In the Pokemon world, Flying-types are often under-appreciated. When it comes to the question of favorites, they tend to be overshadowed in favor of more popular, traditional elemental types, like Water and the suprisingly memeworthy Fire.
Flying struggles in that sense, because it doesn’t really offer anything to the defensive synergy of a team. Flying-type tanks and walls succeed despite being Flying, not as a result of it (though they can switch in and laugh off Earthquakes). On the other hand, the Flying-type does offer some nice offensive utility. As a result, the best Flying moves in Pokemon are mostly straightforward powerful attacks, with some handy status options to pick from too. Let’s take a look!
Updated December 15th, 2022 by Suzail Ahmad: The world of Pokemon is ever-expanding. In the last few years, Game Freak has consistently released new titles which have provided players with joy. Over time, the passion for the games has increased, and it has led to many players becoming more focused on online Pokemon competitions. Due to this reason, these players always look for strong Pokemon and moves that are most suitable for online battles. The Flying-type is one of the most commonly used types in competitive battling. With the release of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, many new Flying-type Pokemon have been introduced. These Flying-type Pokemon are rather unique, and some of them will see a lot of use both in the game and in online battles. So, it is only natural to arm these Pokemon with the best flying type moves. To help trainers choose the best flying type moves for their Pokemon, this list has been updated with a few more noteworthy attacks.
23 Air Cutter
- Power: 60
- PP: 25
Air Cutter is a Flying-type move that was introduced in Generation III. It is a fairly strong physical attack that has a good chance of turning into a critical hit. Due to this reason, the move can come in handy if a trainer requires more damage in a clutch situation.
The move can be learned by leveling up and breeding. According to the description of the move in Pokemon Scarlet and Violent, the Pokemon "launches a razor-like wind to slash opposing Pokemon."
22 Beak Blast
- Power: 100
- PP: 15
Beak Blast is the signature move of Toucannon, and it was introduced in Generation VII. It is a move that requires the user to charge before it can be used against the opponent. To circumvent this problem, any Pokemon that makes contact with Toucannon gets burned.
While most trainers will overlook this move due to its shortcoming, some might just want to use it to show off the power of their Toucannon.
21 Bleakwind Storm
- Power: 100
- PP: 10
Bleakwind Storm is the signature move of Tornadus. It made its debut in Legends Arceus, and it is a rather unique move. Aside from inflicting physical damage, Bleakwind Storm also has a chance of leaving the target with frostbite.
Normally, the attack has a 30% chance, but when using the strong style, it increases to 50%. In Scarlet and Violet, the move was altered, resulting in the PP and power being increased to 10 and 100, respectively.
20 Bounce
- Power: 85
- PP: 5
Bounce has been a part of the games since Generation III. Originally, the move was nice to use as there were very few abilities that could counter it, but with every passing generation, new attacks were added as its counter.
Still, the move is quite viable in the new games, as it offers a decent amount of damage and a possible chance to paralyze the opponent. Being a TM, it is easy to teach Bounce to a variety of Pokemon.
19 Fly
- Power: 90
- PP: 15
Fly is one of the oldest Flying-type moves, having debuted all the way back in Generation I. It was put as HM 02, and trainers could only access it after progressing through the story. It was created in order to make traveling to different towns easier.
Fly continued to be HM 02 until Generation VI, after which it was turned into a TM, meaning the trainers only had to use it for battle. Fly is a two-turn move; in the first turn, the Pokemon flies into the air, and then on the second turn, it makes contact with the opponent.
18 Sky Attack
- Power: 140
- PP: 5
Flying-types have their fair share of hard-hitting moves. Just look at Sky Attack, an impressive ability that packs an immense 140 base power. It even has a 30 percent chance to inflict flinch on the opponent and comes packaged with an increase to critical hits. It's a powerful tool for Flying-type fans but does come with one fairly glaring drawback.
Like other hard-hitting moves, Sky Attack is a two-turn ability, meaning players will be vulnerable to attacks for one turn before unleashing the pain. Unlike Fly, which makes Pokemon semi-invulnerable, Sky Attack leaves them completely open to damage.
