE has run a November Free Fly every year since at least 2951 (2021), making it the most dependable free-to-play window on the calendar. IAE 2955 ran November 20 – December 3, 2025, was free for anyone with an RSI account, and included a Crusader Intrepid loaner plus a daily rotation of flyable ships from every manufacturer. IAE 2956 is unannounced, but if the pattern holds, expect it in late November 2026.
Pattern-based expectation — not an announcement.
CitizenCon — not happening in 2026
Confirmed offCIG has said it will not hold CitizenCon in 2026 in any form — in-person, digital, or Direct. Even in 2025, CitizenCon Direct 2955 (October 11, 2025) was a digital-only stream with no Free Fly attached, so October has not been a reliable free-to-play window.
How you'll know it's official
CIG announces every Free Fly through an official Comm-Link on robertsspaceindustries.com, usually one to two weeks before the event starts. Until a Comm-Link exists, any date you see anywhere is a guess. When the announcement drops, this page updates and the status banner at the top flips to a live countdown.
What happened in May 2026
The most recent free-to-play event was DefenseCon 2956 (May 14–27, 2026), which was free to play and offered 48-hour ship rentals across the full manufacturer lineup. In the game's fiction, Invictus Launch Week was “pulled back to Sol” and DefenseCon replaced it as the May flagship. Every past event is logged on our event history page.
Recent Free Fly events
The cadence is visible in the record — a May flagship and a November IAE, year after year:
| Event | Dates | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Festival 2026 | Jul 29 – Aug 10, 2026 | RSI Aurora Mk II |
| DefenseCon 2956 | May 14–27, 2026 | 100+ ships via 48-hour rentals — full manufacturer lineup |
| Intergalactic Aerospace Expo 2955 | Nov 20 – Dec 3, 2025 | Crusader Intrepid (event loaner) |
| Invictus Launch Week 2955 | May 15–27, 2025 | Aegis Avenger Titan (event loaner) |
| Intergalactic Aerospace Expo 2954 | Nov 22 – Dec 5, 2024 | 100+ rotating ships — daily 48-hour manufacturer halls |
| Invictus Launch Week 2954 | May 17–29, 2024 | Military ship showcase — 2-day manufacturer rotation at the Bevic Convention Center |
See the full event history for every Free Fly on record.
Be ready before the next one
You don't have to wait for a Free Fly to create your account. Make it free now, claim your 50,000 UEC referral bonus, and you'll be ready to jump in the moment the next event goes live.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next Star Citizen Free Fly in 2026?
CIG has not announced the next one yet. The most recent Free Fly was Foundation Festival 2026 (Jul 29 – Aug 10, 2026). The most dependable next window is the Intergalactic Aerospace Expo (IAE) in late November, which has run a November Free Fly every year since at least 2951 (2021) — IAE 2955 ran November 20 – December 3, 2025. Check the live banner at the top of this page — it updates the moment CIG posts an official Comm-Link.
How often does Star Citizen do Free Fly events?
Typically a few times a year. The most dependable is the Intergalactic Aerospace Expo (IAE) each November. There is usually also a free-to-play flagship event in May — Invictus Launch Week in past years, replaced by DefenseCon in 2026 — plus a mid-year Foundation Festival and occasional extras around patches.
Is there a Free Fly happening right now?
Not at the moment. The most recent Free Fly was Foundation Festival 2026 (Jul 29 – Aug 10, 2026). The status banner at the top of every page on this site flips to a live countdown as soon as CIG announces the next event.
How long does a Free Fly last?
Usually one to two weeks. Recent examples: IAE 2955 (November 20 – December 3, 2025), DefenseCon 2956 (May 14–27, 2026), and Foundation Festival 2026 (July 29 – August 10, 2026).
Will CitizenCon 2026 have a Free Fly?
No — CIG has said it will not hold a CitizenCon in 2026 in any form (in-person, digital, or Direct), so there is no October Free Fly to wait for. For comparison, CitizenCon Direct 2955 (October 11, 2025) was a free digital-only stream with no Free Fly attached either. The next realistic window is IAE in late November.
How do I get notified about the next Free Fly?
Bookmark this page and check the banner — it flips the moment an event is announced in an official RSI Comm-Link. You can also subscribe to the free Free Fly calendar feed at freeflyevent.com/free-fly.ics, which adds each confirmed window to Apple Calendar, Outlook, or Google Calendar. CIG typically announces Free Fly dates one to two weeks before each event begins.
Related