Star Citizen is not only known for its ambitious scope but also for its massive catalog of ships and vehicles. As of 2025, the game features more than 260 distinct models, with over 200 already flyable or drivable in-game. Each vessel has a defined purpose—ranging from bounty hunting and mining to salvage operations, exploration, boarding, and large-scale combat.
While these ships can be earned through gameplay, many players also engage with Cloud Imperium Games’ (CIG) online pledge store, where ships are sold during specific windows. The catch: not every ship is always available. Some appear permanently, others rotate during annual sales, and a few are locked behind promotions or rare achievements. Understanding these conditions is essential for collectors and pilots who want to plan their fleet.
Ship Classes and Roles
The catalog spans every imaginable role. From nimble snub fighters to massive capital ships, the lineup reflects both diversity and specialization. Fighters dominate the permanent offerings, while carriers and frigates often appear only in limited events. Mining vessels, salvage rigs, and exploration craft fill niche roles, appealing to players focused on economy and industry.
For example, the Aegis Avenger series represents a versatile entry point: the Avenger Titan offers light cargo capacity at an accessible $60, while the Avenger Stalker emphasizes interdiction. At the other extreme, massive warships like the Aegis Javelin or Drake Kraken can cost thousands of dollars and are released in tiny, time-limited batches.
How to Acquire Ships
Star Citizen’s acquisition system is multi-layered. Some ships remain permanently available on the pledge store, ensuring new players can always access core gameplay roles. Others are limited, appearing only during themed sales, community events, or anniversary celebrations. A few exist solely through promotions or achievements, requiring real-world purchases or in-game milestones.
This tiered availability is a major part of Star Citizen’s evolving economy, and it keeps the market dynamic. It also drives a thriving “grey market,” where discontinued or rare ships are traded secondhand by players.
Major Events That Unlock Ships
CIG structures most ship availability around recurring annual events. Each one serves a dual purpose: showcasing the game’s universe while giving players the opportunity to expand their fleets.
Intergalactic Aerospace Expo (IAE)
The crown jewel is the IAE, held every November. During this two-week celebration, almost the entire ship catalog is offered for purchase, often alongside limited upgrades and “Best in Show” variants. Players can also test-fly ships for free if they are “Fly Ready.”
IAE is the only event where you can expect nearly all ships—including industrial titans like the Polaris or Orion—to reappear, though some ultra-limited editions still remain absent.
Invictus Launch Week and Alien Week
Held in late May, Invictus Launch Week focuses on military vessels. Think destroyers, heavy gunships, and troop transports. Players can inspect them in grand in-game exhibitions and test them for free.
Immediately afterward comes Alien Week, which celebrates non-human manufacturers like Banu and Xi’an. Ships such as the Banu Merchantman or Aopoa San’tok.yāi are highlighted, giving rare access to alien-designed craft.
Ship Showdown
This community-driven event occurs in the months before IAE. Fans vote for their favorite ships in a bracket-style competition. The top 16 ships are temporarily sold and test-flyable, while the four finalists later return during IAE with exclusive Best in Show liveries.
Themed Events
Several smaller festivals align with lore or real-world holidays. Examples include:
- Coramor (Valentine’s Day): unlocks special editions like the Heartseeker Hornet.
- Stella Fortuna (St. Patrick’s Day): features emerald-themed paint jobs.
- Pirate Week (September): highlights ships like the Caterpillar Pirate.
- Luminalia (December): discounts game packs for the holiday season.
