You’ve mined. You’ve built. You’ve slain the Ender Dragon. Now it’s time to stop walking like a peasant and start flying like a legend.
Elytra is Minecraft’s endgame mobility tool. Gliding across mountains, diving into bases, even racing your friends in the sky — it’s one of the most freeing mechanics in the game.
But it’s also one of the trickiest items to get. Let’s break it all down.
What is Elytra?
Elytra is a rare item that replaces your chestplate and lets you glide through the air. It doesn’t use fuel by default — you launch from heights or boost with fireworks.
You won’t find it underground, in chests, or in any shop. There’s only one place it exists: the End.
Step 1: Defeat the Ender Dragon (again if needed)
If you haven’t already:
- Find a Stronghold
- Activate the End portal with Eyes of Ender
- Slay the Ender Dragon
Once you beat her, a small portal opens nearby (the End gateway). It’s the sparkly floating thing that looks like a particle donut.
Step 2: Get into the End gateway
You can’t walk through it — it’s only 1 block wide.
Two ways in:
- Throw an Ender Pearl into it
- Build a piston launcher (fancy, not required)
On the other side? Welcome to the End islands — endless floating terrain filled with loot, chorus plants, and danger.
Step 3: Find an End City (and hope it has a ship)
Explore the End islands until you find an End City — huge purple/gray towers made of purpur blocks.
Some End Cities have a floating End Ship nearby. That’s what you’re looking for.
Inside the ship:
- Elytra (in an item frame)
- Brewing stand with healing potions
- Sometimes enchanted diamond loot
Pro tip: Use blocks or Ender Pearls to reach the ship — falling into the void = goodbye inventory.
Step 4: Survive the Shulkers
End Cities are guarded by Shulkers — blocky mobs that shoot levitation projectiles.
- Use a shield or dodge
- If you float, place water or use a slow falling potion
- Take out the Shulkers quickly — they teleport
Bonus:
Kill Shulkers to get Shulker Shells → used to make Shulker Boxes (storage that keeps items even when broken)
Step 5: Equip your Elytra and fly
Place Elytra in your chestplate slot.
To glide:
- Climb something tall (or use fireworks)
- Jump and hit jump again in mid-air
- Glide like a majestic, polygonal eagle
It takes practice. Expect a few faceplants.
Flying tips:
- Look up = slow down and rise slightly
- Look down = speed up and dive
- Use fireworks while gliding to boost (no explosion needed)
Firework rocket recipe:
- 1 paper + 1 gunpowder = basic flight rocket
(do not use rockets with stars — they explode and hurt)
Step 6: Repair and enchant your Elytra
Elytra has durability. If it breaks mid-flight… it’s not great.
How to repair:
- Combine with phantom membranes in an anvil
- Or add Unbreaking III and Mending via enchanted books
Mending will auto-repair your Elytra using XP — keep it on and grab some XP from mobs, mining, or trading.
Final thoughts: Soar like never before
Getting Elytra is no small task. But once you’ve got it, the entire game changes. Exploration becomes faster, builds become vertical, and you finally understand why players hoard fireworks like candy.
Want to host Elytra races, sky battles, or just flex your wings with friends? LumaBlast servers are the perfect launchpad — smooth, stable, and ready for liftoff.
