Current Free Fly details

Use Official Free Fly source for the official Foundation Festival Free Fly details. The event ends in 1d 1h 25min 3s.

The published event window runs from July 29, 2026 to August 10, 2026. CIG has not published exact start or finish times for this Free Fly, so check the official event page and RSI Status if access is not available when expected.

Free Fly links

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Create and secure your RSI account

Use the referral link or enter the referral code while creating your RSI account. RSI allows a referral code to be added during registration or within 24 hours of creating the account, but once a code has been linked, it cannot be changed.

After registering, make sure you can access the email address connected to the account and test that you can sign in. For additional protection, open your RSI Account Dashboard, select Security, and enable Two-Step Authentication. A mobile authenticator app provides the strongest protection, although email authentication is also available.

What happens during and after a Free Fly

An active Free Fly temporarily allows people without a Star Citizen Game Package to enter the game and explore the Persistent Universe. The Foundation Festival 2026 Free Fly runs from 29 July to 10 August 2026 and includes temporary access to the RSI Aurora Mk II, Drake Cutter, Drake Golem, Crusader Intrepid and RSI Salvation. Check the official Free Fly instructions for the current access steps and ship selection.

When the event ends, the free access and temporary event ships are removed. To continue playing, you will need a Star Citizen Game Package that includes access to the game. Your RSI account remains available, and any progress retained by the current persistence system should still be there when you return, even if you purchase a Game Package several weeks later. However, Star Citizen is still in alpha, so CIG may reset money, items, reputation or other progress when required for development or major updates.

Extra referral rewards during some Free Fly events

Foundation Festival 2026 includes a limited-time referral promotion that runs until 12 August 2026 at 20:00 UTC. A recruited account that uses a referral code and makes at least $40.00 USD of qualifying new-money purchases receives the “Ready for Anything” Career Kit after the promotion. The referrer receives an Argo ATLS when the qualifying purchase is recognised.

For this promotion, a starter pack or standalone ship costing at least $40.00 USD can satisfy the promotional spend rule, but a standalone ship does not provide game access after Free Fly. Store-credit purchases and gifted pledges do not count. Read the official Foundation Festival referral terms before purchasing.

Prepare the PC and download early

Install Star Citizen on an SSD with at least 150 GB of available space and use the current RSI Launcher. The first download, launcher updates and file verification can consume a sizeable part of the event, especially during peak demand. Starting early also leaves time to solve email, authentication or storage problems without rushing.

Make the most of your first Free Fly session

• Check RSI Status and the current Known Issues before logging in. Free Fly traffic can affect login, matchmaking and in-game services, particularly around the beginning and end of an event.
• Pick one simple objective: get comfortable with movement, retrieve a ship, reach orbit and land safely at a nearby station.
• Use the official Guide Hub or the Getting Started resources when you want help with a particular activity. There is no need to tackle every career at once.
• Follow the official event instructions to access the available ships. Some Free Fly ships appear automatically at ship-retrieval terminals, while expo events may require a free rental from an event kiosk first.
• Your default regeneration point is at your chosen home location. After travelling elsewhere, use a suitable hospital or clinic to set a more convenient regeneration location, then confirm the change before continuing your journey.
• Spend cautiously while learning. Store anything you do not need at a landing zone and keep some credits in reserve, as unequipped personal items, ship inventory and cargo may still be lost after death, ship destruction or a crash.

Choosing a starting location

The best starting city is the one that supports the activity you want to try and is easy to return to. Large cities take time to leave, so a nearby orbital station can become a practical base after the opening tutorial. Set a convenient regeneration location and leave unequipped items you do not need in local storage before making a longer trip.

Expect heavy event traffic

Free Fly periods bring a large increase in activity. Queues, slow services, crowded terminals and temporary incidents are more likely than on a quiet day. Check official status and known issues before assuming the installation is broken.

After the event

There is no need to buy immediately. Use the event to learn whether the game, performance and available careers suit you. If you later purchase access, confirm that the item is a Game Package rather than a standalone ship and read the store description before paying.

Related Star Citizen resources

Referral Bonus · Getting Started · Help & Troubleshooting · Information & Updates.