17 Aerial Ace
- Power: 60
- PP: 20
Dedicated Pokemon players understand the value in moves that come packaged with high accuracy. There are some Pokemon that are capable of raising their Evasion Stat by such leaps and bounds that it becomes almost impossible to hit them. These types of Pokemon can spell doom for an inexperienced player, unless they have their own creature capable of never missing.
That's where Aerial Ace comes in handy. It may only have a Power of 60 but it's an attack that never misses its target, making it the perfect tool to whittle away at Pokemon that are intent on dodging everything.
16 Feather Dance
- Power: 0
- PP: 15
This move’s an easy one to overlook. It might seem like one of those feeble early-game status moves like Tail Whip or Growl. Its effect? It reduces the target’s Attack by two stages.
Generally, yes, most Flying-types will have something much more potent up their feathery sleeves than this. However, it's surprising how quickly tricky picks like Eviolite Murkrow (which has priority on this move thanks to the Prankster ability) can ruin your entire week with this one. It’s niche, but it’s very, very troublesome when played correctly.
15 Sky Drop
- Power: 60
- PP: 10
Official Pokemon tournaments tend to revolve around doubles matches. In this format, strategies and moves that wouldn’t really be seen in single battles can really come alive. Sky Drop, with a meager base power of 60, isn’t going to dazzle anybody with its damage output alone. What it does do, however, is really mess with your opponent in the right situation. It's a neat trick for those curious and mysterious Flying-types to have in their arsenal.
This physical attack sees the user pick up the target and carry them into the air on the turn it’s used. Both Pokemon remain up there, unable to be targeted, until the second turn, on which the user slams the other Pokemon to the ground and the move actually hits. In doubles there are a lot of handy implications of this, in terms of both protecting the attacker and removing a key target from the equation for a turn. Still, the move is at its best in certain situations only and some foes are too heavy to be targeted by Sky Drop at all.
14 Aeroblast
- Power: 130
- PP: 8
Super powerful moves usually have drawbacks. The Normal-type attack Skull Bash, for instance, takes two turns to execute before the opposing critter feels its 130 base power wrath. Aeroblast, by contrast, seems to have (almost) everything.
This special Flying move has 100 power and almost perfect accuracy (95%). It even has the added boon of an increased critical hit chance. What’s holding it back? It has a low maximum PP of 8, for one thing, and it’s also exclusive to Lugia. Being the signature move of an Uber tier Pokemon means that it’s never really usable at all in standard battles.
13 Dual Wingbeat
- Power: 40
- PP: 10
Of course, some held items in the games are more commonly used and more valuable than others (don’t spend your hard-earned BP on the wrong ones). One very popular pick in competitive battles is the Focus Sash, which allows a Pokemon to withstand any single hit with 1HP remaining, providing their HP was full when said hit landed.
Veteran Generation VIII battlers will understand that, generally, this means frail support Pokemon like Whimsicott can use this to buy a turn for more of their Prankster (priority Status move) shenanigans. Dual Wingbeat is a Flying-type move that was added with the Isle of Armor, exclusive to the new Move Tutor at the Master Dojo. It’s a physical move with a seemingly low base power of 40, but it hits twice, circumventing pesky Focus Sashes and the like nicely. It can be incredibly useful, but it’s a bit niche compared to pure raw power Flying moves seen elsewhere on this list (though to a lesser extent than Sky Drop or Aeroblast).
12 Floaty Fall
- Power: 90
- PP: 15
In Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee, the central concept was that the two starter Pokemon could not be evolved (although others of their species could). The dilemma, then, was how to keep these unevolved Pokemon relevant in the late game.
Game Freak’s solution was to give partner Pikachu and partner Eevee buffed stats and a range of very strong, goofily named signature moves from across the typing chart. The Flying-type move, Floaty Fall, is exclusive to partner Pikachu. It’s a physical move with 90 power, 95% accuracy, 15 default PP and a high chance to flinch the foe. Like Aeroblast, this move has almost everything going for it (the adorable fan favorite Pikachu gets everything as always), but is held back by the fact that access to it is just so limited. In this case, the move doesn’t exist in the core games at all!
