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X-Plane 12 vs Amadeus Altea

X-Plane 12 logo

X-Plane 12

Software

Professional flight simulation software

From
$59.99/lifetime
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Amadeus Altea logo

Amadeus Altea

Software

Complete airline passenger service and reservation system

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: X-Plane 12 commercial and professional use requires a separate licence at $1,000, against $59.99 for the personal digital download; Amadeus Altea pricing is not published and is negotiated with airlines
  • They diverge on capability: X-Plane 12 covers Flight physics, Amadeus Altea covers Reservation management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which X-Plane 12 and Amadeus Altea actually diverge.

Attributes where X-Plane 12 and Amadeus Altea differ
AttributeX-Plane 12Amadeus Altea
Starting price$59.99/lifetimeOn request
Pricing modelone-timeusage-based
PlatformsWindows, Macos, LinuxWeb, Windows, Ios, Android
Founded19951987

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in X-Plane 12

  • Flight physics
  • Global scenery
  • Realistic aircraft
  • Weather simulation
  • ATC system
  • Plugins
  • Add-ons
  • VR headsets

Only in Amadeus Altea

  • Reservation management
  • Inventory control
  • Departure control
  • Revenue management
  • Customer profiles
  • GDS systems
  • Payment gateways
  • Loyalty programs

Both cover

  • Windows support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

X-Plane 12

  • Flight simulation for private pilots and enthusiastsnot Amadeus Altea
  • Procedure practice and aircraft familiarisationnot Amadeus Altea

Amadeus Altea

  • Passenger service system covering reservations, inventory and departure controlnot X-Plane 12
  • Airline distribution and retailingnot X-Plane 12
  • Check-in and boarding operationsnot X-Plane 12
  • Fare and ancillary merchandising for full-service carriersnot X-Plane 12

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

X-Plane 12

  • Commercial and professional use requires a separate licence at $1,000, against $59.99 for the personal digital download
  • The personal edition therefore cannot be used for paid training or commercial simulation
  • The professional edition is a distinct product rather than an upgrade path

Amadeus Altea

  • Pricing is not published and is negotiated with airlines
  • Altea is aimed at full-service carriers; low-cost and hybrid airlines are pointed at Navitaire New Skies instead
  • Amadeus is steering new work toward Nevio, its cloud-native retailing suite, so Altea sits alongside a newer platform

Pricing, plan by plan

X-Plane 12

$59.99/lifetime
  • X-Plane 12$59.99/lifetime
    • Full simulator
    • Global scenery
    • Realistic physics

Amadeus Altea

On request
  • Altea PSSFree
    • Per-passenger pricing
    • Full PSS functionality
    • Global distribution

Which should you pick?

Choose X-Plane 12 if

  • You need flight physics.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux.
  • You also want global scenery.
X-Plane 12 review

Choose Amadeus Altea if

  • You need reservation management.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Ios, Android.
  • You also want inventory control.
Amadeus Altea review

Questions people ask

Is X-Plane 12 or Amadeus Altea better?
Neither clearly leads. X-Plane 12 starts at $59.99/lifetime and Amadeus Altea at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, X-Plane 12 or Amadeus Altea?
X-Plane 12 starts at $59.99/lifetime and Amadeus Altea at On request.
Does X-Plane 12 or Amadeus Altea run on more platforms?
X-Plane 12 runs on Windows, Macos, Linux. Amadeus Altea runs on Web, Windows, Ios, Android.
What is X-Plane 12 best used for?
X-Plane 12 is most often used for flight simulation for private pilots and enthusiasts, procedure practice and aircraft familiarisation. Of those, flight simulation for private pilots and enthusiasts and procedure practice and aircraft familiarisation are not what Amadeus Altea is typically brought in for.
What can X-Plane 12 do that Amadeus Altea cannot?
X-Plane 12 covers Flight physics, Global scenery, Realistic aircraft, Weather simulation. Amadeus Altea covers Reservation management, Inventory control, Departure control, Revenue management. Both handle Windows support.
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