Finding your first flying Pal in Palworld changes the game almost instantly. Suddenly cliffs stop being obstacles, exploration speeds up dramatically, and hidden areas become much easier to reach. The problem is that not every flying mount deserves a permanent place in your team. Some are simply stepping stones, while others can comfortably carry you all the way to the endgame.

If your goal is efficient progression instead of collecting every winged creature you come across, there’s a clear route that offers the biggest upgrades with the least wasted effort.

Quick Recommendations

If you only need the short version, here’s the progression I’d recommend:

Stage	Recommended Flying Mount
Early Game	Nitewing
Early Upgrade	Helzephyr
Mid Game	Suzaku
Pre-Endgame	Shadowbeak
Endgame	Frostallion / Frostallion Noct

A few important takeaways before diving deeper:

Nitewing is your introduction to flying, but don’t keep it longer than necessary.
Helzephyr offers the best value early on and is much easier to obtain than several competing mounts.
Suzaku stands out because of its enormous stamina pool rather than pure speed.
Shadowbeak is difficult to unlock but rewards the effort with excellent mobility and combat performance.
Frostallion and Frostallion Noct are the strongest flying mounts available, although their expensive saddles delay when you’ll realistically start using them.

How These Flying Mounts Were Ranked

Raw flying speed isn’t everything.

A mount that tops a speed chart but constantly runs out of stamina—or requires hours of grinding before it’s usable—isn’t automatically the best choice for everyday gameplay.

There’s also another factor many players overlook: catching the Pal is only the beginning. To reach its full potential, you’ll often want to condense duplicates, invest in training books, and eventually experiment with genome editing inside the Pal Labor Research Laboratory.

With all that in mind, these rankings focus on practical gameplay rather than simple stat comparisons.

The evaluation considered:

Flight speed
Stamina
Ease of obtaining the Pal
Saddle unlock level and crafting cost
Ground mobility
Combat usefulness
Hovering capability
Overall investment required through catching or breeding

This isn’t another “pick the fastest flyer in the game” list. If maximum speed is your only concern, a quick glance at the Palworld Wiki will answer that question immediately. Instead, the goal here is finding mounts that actually feel worthwhile throughout a normal playthrough.

Flying Mount Tier List

Every flyer has a purpose, even those sitting near the bottom.

Seeing Nitewing in C-Tier doesn’t mean it’s bad—it simply reflects how much stronger later options become.

Tier	Flying Mounts
S	Frostallion, Frostallion Noct, Shadowbeak
A	Suzaku, Helzephyr, Beakon, Ragnahawk
B	Astegon, Elphidran Aqua
C	Nitewing

One thing becomes obvious once you’ve spent enough time with these Pals: almost all of them exist primarily for transportation and mounted combat. Only a handful provide meaningful value around your base.

Nitewing — Your First Taste of Flight

Nearly every player begins their aerial journey with Nitewing, and that’s exactly where its strength lies.

Unlocking flying so early completely changes exploration. Mountains become shortcuts instead of barriers, and discovering new regions suddenly feels exciting.

Unfortunately, that’s where the advantages mostly stop.

Nitewing suffers from two major problems:

Slow flying speed
Limited stamina

Long trips quickly become frustrating because you’ll constantly land to recover endurance.

For that reason, investing resources into breeding or perfecting a Nitewing isn’t something I’d recommend. It serves its purpose well, but only as your first flying companion before something significantly stronger comes along.

Helzephyr — The Best Early Upgrade

Once you’re ready to replace Nitewing, Helzephyr is the mount worth chasing.

Compared to your starter flyer, the difference is obvious almost immediately.

It offers:

Better flight speed
Much larger stamina reserves
Reliable travel through the early and middle portions of the game

Another reason Helzephyr earns such a high recommendation is accessibility.

Although Beakon and Ragnahawk eventually outperform it in certain situations, getting Helzephyr is generally much less frustrating. You don’t need to battle dangerous groups of Electric Pals or jump through extra hoops just to secure your next mount.

Helzephyr shines when you’re focused on:

Early and mid-game exploration
Long-distance travel
Building a dependable mount without excessive investment

You’ll still need to condense and train it if you want maximum performance, but the resource cost stays reasonable. Think of it as an investment that comfortably carries you until much stronger options become available.

Beakon — Faster, but Not Always Worth the Trouble

Many guides immediately recommend replacing Helzephyr with Beakon simply because it’s faster.

Technically, they’re right.

With enough investment, Beakon easily pulls ahead in speed, and its partner skill becomes easier to improve once you’re regularly catching Electric Pals.

The real issue appears before you even tame one.

Beakons commonly spawn in groups, and inexperienced players quickly discover that Palworld is still a survival game—not an action power fantasy—especially during the early stages.

Beakon becomes a great choice if:

You naturally encounter one
You’re already strong enough to fight groups of them
Higher speed matters more than convenience
You don’t mind using Electric Pals to strengthen its Partner Skill

Otherwise, Helzephyr usually offers a smoother progression path.

