Star Citizen Game Packages, explained from scratch
Check the product, price and payment conditions together: does this listing include game access, is the displayed saving current, and are you buying for yourself or as a gift? A standalone hull, a subscriber coupon and a player referral each do a different job.
First Flight is the package in RSI’s current listing
RSI’s catalogue checked on 25 October 2026 showed one game-access package: Star Citizen First Flight Pack. The source listed a $45 offer against a $60 list price, USD before tax. A previous Citizen offer and the new First Flight product are different listings; do not assume either price lasts all year.
First Flight includes Aurora Mk II, Star Citizen Digital Download, 10,000 UEC and six-month insurance. Confirm contents, currency, final tax and availability at checkout. A player referral adds the standard account-currency benefit under RSI’s rules; it does not reduce this checkout price. Subscriber coupons are separate and do not stack with a promotional discount.
The three extra ships are 30-day loans
Drake Golem for mining, MISC Fortune for salvage and Crusader Intrepid for cargo are temporary loaners for 30 days. They let you try different roles; they are not three additional permanent hulls. Check the purchase checklist before spending and add your referral during account setup.
Buying for someone else: the new gift checkout
Buying a starter for a friend? Select Buying as a gift? at checkout on an eligible item. Store credit cannot pay for the gift order. Do not buy into your own Hangar assuming you can transfer the new purchase later. RSI’s 27 October FAQ says the new process takes effect on 30 October 2026. The recipient needs an RSI account with a confirmed email address to redeem the emailed gift code.
The gift is sent automatically after the transaction completes. If unclaimed after 30 days, the buyer is refunded automatically. Existing Hangar gifts and gift codes keep their earlier rules. RSI says purchase referral credit stays with the buyer; receiving a gift does not satisfy the recipient’s own qualifying cash-spending requirement. Official gifting FAQ.
Check a protected access pledge before changing packages
A pledge marked as protected Game Access cannot be reclaimed for store credit or gifted, but can still be upgraded with a CCU. RSI named 1 November 2026 as the end of the selection window; do not assume you can freely move that protection later. Check the access marker and contents before planning a package exchange. RSI’s protected-access instructions · Official access FAQ. Sources checked 1 November 2026.
Questions about the current package
Are the three extra ships permanent?
No. The First Flight product description grants 30-day loaner access to Golem, Fortune and Intrepid. Confirm the current terms at RSI.
Is the checked $45 price guaranteed?
No. $45 was the offer and $60 the list price in USD before tax at the 25 October 2026 check. Availability, tax and final checkout terms can change.
Earlier package guidance, kept as historical context
Maintained by Domux. Editorial approach and referral disclosure
A Game Package is the bundle that unlocks the game. Ship plus UEC plus game access plus insurance, all in one purchase. RSI sells seven of them today, all qualifying for the 50,000 UEC referral bonus. Here's exactly what's inside one, how it differs from a standalone ship pledge, and what SLV, LTI and CCU actually mean. Official package contents and prices
What is a Game Package
A Game Package is the entry-level purchase to play Star Citizen. Every Game Package on the RSI store contains four things bundled together at one price:
What's inside every Game Package
- A starter ship. Aurora Mk II in the cheapest pack, all the way up to a Cutlass Black in the Privateer. The ship is yours permanently and is added to your account hangar.
- 10,000 UEC of in-game currency. Persistent UEC tied to your RSI account.
- Full Star Citizen game access. Permanent. No subscription. You can log into the live alpha at any time.
- An insurance level on the ship. SLV (Self-Land Vehicle) or 6-month standard hull insurance depending on the pack. Some special-sale packs ship with LTI.
If you've heard the terms "Starter Pack" and "Game Package" used interchangeably, that's because they are. Every Starter Pack RSI sells is a Game Package. The distinction matters in only one place: a few non-Starter-Pack Game Packages exist (Squadron 42 + Star Citizen combo bundles for example), but for a new player buying their first one, "Game Package" and "Starter Pack" mean the same thing.
