Minecraft Elytra: How to Get, Fly & Repair It (26.3)

Where do you get elytra?

Elytra are found only in End ships — the rare floating structures attached to some End cities on the outer End islands, past the gateway portals that appear after beating the Ender Dragon. One pair per ship, displayed in an item frame in the treasure room next to two loot chests and a guarding shulker.

They’re Epic rarity and non-renewable — every pair in existence comes from a ship, so treat the first one like treasure.

How to fly

1. Equip in the chestplate slot (yes — it replaces your best armor)
2. Jump off any height, press jump again mid-air to deploy
3. Steer with the camera: aim down to dive for speed, level out to glide
4. Firework rockets (no explosion star) boost at 33.5 blocks/sec — a stack of duration-3 rockets covers ~6 km before gliding stretches it further

Minimum glide speed is ~7.2 m/s; skilled pilots chain dive-and-climb cycles for nearly firework-free flight. Hitting a wall at speed causes kinetic damage (“experienced kinetic energy”), and steep landings hurt — pull up or splash into water.

Keeping it alive

• Durability: 432 (Java) / 433 (Bedrock) — degrades 1 point per second of flight, ~7 minutes total
• Repair: phantom membranes (phantom drops) on an anvil, or combine two damaged pairs
• Best enchants: Mending + Unbreaking III — XP orbs repair it mid-flight; effectively immortal wings. See the best enchantments list
• It shows your cape design if you own one — official capes override the default gray

Java vs Bedrock quirks

Bedrock gliding stops on water contact, on vines, and can be cancelled midair with jump — Java keeps gliding through water and vines. Creative-mode Bedrock players can also hold jump to gain altitude while gliding.

What to read next

• Netherite Guide — the other endgame gear chase
• Best Enchantments — Mending and friends
• All Structures — End cities in the loot hierarchy