One useful detail worth remembering: the Beakon Saddle unlocks at Level 29.

You can also locate an Alpha Beakon in the Astral Mountains, close to Bamboo Lake (-345, -253). The surrounding area contains plenty of regular Beakons as well, making it possible to capture enough copies to fully condense the Alpha version. If your gear is good enough, this can become your primary flying mount until much later in the adventure.

Ragnahawk — A Solid Choice If the Opportunity Presents It

Ragnahawk sits in a similar spot to Beakon and Helzephyr. It’s fast enough to feel like a meaningful upgrade over your starter mount, handles well in the air, and brings the added benefit of being a Fire-type, making travel through colder regions much more comfortable.

Still, I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to hunt one down.

The reason is simple: while Ragnahawk is undeniably strong, the jump from Helzephyr isn’t large enough to justify a major detour. If you’re already nearby and have the chance to catch one, absolutely take it. Otherwise, Helzephyr can comfortably carry you until Suzaku or Shadowbeak enters the picture.

Ragnahawk is a good fit if:

You want a quicker mid-game flying mount.
You already own gear that protects against heat.
You prefer Fire-type Pals.

Its fiery color scheme certainly helps it stand out, too.

Compared to Beakon, obtaining Ragnahawk is usually less frustrating. Even so, you’ll still need to invest resources into condensing and improving it before it noticeably surpasses Helzephyr, and the performance gain remains fairly modest.

Suzaku — The Mid-Game Mount That Rarely Lets You Down

If I had to pick one flying mount that consistently feels great throughout the middle of the game, it would be Suzaku.

What makes it special isn’t raw speed.

It’s stamina.

That huge endurance pool completely changes long-distance travel. A flyer that’s a little slower but stays airborne for much longer often feels far better to use than one that forces you to land every minute.

Once you’ve spent time with Suzaku, you’ll quickly realize how valuable uninterrupted flight really is.

Its Fire typing is another bonus, especially while exploring snowy regions where temperature becomes a concern.

Suzaku excels at:

Long-range exploration
Crossing massive sections of the map
Mounted combat
Exploring cold biomes
Reliable everyday travel

There aren’t many downsides.

The biggest one appears once you start spending more time inside hotter environments, where another variant performs better. Suzaku is also slightly slower than some competing mounts, but the extra stamina more than makes up for it in everyday gameplay.

Personally, I’d choose Suzaku over both Beakon and Ragnahawk almost every time simply because flying feels so much smoother.

What About Suzaku Aqua?

There is an upgraded variant worth mentioning.

Suzaku Aqua fixes Suzaku’s weakness in hot regions while retaining many of its strengths.

The catch?

It’s extremely difficult to obtain.

If you happen to breed one or naturally acquire it, it’s an excellent alternative. I wouldn’t recommend specifically farming for it, though. Treat it as a sidegrade rather than a direct improvement.

Shadowbeak — Worth Every Failed Attempt

Few flying mounts feel as rewarding to unlock as Shadowbeak.

Getting one isn’t easy. In fact, expect to fail more than once before finally adding it to your collection.

The payoff is absolutely worth it.

Shadowbeak offers everything you’d want from a high-end mount:

Excellent base flight speed
Outstanding sprint speed
Strong offensive abilities
Smooth movement both in the air and on the ground

That last point deserves extra attention.

Several flying mounts become awkward the moment they touch the ground. Shadowbeak doesn’t suffer from that problem at all. Whether you’re exploring tight spaces where flying isn’t possible or moving through areas that restrict aerial travel, it remains responsive and enjoyable to use.

Its biggest drawback is how it handles water.

Unlike bird-like flying mounts, Shadowbeak doesn’t hover over lakes or oceans in the same way, making long stretches of water less convenient to cross. Fortunately, its speed usually compensates for this limitation.

Obtaining one takes determination, but if you’re willing to put in the effort—and probably get knocked out a few times along the way—you’ll end up with one of the strongest flying companions available before the true endgame.

Astegon — More Than Just Transportation

Not every flying Pal needs to dominate races across the map.

Astegon earns its place thanks to utility.

While it can’t compete with Suzaku or Shadowbeak as a dedicated travel mount, it brings something they don’t: outstanding value for resource gathering.

Think of Astegon as a flying mining platform.

Pair it with Pals that reduce the weight of mined materials, and it becomes an excellent choice for remote mining operations.

Astegon is ideal when:

You need a resource-focused flying Pal.
You’re building an efficient mining team.
You simply enjoy its dragon-like appearance.

It won’t become your primary mount for exploration, but few flying Pals contribute as much when gathering large amounts of ore and other materials.

Elphidran Aqua — Comfort Over Efficiency

If you’re chasing the strongest flying mount in the game, Elphidran Aqua probably isn’t the answer.

That doesn’t mean it lacks charm.

