Flying Type Pokemon
Flying type Pokemon ignore Ground attacks and grounded hazards like Spikes entirely. They resist Bug, Grass, and Fighting moves, while high-speed pivots rely on Tailwind, Roost, and Brave Bird to dictate match tempo.
How Flying Performs in Battle
See which attacks hit Flying super effectively, what Flying resists, and how Flying moves hit opposing targets.
Flying Type Pokemon Weakness
- Electric (2×): Fast offensive pivots like Zapdos and Miraidon outspeed and target Flying with Volt Switch or Thunderbolt.
- Ice (2×): Exploits common Flying pairings like Dragon/Flying and Ground/Flying for devastating 4x quad damage knockouts.
- Rock (2×): Punishes Flying switch-ins with 2x damage and inflicts up to 50% max HP entry hazard damage via Stealth Rock.
Defensive Resistances
- Ground Immunity (0×): Completely ignores Earthquake, Earth Power, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes entry hazards upon switching in.
- Fighting Resistance (0.5×): Sponges high-powered Close Combat and priority Mach Punch attacks from opposing wallbreakers.
- Bug & Grass Resistance (0.5×): Shuts down U-turn pivot chip damage and resists common Grass STAB moves like Energy Ball.
Offensive Coverage
- 3 Super-Effective Targets: Strikes Grass, Fighting, and Bug types for 2x super effective damage, dismantling popular defensive cores.
- High Base Power STAB: Brave Bird (120 BP) and Hurricane (110 BP) provide colossal physical and special breakthrough power.
- Excellent Neutral Coverage: Hits 13 of 18 types neutrally or better, resisted only by Electric, Rock, and Steel.
Key Flying Type Battle Mechanics
Ground attack immunity, Roost temporary grounding, and aerial speed control.
Flying type Pokemon take zero damage from Ground attacks like Earthquake. More importantly, they float above grounded hazards like Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Sticky Web, switching into battle without taking entry chip damage or speed reductions.
When a Flying Pokemon uses Roost to recover 50% max HP, it temporarily loses its Flying typing until the turn ends. Pure Flying Pokemon become Typeless, while dual types shed their Flying weaknesses, eliminating Rock, Electric, and Ice vulnerabilities while becoming vulnerable to Ground attacks.
Flying types govern battlefield speed. Tailwind doubles the entire team's Speed stat for four turns, while signature abilities like Gale Wings grant priority to Flying attacks at full health, allowing sweepers like Talonflame to outspeed and knock out opposing threats instantly.
All 17 Flying Dual Type Combinations
Explore defensive synergies, 4x quad-weaknesses, immunities, and competitive pairings for all Flying dual types.
Skarmory, Celesteela, Corviknight
Zapdos, Emolga, Thundurus Incarnate
Gligar, Gliscor, Landorus Incarnate
Dragonite, Altaria, Salamence
Charizard, Moltres, Ho-Oh
Gyarados, Mantine, Wingull
Golbat, Zubat, Crobat
Hawlucha, Flamigo, Zapdos Galar
Murkrow, Honchkrow, Vullaby
Drifblim, Drifloon, Oricorio Sensu
Togetic, Togekiss, Enamorus Incarnate
Pidgey, Spearow, Pidgeotto
Hoppip, Skiploom, Jumpluff
Natu, Xatu, Lugia
Articuno, Delibird
Aerodactyl, Archen, Archeops
Butterfree, Scyther, Ledian
Top 10 Strongest Flying Type Pokemon
Ranked by Base Stat Total (BST) for standard species and forms. Mega Rayquaza leads at 780 BST, followed by Mega Salamence at 700 BST.
All Flying Type Pokemon List
Browse all 154 official Flying type forms and 109 base species with live search, filters, and stat modals.