Event Calendar Overview
Here’s a snapshot of when players can expect major sales throughout the year:
| Event | Timing | Ship Availability | Notes |
| Red Festival | Jan–Feb | Skins only | Chinese New Year red liveries |
| Coramor | February | Limited fighters | Valentine-themed kits |
| Stella Fortuna | March | Emerald editions | St. Patrick’s Day variants |
| Invictus Launch Week | Late May | Human military ships | Large-scale showcase |
| Alien Week | June | Non-human ships | Esperia, Banu, Xi’an focus |
| Ship Showdown | June–Sept | Top 16 ships | Community voting, BiS liveries |
| Pirate Week | September | Pirate editions | Caterpillar/Gladius Pirate |
| IAE + Anniversary Sale | November | Nearly all ships | 2-week expo |
| Luminalia | December | Game packs | Holiday discounts |
This calendar ensures that even if you miss a sale, another opportunity is never too far away.
Special Access and Promotions
Not every ship can be bought directly through annual events. Some vessels were tied to one-time promotions. For example, the Sabre Raven was bundled with an Intel SSD, while the Mustang Omega came with an AMD promotion. Once these ended, the ships became unobtainable through official channels, leaving only secondary trading markets like Reddit or eBay.
Other ships require in-game achievements. The Caterpillar Pirate and Gladius Pirate, for instance, are locked behind multiplayer missions in Arena Commander. Similarly, the Esperia Glaive demands completion of the Vanduul Swarm mode. Even then, stock is limited—unlocking the achievement doesn’t guarantee access.
Subscription and Concierge Perks
CIG also leverages its subscription program to rotate “ship of the month” access. Subscribers can fly a selected ship for free, and often gain the option to buy it with added perks such as 12 months of insurance.
At a higher tier, Concierge backers—those who have pledged thousands of dollars—receive exclusive benefits. Ships like the F8C Lightning are tied to these elite contributors and will never appear in the general pledge store. Some cosmetic exclusives, such as the Ballista Snowblind, were also tied to concierge-only opportunities.
Editions and Variants
Ship variants add further complexity. Many vessels exist in multiple forms, offering different loadouts, cargo capacity, or thematic liveries. The Carrack Expedition, for example, includes unique Anvil paintwork and sometimes swaps its included Pisces shuttle for the upgraded C8X version. These minor changes don’t alter the core functionality but create collector value.
Similarly, “Best in Show” editions from Ship Showdown—like the 2949 Cutlass Black BiS—feature distinctive skins and are permanently locked after the event. This ensures exclusivity but also drives strong resale value on the grey market.
Insurance and Upgrades
Every ship purchase comes with an insurance policy, usually six months by default. Concept sales and warbond editions often include Lifetime Insurance (LTI), which is one of the most coveted perks in the game. LTI ships retain insurance coverage indefinitely, making them safer long-term assets.
It’s important to note that Cross-Chassis Upgrades (CCU) don’t generally transfer insurance. If a CCU adds coverage, only the strongest insurance period applies. Event-based sales, such as IAE or Invictus, sometimes extend insurance up to ten years, giving players greater protection for larger purchases.
Ships Bundled with Others
Certain capital ships include smaller craft as part of their pledge. For example:
- The Carrack comes with both a Pisces shuttle and a URSA Rover.
- The Constellation Andromeda is always paired with a P-52 Merlin fighter.
- Luxury ships like the 890 Jump include an 85x touring shuttle.
This bundling system adds strategic value, ensuring that large exploration or transport ships come equipped with versatile auxiliary craft.
Stock Limits and Removed Ships
Some vessels are marked with stock limitations, disappearing within minutes of release. High-demand ships such as the Idris frigate or the Kraken carrier fall into this category. No amount of contacting support will bypass these restrictions.
Meanwhile, others have been formally retired. The Hornet Mk I series and Retaliator Bomber no longer appear in the store, though they remain playable if already owned. In such cases, CCU chains automatically convert pledges to the updated models, preserving value while phasing out outdated designs.
Rewards Earned In-Game
Beyond the pledge store and sales, CIG has started to emphasize in-game unlocks. With Alpha 4.2, vehicles like the ATLS IKTI variants were introduced exclusively as gameplay rewards. These cannot be purchased and must be earned, highlighting a shift toward rewarding player effort rather than just spending.