What license do I need?
All personal users of X-Plane only need a home license of the sim. These are available as either a DVD set or a Digital Download license. If your simulator is not connected to the internet, a DVD set will let you install and use X-Plane offline.
Any corporate user/company/university using X-Plane is required to purchase a professional key for X-Plane. This license is also required anytime X-Plane is used for generating revenue, either directly or indirectly. These are available as USB keys (which are always shipped with a DVD set for installation) or a professional digital license. If your simulator is not connected to the internet, a USB Key + DVD set will let you install and run X-Plane Professional entirely offline.