Flight Plan is a card-pulling, investment, and market strategy, squeeze-your-eyes-tight-and-hope-for-good-luck game. Players use strategy to try to dominate the global airline industry by developing a network of routes, acquiring fleets of aircraft, and establishing hubs around the globe. However, before you can operate in more than two regions, you must reach critical economic thresholds. And each turn, a daily briefing card inserts an element of chance, so even the best-laid strategy can be overcome. The daily briefing can increase your revenue, make you pay penalties, or end your turn. A few can ruin your airline.
The world is separated into six operating regions: North America (NA), South America (SA), Europe (EU), Africa (AF), Asia-Pacific (AP), and the Middle East (ME). You are only able to operate in two regions until specific resource goals are met. The board has 100 Routes that connect 57 cities. 15 Cities have been identified as hubs. You can win in one of three ways:
Be the first to provide service to all six regions using a network of connected routes; connections to multiple regions can go through a single city.
Establish a hub in any three of the six operating regions.
Own all the short-haul routes in two adjoining North/South regions: [North America | South America], [Europe | Africa] or [Asia-Pacific | Middle East].
—description from the designer