Palworld has a map that looks manageable until you try to cross it on foot. Cliffs that seem climbable turn into 20-minute detours, and the distance between fast travel points is deceptive at best. The solution is getting a flying mount as early as possible, then upgrading to faster options as your level climbs. This guide covers the best flying Pals at every stage of the game, where to find them, what saddle materials you need, and which one is worth the grind.
What is the best flying mount in Palworld?
Jetragon is the fastest flying mount in the game, full stop. Beyond raw speed, it also consumes less stamina in flight and recovers that stamina faster than any other flying Pal. The catch is that you won't see it until the late game, and its saddle requires Technology level 79 to unlock. For everyone still working toward that point, there are strong options at every tier.
Across all stages, there are 29 Pals in total that can serve as flying mounts in Palworld 1.0, including variants like Vanwyrm Cryst, Frostallion Noct, and the newly added Panthalus and Xenolord.
Palworld 1.0 Guide: Best Flying Mounts
Best early game flying mounts in Palworld
Between levels 15 and 32, your options are limited but functional. The priority is getting airborne as quickly as possible, then swapping up once a better option becomes available.
Nitewing (Technology level 15)
Nitewing is the first flying mount most players will access. It's slow, it's neutral-type, and you'll replace it quickly, but it gets you off the ground at level 15. The saddle requires 20 leather, 10 cloth, 15 ingots, 20 fiber, and 20 Paldium fragments. Treat it as a placeholder, not a long-term solution.
Vanwyrm (Technology level 21)
Vanwyrm is a significant step up and the mount worth targeting in the early game. It's a Fire and Dark dual-type, which gives it combat utility beyond just transportation. Flight speed and stamina are noticeably better than Nitewing, and upgrading it with Pal Souls pushes it further. The saddle unlocks at Technology level 21 and costs 20 leather, 10 flame organs, 15 ingots, 30 fiber, and 20 Paldium fragments.
Vanwyrm spawns north of the starting area in the lush forest before Twilight Dunes, and can also be hatched from eggs if you'd rather skip the hunt.
Best mid-game flying mounts in Palworld
The mid-game tier of flying mounts is honestly a bit underwhelming compared to the jump from Nitewing to Vanwyrm. That said, a few Pals stand out enough to be worth pursuing.
Helzephyr (Technology level 33)
Helzephyr is a Dark-type that glows in the dark, which is a minor but genuinely useful visual cue at night. More practically, riding it adds Dark-type damage to your attacks, making it handy against Normal-type enemies. Find it northeast of the starting point, in the lush forest and around the cliffs near Marsh Island. It can also be hatched from eggs. Saddle unlocks at Technology level 33.
Beakon (Technology level 34)
Beakon is an Electric-type found in the Deep Sand Dunes area of the Palpagos Islands. There's also a Level 29 Alpha Beakon in the grasslands west of Frostbound Mountains. Its saddle unlocks at Technology level 34. Beakon is solid for its tier, though it doesn't stand out dramatically over Helzephyr.
Ragnahawk (Technology level 33)
Ragnahawk is the strongest mid-game option overall. It's a Fire-type found primarily around Mount Obsidian, though you can encounter them northwest of the Small Settlement near the starting area at lower levels. Most Obsidian-area Ragnahawks are level 25 or above, so bring a Water-type to handle the fight efficiently. The saddle unlocks at Technology level 33 and requires 25 leather, 10 cloth, 20 ingots, 20 flame organs, and 25 Paldium fragments.
Quivern (Technology level 36)
Quivern is a Dragon-type with a large wingspan that translates into genuine speed. The Level 23 Alpha variant sits at the Sealed Realm of the Winged Tyrant and hits hard with moves like Acid Rain. Its saddle unlocks at Technology level 36. Quivern is worth grabbing if you want a Dragon-type in your team composition, though Ragnahawk edges it out for pure mount utility at this stage.
Ragnahawk mid-game mount
Best late-game flying mounts in Palworld
Once you hit the upper levels, the quality gap between mounts becomes more significant. The late game introduces several Pals that are genuinely excellent, not just serviceable.
Frostallion and Frostallion Noct (Technology level 48)
Frostallion is an Ice-type with a unicorn-like design and strong stats for the level 50+ range. Its Dark-type variant, Frostallion Noct, is the better of the two in terms of raw capability. Both saddles unlock at Technology level 48. Frostallion appears as a Level 60 Alpha in the north of the Astral Mountains, while Frostallion Noct is a Level 65 Alpha in the No. 3 Wildlife Sanctuary.
Selyne (Technology level 53)
Selyne is a Dark and Neutral-type that performs well in the Level 50-60 range. Its Partner Skill, Celestial Darkness, boosts the power of your Neutral and Dark-type attacks while mounted. It's not the most impactful combat bonus, but it's there. Selyne can be found in Sakurajima during Meteorite events. The saddle unlocks at Technology level 53.
Suzaku Aqua (Technology level 44)
Suzaku Aqua is a Water-type and the recommended stepping stone to Jetragon. Plenty of them spawn near the Azure Tapestry fast travel point on the southwest island where the Level 68 PIDF Tower is located. Once you're comfortable there, you're in range to push toward Jetragon's territory. The saddle requires 24 leather, 30 refined ingots, 24 aquatic Pal fluids, and 48 Paldium fragments at Technology level 44.
Panthalus (Technology level unlocked via main quest)
Panthalus is a Water-type that competes with Jetragon for the top spot depending on what you value. It's slower, but its base patrol behavior, where it actively guards your base from the air and attacks intruders, makes it genuinely useful beyond transportation. Panthalus is tied to the main quest and becomes available as a Level 60 Alpha after being prompted to hunt for bones by Auri. For a full breakdown of how to add it to your team, the Palworld guide on capturing Panthalus and reaching the World Tree covers the whole process.
Jetragon (Technology level 79)
Jetragon is the endgame flying mount. It's a Dragon-type found around Mount Obsidian and can be fought as a Level 70 Alpha in the No. 3 Wildlife Sanctuary. The saddle unlocks at Technology level 79 and demands serious materials: 70 leather, 60 Paloxite ingots, 24 AI cores, and 210 Paldium fragments. That's a significant crafting investment, but the payoff is the fastest, most stamina-efficient mount in the game.
How do you unlock flying mount saddles in Palworld?
Every flying mount requires a saddle, and saddle recipes only appear in your Technology Tree after you've actually caught the Pal in question. The recipe unlocks at the Technology level listed for each mount, so catching the Pal first is always step one.
Saddle materials vary by mount but consistently require leather and Paldium fragments at minimum, with higher-tier mounts adding materials like refined ingots, flame organs, aquatic Pal fluids, Paloxite ingots, and AI cores. Stockpiling these materials before you go hunting saves time.
For players planning ahead on team composition and breeding powerful variants of these Pals, the Palworld best breeding combos guide is a useful resource once you're in the mid-to-late game.
For more coverage across every system in the game, the full Palworld guides collection has you covered from base building to boss fights.