Best Flight Simulator Controls for PC & Xbox (2025 Guide)

Flying with a keyboard and mouse is like trying to steer a 737 with chopsticks. Sure, it works in a pinch, but once you’ve flown with dedicated controls, you’ll never go back. Over the past few years, we’ve built and refined our own sim setups on both PC and Xbox, starting with budget gear and eventually upgrading to premium yokes and HOTAS systems. In this guide, we’ll share what we’ve actually used, what we’ve tested, and which setups make sense for beginners, enthusiasts, and serious simmers in 2025.

Whether you’re just getting into Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 on Xbox, or you’re a long-time PC simmer ready to build a home cockpit, these are the best flight simulator controls available right now.

Types of Flight Sim Controllers (and What We’ve Owned)

• Joystick / Flight Stick – Great all-rounders. We’ve used the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick on Xbox, which packs a lot into one unit (stick, throttle, buttons). Perfect if you’re short on space.
• HOTAS (Hands-On Throttle-and-Stick) – A joystick + throttle combo. Our first serious Xbox setup was the Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS One. Affordable, sturdy, and a massive leap from a controller.
• Yoke + Throttle Quadrant – Best for GA aircraft and airliners. We started with the Logitech G Flight Yoke, then upgraded to the Honeycomb Alpha yoke + Bravo throttle quadrant — and the difference was night and day.
• Rudder Pedals – If you’re serious about realism, pedals add yaw control and differential braking. We’ve tested budget and mid-range sets, though we’ll admit we don’t use them every single flight.
  

Best Flight Controls for Beginners

When we first started out, we grabbed the Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS One for Xbox. For around $100, you get a joystick with a twist rudder and a detachable throttle. It’s light, sturdy, and instantly made MSFS way more enjoyable than flying with a gamepad. If you’re on Xbox, this is hands-down the cheapest way to get into a proper control setup. On PC, it’s still a decent starter HOTAS, though you might outgrow it quickly.

If you’re on PC and want to lean toward realism in GA aircraft, the Logitech G Flight Yoke System is the classic first step. We started here before moving to Honeycomb. The included throttle quadrant is useful, and it’s an affordable way to “get a yoke in your hands.” The catch? It only turns 90° total, and the centering spring feels stiff. Landings can feel twitchy until you get used to it. Still, for under $200, it’s a solid entry point.

Best Mid-Range: Where the Magic Happens

The leap from Logitech to Honeycomb Alpha + Bravo was massive for us. The Alpha’s yoke travel is smooth and precise (180° each way), and it has no awkward dead zone at center. The built-in switch panel — battery, alternator, avionics, lights, even an ignition key — makes it feel like you’re really sitting in a 172. Pair it with the Bravo quadrant, and suddenly you’re flying with six configurable levers, a gear lever with indicator lights, trim wheel, and even autopilot controls.

We’ve logged dozens of hours with this combo, and it’s easily the best balance of realism and value on the market for serious simmers. If you fly both GA and airliners, this is the setup that adapts to everything.

Best Xbox Setup

On Xbox, we rotate between the T.Flight HOTAS One and the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick, depending on what we’re flying. The VelocityOne Flightstick is newer, slicker, and crams a ton of features into one unit: dual throttle levers, an LCD status display, trim controls, and more buttons than you’d expect from a single stick. It feels well-built for the price and has become our go-to when we don’t want to set up the full yoke and throttle.

For Xbox simmers who want the full cockpit feel, the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flight Universal System (the yoke + throttle combo) is still the only all-in-one option worth considering. We’ve tried it, and while it’s plasticky compared to Honeycomb, it gets you flying with a complete setup straight out of the box.

Best Yoke for Airliners

Although we don’t own one full-time, we’ve spent some time with the Thrustmaster TCA Boeing Yoke Pack. The pendular mechanism for pitch is unlike anything else in this price range. The first time we pulled back on it, the motion was so smooth and heavy that we over-flared a 737 landing. It really does replicate the feel of a column yoke in a big jet. If you’re mostly flying Boeings, this is a fantastic pick — especially since it’s Xbox-compatible.

Rudder Pedals: Nice to Have, Not Essential

We’ll be honest: we don’t always fly with pedals. Our Honeycomb and HOTAS setups get plenty of use without them. But when we do hook up pedals, the difference is obvious — smoother crosswind landings, better taxi control, and more immersion. We’ve tested the Thrustmaster TFRP (entry-level) and the Logitech G Pro Rudder Pedals. Both do the job well. High-end pedals like the Thrustmaster Pendular Rudder are on our wish list, but unless you’re building a full cockpit, the basics are enough.

High-End & Aspirational Gear

At expos and events, we’ve had the chance to try hardware most home simmers will never own: the Virtual Fly Yoko+, Fulcrum One, and Brunner force-feedback yokes. The precision is jaw-dropping, and the Brunner in particular blew us away with how the yoke actively pushes back at you as airspeed changes. But at $1,200–$1,500+, these are specialist tools for hardcore cockpit builders, not most readers. We mention them here so you know what’s out there — but for 99% of simmers, Honeycomb or Thrustmaster is the sweet spot.

Our Recommendations

• On a budget / beginner: Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS One (Xbox/PC) or Logitech G Yoke (PC).
• Best all-rounder (what we actually use most): Honeycomb Alpha + Bravo — the most versatile setup for GA and airliners.
• Best compact Xbox option: Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick.
• Best for airliner immersion: Thrustmaster TCA Boeing Yoke Pack.

Flight sim hardware is a rabbit hole. We started with a budget HOTAS, moved to a Logitech yoke, and eventually settled on Honeycomb for daily flying. Each step made Microsoft Flight Simulator feel more alive. The important thing is to start somewhere. Even the cheapest HOTAS makes flying infinitely more enjoyable than a gamepad.

Once you’ve flown with a proper yoke or HOTAS, the immersion is addictive. And trust us: when you grease your first landing in a 172 with a Honeycomb yoke and Bravo throttle, you’ll wonder how you ever flew without them.