Key Flying Type Battle Moves
Essential physical, special, and status moves that define competitive Flying type Pokemon in singles and doubles.
| Move | Category | Power | Accuracy | Strategic Combat Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brave Bird | Physical | 120 | 100% | High-power physical Flying strike. Inflicts colossal single-target damage with 33% recoil damage to user. Staple on Talonflame, Corviknight, and Staraptor. |
| Hurricane | Special | 110 | 70% | Massive special attack with a 30% chance to confuse targets. Gains 100% perfect accuracy under Rain weather, turning Tornadus and Zapdos into deadly rain sweepers. |
| Air Slash | Special | 75 | 95% | Reliable special STAB with a 30% flinch rate. When paired with Togekiss's Serene Grace ability, flinch chance rises to 60%, creating devastating flinch-lock sequences. |
| Roost | Status | - | - | Essential 50% max HP recovery move. Temporarily removes user's Flying typing for the turn, shedding Rock, Ice, and Electric weaknesses while grounding them. |
| Tailwind | Status | - | - | The gold-standard team speed support tool in competitive doubles. Doubles entire team's Speed stat for four turns, enabling immediate offensive sweeps. |
| Defog | Status | - | - | Clears all entry hazards (Stealth Rock, Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Sticky Web), screens (Reflect, Light Screen), and terrain from both sides of the field. |
| Acrobatics | Physical | 55 / 110 | 100% | Doubles to 110 base power when user holds no item. Combines lethally with consumable Booster Energy or Focus Sash on sweepers like Hawlucha and Roaring Moon. |
| Dual Wingbeat | Physical | 40×2 | 90% | Strikes twice in succession. Bypasses Focus Sash, breaks Sturdy, and shatters Substitute while breaking opposing targets on the second strike. |
Flying Type Battle Questions
Common questions about battle matchups, counters, and mechanics.
Flying type Pokemon are weak to Electric, Ice, and Rock moves, each dealing 2x super effective damage. In dual type pairings, these vulnerabilities can become 4x quad weaknesses: Fire/Flying, Bug/Flying, and Ice/Flying take 4x damage from Rock attacks (and lose 50% max HP from Stealth Rock hazards), while Dragon/Flying and Ground/Flying take 4x damage from Ice moves, and Water/Flying takes 4x damage from Electric strikes.
Rock, Electric, and Ice type attacks are good against Flying Pokemon because they deal 2x super effective damage. Fast Electric pivots like Zapdos, Miraidon, and Regieleki outspeed and strike with Volt Switch or Thunderbolt. Bulky Rock types like Tyranitar set Stealth Rock hazards to punish Flying switch-ins, while Ice users like Chien-Pao and Baxcalibur target common Dragon/Flying and Ground/Flying sweepers for instant knockouts. For team builders, good Flying type Pokemon like Corviknight, Landorus-Therian, and Dragonite provide strong defensive checks against Ground and Fighting attacks.
In competitive battles and Base Stat Total rankings, Mega Rayquaza (780 BST) stands as the strongest Flying Pokemon in the game, followed by Mega Salamence (700 BST) and box legendaries Lugia, Ho-Oh, Rayquaza, and Yveltal (all 680 BST). In standard tournament play, Landorus-Therian (600 BST), Corviknight (495 BST), Dragonite (600 BST), and Gliscor (510 BST) dominate competitive tiers through hazard control, high attack power, and defensive utility. In Pokemon GO, Rayquaza, Shadow Moltres, and Therian Landorus rank as top-tier raid attackers.
The best Flying type legendary Pokemon include Rayquaza (Dragon/Flying, 680 BST), Lugia (Psychic/Flying, 680 BST), Ho-Oh (Fire/Flying, 680 BST), Yveltal (Dark/Flying, 680 BST), and the Forces of Nature: Landorus, Thundurus, Tornadus, and Enamorus. The original Kanto legendary birds Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres also remain staple choices across casual and competitive play.
The fastest Flying type Pokemon include Ninjask (Base 160 Speed), Mega Aerodactyl (Base 150 Speed), Talonflame (Base 126 Speed), Crobat (Base 130 Speed), Aerodactyl (Base 130 Speed), and Noivern (Base 123 Speed). Moves like Tailwind can also double the entire team's Speed stat for four consecutive turns.
When a Pokemon uses Roost, it recovers 50% of its maximum HP but temporarily loses its Flying type until the end of the turn. If a pure Flying Pokemon uses Roost, it becomes Typeless for the turn. For dual types, it only retains its secondary type, temporarily eliminating Rock, Electric, and Ice weaknesses while making it vulnerable to Ground attacks during that turn.
In the Pokemon Trading Card Game, most Flying type Pokemon cards are classified under the Colorless Energy type (such as Pidgeot, Lugia, and Rayquaza) or retain their secondary elemental energy (like Charizard using Fire Energy or Zapdos using Lightning Energy). They typically feature Lightning weakness, Fighting resistance, and free or low-cost Retreat values to reflect their aerial mobility.