How Do I Fly on Minecraft? A Comprehensive Guide to Creative and Survival Flight

Minecraft’s vast worlds are ripe for exploration, and traversing them on foot can sometimes feel like a slow crawl. Luckily, Minecraft offers the exhilarating freedom of flight, allowing you to soar above mountains, glide over oceans, and reach distant locations with ease. Whether you’re in Creative mode with limitless possibilities or challenging yourself in Survival, mastering flight is a game-changer.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about taking to the skies in Minecraft, covering both Creative and Survival modes. Get ready to elevate your Minecraft experience!

Flying in Creative Mode: Unleash Your Inner Superhero

Creative mode in Minecraft is all about boundless creation and exploration. In this mode, flight is readily available, granting you god-like mobility to build, explore, and experiment without limitations. Forget gravity – in Creative, the sky’s the limit, literally!

Simple Controls for Creative Flight

Taking flight in Creative mode is incredibly simple and intuitive. Here’s how to get airborne:

1. Double-Tap Jump: The key to initiating flight is quickly double-tapping your jump button. On most computers, this is the spacebar. On consoles, it’s usually the A button on Xbox or the X button on PlayStation, and the equivalent on Nintendo Switch.

2. Ascend and Descend: Once you’re flying, you have full control over your altitude.

   • Ascend: Press and hold the jump button to fly upwards.
   • Descend: Hold the crouch button (usually Shift on PC, B on Xbox, Circle on PlayStation, and the equivalent on Switch) to descend.

3. Sprint for Speed: Want to travel even faster? While flying, press and hold your sprint button (typically Ctrl on PC, left stick button on consoles) to boost your speed and cover ground quickly.

To land and return to walking, simply double-tap the jump button again. You’ll gently descend back to the ground.

Creative mode allows for effortless flight across the Minecraft world.

Creative mode offers unparalleled freedom to fly and build without constraints.

Creative Flight: Important Considerations

While Creative flight is incredibly liberating, there are a couple of things to keep in mind:

• Void Danger: Even in Creative mode, you’re not invincible to the void. Falling into the endless nothingness between islands in dimensions like The End will still result in death and respawn. Be mindful of your surroundings, especially when exploring the outer reaches of different dimensions.

Mastering Flight in Survival Mode: The Elytra Adventure

For players who thrive on challenge and progression, Survival mode offers a more rewarding path to flight. In Survival, you’ll need to earn your wings by acquiring a rare item called the Elytra. This item transforms your character, granting them functional wings for gliding and aerial maneuvers.

Obtaining the Elytra: A Treasure Hunt in The End

The Elytra isn’t easily obtainable; it’s a treasure hidden within the challenging dimension known as The End. To find it, you’ll need to venture into the domain of the Ender Dragon and explore the structures found there.

Reaching The End and End Cities

1. Defeat the Ender Dragon: The first step to accessing the Elytra is defeating the Ender Dragon, the final boss of the main Minecraft storyline. This requires venturing to The End dimension by activating an End Portal, typically found in Strongholds.

2. Explore Outer End Islands: Once you’ve vanquished the Ender Dragon, new gateways will appear. One will lead you back to the Overworld, while another will transport you to the outer islands of The End, where End Cities and End Ships can be found. Throw an Ender Pearl into the newly generated portal to reach these outer islands.

3. Alternative: Bridge Building (For the Patient): If you’re not ready to face the Ender Dragon yet, or prefer a different approach, you can attempt to build a bridge from the main End island to an outer island where End Cities might be located. However, be warned: this is an incredibly time-consuming and resource-intensive task, as the distances can be vast (over 1000 blocks). If you choose this route, set a spawn point near your End portal using a bed to mitigate the risk of death from falling into the void.

Navigating the End portal to reach outer islands.

Using an Ender Pearl to travel through the portal to the outer End islands is crucial for finding Elytra.

Locating End Ships and Elytra

1. Find End Cities: End Cities are the key structures in the outer End islands. They are tall, tower-like structures made of purpur blocks and obsidian.

2. Search for End Ships: Not every End City has an End Ship, but roughly half of them do. End Ships are galleon-like vessels that float detached from End Cities, connected by a bridge. Look for these floating ships near End Cities.

3. Elytra Location on End Ships: Once you’ve located an End Ship, board it and navigate to a level decorated with black Obsidian blocks. Here, you’ll find the coveted Elytra displayed in an item frame. The Elytra will be flanked by chests filled with loot (be sure to grab those!) and guarded by a Shulker, a stationary mob that shoots levitation projectiles.

4. Claim Your Wings: Break the item frame to claim the Elytra for yourself. You don’t need to defeat the Shulker to get the Elytra, but taking care of it will make looting the chests much easier.

Spotting an End Ship near an End City is a sign of Elytra nearby.

End Ships, often found near End Cities, are where you can discover the Elytra.

The Elytra awaits in an item frame on the End Ship, guarded by a Shulker.

The Elytra is typically found in an item frame, ready to be claimed from the End Ship.

Soaring with Elytra: Gliding and Fireworks

Flying with Elytra in Survival mode is a different experience than Creative flight. It’s more akin to gliding, requiring momentum and careful control. However, with a little practice and the clever use of fireworks, you can achieve impressive aerial feats and even near-infinite flight.

Basic Elytra Flight Mechanics

1. Equip the Elytra: To use the Elytra, equip it in your chestplate armor slot. It replaces your chest armor and appears as wings on your character.

2. Find a High Point and Jump: Climb to a significant height – a cliff, a tall building, or any elevated platform. Then, jump off the edge.

3. Activate Gliding: As you fall, press the jump key once to deploy your Elytra and begin gliding. Holding the jump key won’t make you ascend like in Creative mode.

4. Control Your Glide: While gliding, you control your direction and angle by looking around. Looking upwards will cause you to ascend slightly (if you have enough momentum), while looking downwards will make you descend faster. Be mindful of your gliding angle; too steep an angle can cause you to stall and lose altitude rapidly, potentially leading to a crash.

Advanced Elytra Flight with Fireworks

1. Firework Rockets for Boosts: Elytra gliding is all about momentum. To gain height or extend your flight, you’ll need firework rockets. Equip firework rockets in your hotbar.

2. Rocket Propulsion: While gliding, use a firework rocket (right-click on PC, use the use item button on consoles). This will provide a significant speed boost in the direction you’re facing, propelling you upwards and extending your flight.

3. Near-Infinite Flight: By strategically using firework rockets, you can maintain altitude and even gain height, effectively achieving long-distance or near-infinite flight in Survival mode, as long as you have fireworks to spare.

Elytra Durability and Repair

Elytra has durability and will take damage with use, especially when colliding with objects. Keep an eye on its durability bar.

1. Repair with Phantom Membranes: To repair a damaged Elytra, you’ll need Phantom Membranes, dropped by Phantoms (flying hostile mobs that spawn at night if you haven’t slept for a few days). Combine Phantom Membranes with your Elytra at an Anvil to repair it.

2. Combine Damaged Elytra: You can also repair an Elytra by combining two damaged Elytra at an Anvil. This will merge their durability into a single, more repaired Elytra.

Using firework rockets with Elytra for sustained flight.

Firework rockets are essential for boosting and extending Elytra flight in Survival mode.

Conclusion: Take to the Skies!

Whether you choose the effortless freedom of Creative mode flight or the rewarding challenge of mastering Elytra flight in Survival, learning to fly in Minecraft opens up a whole new dimension to the game. Experiment with both methods, practice your aerial maneuvers, and soon you’ll be soaring through your Minecraft worlds like a true master of the skies!