Star Citizen IAE 2024 Guide - Ship Sales, Free Flight Event, Rental Expo, Gifting, and Limited Ships F5 Wars
The Intergalactic Aerospace Expo (IAE) 2024 is upon us, bringing Star Citizen’s most exciting event of the year! Whether you're a veteran player fine-tuning your fleet, a newcomer curious about the free-fly event, or someone scouting for deals on ships, this guide has everything you need to navigate the IAE 2954 like a pro. From free-fly details to limited-time sales, here's how to make the most of this stellar event.
What is IAE 2024 and Why You Should Care?
The IAE 2024 also called IAE 2954 is a massive annual event in Star Citizen, featuring:
- A Free-Fly Event: Play Star Citizen for free from November 22nd to December 5th and try out nearly every ship in the game.
- Ship Sales: Almost every ship will be available for purchase, including exclusive ones only seen during big sales.
- Expo Experience: Visit New Babbage's Tobin Expo Center to see ships up close and rent them for free.
If you’re planning to expand your fleet or explore new ship options, this event is perfect for you!
Step 1: Play Star Citizen for Free in IAE 2024 - Free Fly Event!
The Free-Fly Event is your gateway to experiencing Star Citizen for free.
Here’s how to start:
- Create an Account: Sign up on the RSI website if you’re new.
- Download the Launcher: Install the game client and get ready to explore.
- Update Your Game: For returning players, ensure your game is up-to-date.
During the event, you’ll receive a Drake Cutter as your free starter ship, and you can test most other ships for free by renting them at the expo.
Simply hover your pointer over a ship, hold F, and follow the instructions.
Also, don't forget to use Referrel Codes to get extra discounts and bonuses on top of your purchase. It helps greately!
Step 2: Master Ship Rentals and IAE 2954 Expo Navigation
- Where to Go: Start at New Babbage, select it as your home city, and take the train to the Tobin Expo Center.
- Expo Layout: Two halls alternate manufacturers daily. Every two days, you’ll find a fresh set of ships to explore (every single day, a new manufacturer in a single hall), because the manufacturer of the ship changes. Above, we have an image to help you understand the dates, and which manufacturer you will be able to see during that time.
- Renting Ships: On the last day of the event, all ships will be available for free rental through kiosks.
Step 3: Explore New Ships and Must-Try Models
Here are the highlights for this year's expo:
| Ship | Description |
|---|---|
| Crusader Intrepid | A cozy "home in the stars" starter ship, perfect for explorers. |
| Hornet Tracker and Hornet Ghost | A stealth-focused reconnaissance ship. |
| Anvil Terrapin | A medical ship with heavy armor and a Tier 2 medical bed. |
| Star Lancer Max | Cargo-friendly with space for vehicles and a massive 224 SCU capacity. |
| Polaris Corvette |
A multi-crew powerhouse with torpedoes, a cargo deck, and a ship hangar. |
Step 4: Make the Most of Ship Sales in IAE 2024
Buying ships during the IAE comes with perks, but you’ll need a solid plan.
Here are some key terms to understand:
- Upgrades: Move to a better ship by paying the price difference. (Can't move down)
- Melting: Trade in your current ship for store credit to buy something new. (Indirectly move down)
- Warbond Deals: Get discounts by using fresh money instead of store credit. (Amazing Warbond deals at IAE 2024)
- LTI Tokens: Ships purchased as warbond deals often include Lifetime Insurance (LTI). Use these to upgrade and still keep the insurance. Typically ships bought in Star Citizen come with 6-month insurance, but ships bought in Star Citizen IAE come with a 10-year insurance. If a ship is offered for the first time, it is given Life-Time Insurance or also called LTI.
- Chaining: Warbond can cause some bargain hunters to chain together upgrade deals, to get a combined deal on a larger ship. For example, there is a Warbond deal on upgrading to Intrepid that saves 5 dollars, same as that, a deal of 5 dollars save from upgrading to Hornet, and another 5 dollars when upgrading to Medical Terrapin. The same goes for StarLancer Max. Instead of going for Max, you go for Intrepid, taking all those upgrades one at a time to get the Max, getting a combined discount.
You can also opt for the Ship Chassis Upgrade, and Buy Star Citizen aUEC from your trusted MMOPixel. Here, you can get reliable discounts, cheaper prices, and quick and safe delivery.
Step 5: Plan Your Star Citizen Ship Purchases
Tips for Smart Shopping:
- Shop Early, Buy Late: Sleep on your decisions. The finale often has extra discounts or bundles.
- Set Goals: Do you want a bigger fleet or specialized ships? Don’t buy for the sake of buying.
- Skip F5 Wars: For hull-limited ships, refreshing your browser might feel like a game in itself, but unless you’re building an org fleet, think twice about these massive investments.
Step 6: Gifting Star Citizen/Ships in IAE 2024
Want to gift Star Citizen to a friend? Keep these points in mind:
- Ships bought with store credit can’t be gifted.
- Ensure your friend has a game package; otherwise, ships alone are useless.
Hull Limited Ships (F5 Wars) in Star Citizen IAE 2954 (2024)
Some very expensive Capital ships, on which RSI also has artificial security, are available in limited (strict) numbers. They are going to be shown to the audience, or potential buyers during scheduled times during the IAE.
These are the F5 Wars in Star Citizen IAE 2024, as people have to refresh their browsers as quickly as possible. Even a second matters at this point.
The browser refresh is essential because the ship also sells out in seconds, and the event starts in seconds as well. So, doing F5 Wars at both these times is essential.
Unless you are looking specifically to buy these Limited Ships in Star Citizen IAE, shop for the ship early, but buy them late, as advised here in our IAE 2024 Guide.
For a video explanation, check out this amazing Video Guide from Ray's Guide:
Conclusion
The IAE 2024 is a chance to explore the vast universe of Star Citizen like never before. From trying out legendary ships to snagging deals and discovering new favorites, this event is every space gamer's dream. So, gear up, plan your purchases wisely, and dive into the action. See you in the verse!
