Movement
Tilt your device gently. If you move too hard your plane will fly out of control. Remain inside the blue lined border during your flight path. You also need to match the correct height without descending too fast or moving too slow to get a safe landing. As you approach the landing strip, lower the throttle using the lever on the right side. The higher it is, the faster your plane will fly. Do not lower it too much or you will land on the grass and crash.
Upgrades
You will purchase your first new plane after the tutorial. Although this plane is only tier 1, you will be using it for awhile. Save your coins to upgrade that plane instead of saving 18,000 coins for the next plane at tier 2.