Game Package vs standalone ship pledge
This is the single confusion that costs new players the most money. You can buy two kinds of thing on the RSI Pledge Store: Game Packages and standalone ships. They look similar on the store but they're very different products.
| Game Package | Standalone Ship Pledge | |
|---|---|---|
| Includes the ship | Yes | Yes |
| Grants Star Citizen game access | Yes | No |
| Includes UEC bonus | Yes (10,000 UEC) | No |
| Required to play | At least one needed | Not by itself |
| Qualifies for the 50,000 UEC referral bonus | Yes (if $40+) | Only if a Game Package is already on the account |
| Current price range | source-dated package prices, in USD before tax | $30 to thousands |
Don't buy a standalone ship as your first purchase
If you buy a standalone Cutlass Black ($110) without first having a Game Package, you own the ship but you can't play. You also haven't triggered the referral bonus because the standalone ship is not a Game Package. The recovery is to buy a $60 list-price Game Package on top, and now you've paid $170 for what the Privateer Starter Pack currently includes for $125 (list $125), plus more UEC.
Always buy at least one Game Package first. Optional standalone ships come later if you want to expand your fleet.
Insurance levels: SLV, 6-month, and LTI
Every ship in Star Citizen will eventually require insurance once CIG turns on the full in-game insurance economy at some point post-1.0. That hasn't happened yet, but the insurance level on your Game Package is something you pay attention to because LTI ships hold value at higher CCU tiers.
SLV (Self-Land Vehicle insurance)
The basic insurance level on most Game Packages. Your ship can be reclaimed for free at a terminal indefinitely under the current system. SLV is the most common insurance type on Starter Packs.
Standard hull insurance (1-month, 3-month, 6-month)
Time-limited insurance on the ship hull. Currently renewed automatically in-game without UEC cost while RSI hasn't activated the paid insurance economy. Once that economy turns on, you'd need to renew with in-game UEC or store credit.
LTI (Lifetime Insurance)
A never-expiring level one insurance policy. The ship is always claimable for free indefinitely without renewing. LTI is rare and offered on:
- Concept-sale pledges. When CIG sells a brand new ship before it's flyable, the first pledge wave usually includes LTI.
- Anniversary or special-event bundles. Occasional limited bundles include LTI on the ship.
- Some high-tier packages. Specifically high-dollar pledges (Idris and similar capital ships).
Standard Citizen, Generalist, Salvager, Miner, Hauler and the current Duelist and Privateer Starter Packs do not include LTI. They include SLV or time-limited hull insurance. For new players that is fine. LTI matters more for veteran fleet planning, less for getting started.
CCU: how you upgrade a ship without re-buying the package
CCU stands for Cross Chassis Upgrade. It lets you pay the price difference between your current ship and a more expensive ship to swap up. The CCU is applied as a token on your account; when you apply it, your old ship is replaced with the new one, but the original package benefits (game access, UEC stipend, insurance level) carry over.
Example flow
- You buy a Citizen Starter Pack ($60 list, source checked 14 October 2026) (promo, $60 base; Aurora Mk II + 10,000 UEC + game access + SLV).
- You decide you actually want a Cutlass Black instead.
- You buy a CCU from Aurora Mk II to Cutlass Black. Cutlass Black standalone is around $110, Aurora Mk II is around $25 standalone, so the CCU costs roughly $85.
- You apply the CCU. Now your package has a Cutlass Black instead of an Aurora, plus the original $60's worth of benefits.
- Total spend $145 instead of buying the Privateer Starter Pack for $125 (list $125), which already comes with a Cutlass Black, more UEC, bonus items and enhanced insurance.
The CCU system works backwards from how you'd expect: in this case, just buying the current Privateer Starter Pack outright is cheaper than CCU-ing up to the same ship. CCU is most useful for going to ships that don't come bundled in a Game Package, or for picking up an LTI ship via the original concept pledge and CCU-ing it to a current ship.