This Pal combines flight with the ability to travel across water, making exploration feel noticeably more flexible. From a pure performance perspective, it sits somewhere in the middle of the pack, but convenience counts for something.

It’s easy to understand why plenty of players enjoy using it despite stronger alternatives existing.

Rather than calling it a top-tier recommendation, I’d describe Elphidran Aqua as an honorable mention—a mount that’s pleasant to travel with even if it isn’t part of the competitive meta.

Faleris Aqua — A Former Favorite That Lost Its Place

Before Version 1.0, Faleris was one of the flying mounts almost every player wanted. It was fast, powerful, and considered one of the best options for getting around the map.

Things have changed.

In the current version, regular Faleris arrives too late in a normal playthrough to justify the effort. By the time you can realistically obtain it, you’re already approaching mounts that simply outperform it.

The same problem affects Faleris Aqua.

Crafting its saddle requires enough progression that stronger alternatives are already within reach, making it a difficult mount to recommend if your goal is efficient progression.

That doesn’t mean it’s useless.

Faleris Aqua is still worth picking up if you’re interested in:

Completing your Paldeck
Expanding your collection
Using one of the better-looking flying Pals in the game
Trying something different from the usual progression route

Just don’t expect it to become your long-term travel companion.

If you’re investing resources into a late-game flying mount, it’s much smarter to save them for what’s coming next.

Frostallion & Frostallion Noct — The Ultimate Endgame Flyers

When players talk about the strongest flying mounts in Palworld 1.0, two names almost always come up first:

Frostallion
Frostallion Noct

And for good reason.

These two are straightforward upgrades over Shadowbeak in nearly every category that matters.

They deliver:

Excellent flying speed
Strong sprint speed
High stamina
Outstanding combat performance
Powerful offensive skills

Simply put, they’re complete packages.

If someone asked me for the final flying mount to build toward, these would be my answer every time.

The only real downside isn’t the Pals themselves.

It’s their saddles.

Although the required player level might suggest you’ll start using Frostallion relatively early in the late game, the materials needed to craft its saddle tell a different story. Gathering everything takes enough time that the mount often arrives later than expected.

Once you finally unlock it, though, it’s hard to go back.

Frostallion is excellent for:

Late-game exploration
Crossing huge distances
Mounted combat
Exploring floating islands
Traveling around the World Tree

Frostallion Noct fills essentially the same role while replacing the Ice typing with Dark.

Whichever version you prefer, both deserve to be your ultimate flying mount goal.

The Best Flying Mount Progression Path

There isn’t a single “correct” way to play Palworld.

If you fall in love with a particular Pal, use it.

That said, if the objective is smooth progression without wasting resources on mounts you’ll quickly replace, this route feels the most efficient.

Progression Stage	Recommended Mount	Why
Early Game	Nitewing	Unlock flying as soon as possible, then replace it.
Early Upgrade	Helzephyr	Easy to obtain and a major improvement over Nitewing.
Mid Game	Suzaku	Massive stamina makes long-distance travel much easier.
Pre-Endgame	Shadowbeak	Outstanding movement and excellent combat performance.
Endgame	Frostallion or Frostallion Noct	The strongest all-around flying mounts available.

There are a couple of optional detours.

If you naturally encounter Beakon or Ragnahawk during your adventure, they’re perfectly viable upgrades. I just wouldn’t spend hours specifically farming them unless you really enjoy those Pals.

Honestly, Helzephyr remains one of my favorite designs among all the mid-game options anyway.

Other Flying Mounts Worth Mentioning

A few flying Pals narrowly missed the main rankings.

None of them are bad—they’re simply overshadowed by stronger or more practical alternatives.

Flying Mount	Why You Might Use It	Why It Didn’t Make the Main List
Vanwyrm	A respectable early-game option before Helzephyr or Beakon.	Replaced far too quickly.
Quivern	Comfortable alternative to Suzaku.	Doesn’t outperform Suzaku or Shadowbeak.
Jetragon	One of the fastest flying mounts in the game.	Frostallion offers a better overall package.
Xenolord	Excellent mobility combined with strong combat performance.	Extremely difficult to obtain, despite being very powerful.

Final Thoughts

There are likely still flying mounts waiting to be discovered as players continue exploring everything Palworld 1.0 has to offer.

For now, though, these are the mounts I’d recommend based on how they actually fit into a normal playthrough—not just their raw statistics.

Some players will probably disagree with leaving Jetragon and Xenolord outside the main rankings, especially while Faleris still receives a mention.

That’s fair.

The goal here was never to rank flying mounts by maximum speed alone. Convenience, progression, accessibility, and how useful each mount feels during the journey mattered much more than endgame numbers on a stat sheet.

Following the progression from Nitewing to Helzephyr, then Suzaku, Shadowbeak, and finally Frostallion or Frostallion Noct provides a smooth upgrade path that never feels like you’re investing heavily in a mount you’ll immediately replace—and that’s exactly what makes it the strongest route through Palworld’s skies.