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Star Citizen IAE 2026: what to check before joining

Check official IAE dates, public access, ship rentals and package conditions without assuming unannounced offers.

By Domux. Updated 2026-10-18.

RSI Discovery Month: missions and the Centaurus rental

Discovery Month arrived with Alpha 4.10.2 on 9 October. Complete Defense, Transport and Collection contracts in Stanton, track progress in mobiGlas, and earn event rewards. The Constellation Rental Offer mission unlocks five days with the Centaurus and Skylark.

Game access required: this is an in-game event, not a confirmed public Free Fly for new accounts. RSI’s RSI Discovery Month: Constellation Rental Offer mission grants a five-day rental of the Constellation Mk V Centaurus and its Skylark snub. A referral code does not grant the rental or event rewards.

Discovery Month guide · Public Free Fly status · Official RSI event FAQ. Event sources checked 11 October 2026. No new public Free Fly window or Discovery end date was confirmed in these sources.

IAE is RSI's annual ship showcase. This guide does not confirm the 2026 dates, public trial window, rental roster or package offers. Use the current RSI announcements before planning a purchase or a play session.

Prepare without assuming an offer

  1. Check the PC requirements and what a public trial actually includes.
  2. If creating a new account, add a referral then or within 24 hours. Registration and the entry window. That is not a deadline to buy.
  3. When RSI announces the event, read its eligibility, start and end times and rental rules. Do not assume every ship is available throughout the event.
  4. Compare any announced package offer against the dated regular-price comparison and final checkout total. IAE does not guarantee the lowest price for your chosen package.

A public trial is separate from a referral incentive

The standard account referral benefit and a time-limited event gift have different conditions. A future incentive is not guaranteed. If RSI announces one, its qualifying purchase window, account rules, item and delivery terms determine eligibility. Official referral and incentive rules.

For the currently documented public-access position, read the Free Fly status guide. Discovery Month's mission rental is a different event and does not itself establish public IAE access.

Sources and updates

By Domux. Public RSI profile, enlisted 3 January 2016.

Edited 18 October 2026. Source checks have their own timestamps.

Frequently asked questions

When is IAE 2026?

Confirm the actual dates and access window in RSI's 2026 announcement. This guide does not establish the event dates.

Will every ship be free to fly?

Only the announced roster and rental rules establish what eligible players can fly and for how long.

Must I buy during IAE to keep my referral association?

No. Add the code while your new account is eligible. The standard association and any separately announced event incentive have different rules.

Ready to claim the 50,000 UEC?

The signup link pre-fills STAR-JTV7-FXLR. RSI advertises the bonus after buying a Game Package. The $40 fresh-money threshold determines the referrer's Recruitment Point. RSI referral conditions

Enlist with code STAR-JTV7-FXLR ✓ Verified referral code · Today: 24 October 2026

Add the code at signup or within 24 hours of creating your account. That is not a deadline to buy. A free account can join public Free Fly events during their announced windows. Special event rewards have separate rules. RSI rules