How the 50,000 UEC referral bonus stacks
The standard referral reward is 50,000 account UEC for a new account registered with a valid code. Game access requires a Game Package outside public trials. The separate $40 USD fresh-money spending rule determines the referrer’s Recruitment Point, not a different signup bonus. Alpha aUEC crediting can be delayed when a code is added later. RSI referral conditions
| Setup | Starting UEC on the account |
|---|---|
| Citizen Starter Pack alone | 10,000 UEC (package only) |
| Citizen Starter Pack + STAR-JTV7-FXLR | 60,000 UEC (10,000 package + 50,000 referral) |
| Privateer Starter Pack alone | 10,000 UEC (package only) |
| Privateer Starter Pack + STAR-JTV7-FXLR | 60,000 UEC (10,000 package + 50,000 referral) |
The 50,000 UEC bonus credits to the new account once any qualifying Game Package purchase clears. Code attached at signup (or within 24 hours of account creation under Account → Referral Rewards). See the signup guide for the exact field location.
Melt: turning a package back into store credit
RSI allows you to "melt" most Game Packages, converting the package back into store credit on your account. You can then buy a different package or apply the credit to ship pledges or CCUs. Melt is non-destructive in that you don't lose the dollar value, but there are restrictions:
- Original-concept LTI ships often cannot be re-bought once melted (the ship is back in your store credit but you can't put it back together as the original LTI package).
- Certain anniversary or limited-time bundles are one-time only.
- Subscriber-exclusive packages have their own melt rules.
- The 50,000 UEC referral bonus, once received, is not refunded if you melt the package later.
Melt is mainly used by veteran players reshuffling their fleet, not by new players. For your first Game Package, just buy the one you want and ignore melt unless you specifically need it.
Quick recommendation if you're picking your first one
Get the Citizen Starter Pack ($60 list, source checked 14 October 2026) (promotional, $60 base). Cheapest, includes the Aurora Mk II (good learner ship), 10,000 UEC, full game access, SLV insurance. Add the referral code at signup for 50,000 UEC on top. You land in the alpha with 60,000 UEC, enough for a full armour kit, a primary weapon, sidearm and supplies, plus a couple of ship-component upgrades. From there you earn more UEC in-game and grow your fleet however you want.
The full comparison of all seven Starter Packs (with use-case recommendations for each) is on the Starter Packs page.
Citizen Starter Pack ($60 list, source checked 14 October 2026) + the referral code = 60,000 UEC on the account before you've earned a credit in-game.
STAR-JTV7-FXLR Create account with codeAdd 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
✓ Verified referral code · Today: 11 November 2026FAQ
What is a Star Citizen Game Package?
The bundle you buy to play Star Citizen. Includes a starter ship, 10,000 UEC, full game access, and an insurance level on the ship. Every Game Package grants full access to the live alpha. Cheapest is the Citizen Starter Pack ($60 list, source checked 14 October 2026).
What is the difference between a Game Package and a standalone ship?
A Game Package includes game access plus a ship plus UEC plus insurance. A standalone ship pledge is just the ship. New accounts must own at least one Game Package to play; a standalone ship alone does not grant game access.
What is LTI insurance in Star Citizen?
Lifetime Insurance: a never-expiring level one policy on the ship. The ship is claimable for free indefinitely. LTI is rare and offered on concept-sale pledges and some special bundles. Standard Starter Packs ship with SLV or short-term hull insurance, which is fine for new players.
What is a CCU in Star Citizen?
Cross Chassis Upgrade. Pay the price difference between your current ship and a more expensive one to swap up while keeping the original package benefits. Useful for ships that don't come bundled with a Game Package, or for upgrading an LTI ship to a current model while keeping LTI.
Do all Game Packages include the same UEC bonus?
Game Packages include 10,000 UEC each. The 50,000 UEC referral bonus from the referral code stacks on top, so a Citizen Starter Pack with the code gives the new account 60,000 UEC total.
Can I melt and re-buy Game Packages?
Yes, with restrictions. RSI lets you melt most packages back into store credit. Original-concept LTI ships often can't be re-bought once melted, and certain anniversary bundles are one-time only. The 50,000 UEC referral bonus is not refunded by melting.
How does the referral bonus interact with melting?
The bonus is received once, when your first qualifying Game Package purchase clears. Melting that package later does not refund the UEC bonus. The bonus also does not trigger again if you melt and re-buy. One bonus per RSI account, lifetime.