11 Acrobatics
- Power: 55
- PP: 15
Acrobatics is another niche pick that definitely shouldn't be underestimated. It’s a physical move with 55 base power, which is totally lacking. The good news is that its power is doubled if the user isn’t holding an item.
The snag there, of course, is that absolutely every Pokemon ever holds an item in battle. To get the best out of this move, creative strategies are the only way to do so, generally involving a one-use item and Hawlucha’s Unburden ability.
10 Drill Peck
- Power: 80
- PP: 20
Some of the best Flying-type moves are the ones that "make sense." Drill Peck is the perfect example of an attack that would likely be utilized by a horde of beaked creatures. By spinning at a high speed, flying-type Pokemon can drill their sharp beaks directly into their opponents, a move that does a decent amount of damage considering how painful it would actually be. Drill Peck is a respectable move with 80 power and 100 accuracy, perfect for giving a player's Pokemon a reliable damage-based move to use against slippery opponents.
9 Defog
- Power: 0
- PP: 15
Here’s a move that’s skyrocketed in use in recent years, thanks to a handy buff it was given at the start of Generation VI.
It seems like nothing special at all at first, simply lowering the opponent’s evasion by one stage. Not worth using? Well, how about the fact that it also removes the effects of Light Screen, Reflect and all entry hazards (among other things) from both sides of the field with a single use? Some kind of hazard removal is essential in most competitive play (doubles aside), and there aren't many singles teams that don’t pack this move (or Rapid Spin).
8 Air Slash
- Power: 75
- PP: 15
As a rule, powerful Flying-type moves tend to be physical. Air Slash is a rare exception, and… well, it’s not powerful, per se. What it does happen to be, however, is super, super annoying.
It might only boast 75 base power, but it comes with a high chance to flinch the opponent. It’s often used by Togekiss, which means a 60% chance to flinch thanks to its ability Serene Grace. There’s no such thing as honor on the Pokemon battlefield, so players are free to go ahead and take their opponent to Flinch Town if they feel so inclined.
7 Oblivion Wing
- Power: 80
- PP: 10
Here’s another of those rare Flying moves that aren’t physical. This one, as the dramatic-sounding name suggests, comes with a theatrical animation attached and is exclusive to Yveltal, the legendary powerhouse of the excellent Pokemon Y.
Its 80 base power and perfect accuracy would be more than enough, but there’s much more to Oblivion Wing. The attack also heals Yveltal for a whopping 75% of the damage it deals! Other HP-siphoning moves can't really touch this. Once again, though, it's an issue of the move's rarity.
6 Dragon Ascent
- Power: 120
- PP: 5
Oblivion Wing is a flashy, Legendary-exclusive move, and Dragon Ascent follows that theme. This formidable Flying-type move was added with Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Only Rayquaza had access to it, and it was the key to transforming the beast into Mega Rayquaza (it simply needed to know the move to change, not requiring a Mega Stone).
It functions just like a Flying-type Close Combat: 120 base power, perfect accuracy, the user’s Defense and Special Defense drops after it hits. If this attack were more accessible, it would be a sight to behold. Sadly, it seems to have disappeared entirely, along with Mega Evolutions themselves.
5 Roost
- Power: 0
- PP: 5
Flying, as experienced team builders can attest, doesn’t do a lot for a team’s defensive synergy by itself. Being weak to three very common types (the much-maligned Ice, plus Rock and Electric) really doesn’t help there.
What’s more useful than reliable healing? Reliable healing that actually removes those Flying-type weaknesses for the remainder of the turn. Tanky Pokemon aren’t often faster than their opponents, but that secondary effect is always nice to have if you do get a chance to make use of it. Roost has also been a TM (though sadly it isn't in Generation VIII), accessible by a surprising amount of Pokemon.
4 Hurricane
- Power: 110
- PP: 10
Hurricane is another incredibly strong Flying-type special attack. It’s that familiar Pokemon trade-off: battlers must decide whether they want a weaker-yet-reliable move, or one that can usually be counted on to miss at the most crucial moment (just ask any player).
Those who insist on using the 110 base power, 70% accurate Hurricane would do well to bear in mind that it will never miss while rain is in effect. It’s just like Thunder in that respect, only much gustier.