Pokemon GO: Top 5 Flying-type Pokemon

A collage of the various Flying-type Pokemon in the Pokemon franchise. (Image via The Pokemon Company)
A collage of the various Flying-type Pokemon in the Pokemon franchise. (Image via The Pokemon Company)

With the spiking usage rate of Fighting-type Pokemon in Pokemon GO, many players are in need of powerful Flying-type Pokemon. With Flying-type Pokemon being one of the best counters for various top-tier Fighting-types in Pokemon GO, many players want to know which ones are the best of the best.

The Flying typing as a whole contains some of the most memorable Pokemon for series veterans. Many franchise fans have fond memories of catching Rayquaza at Sky Pillar or batting against the wild Starlys that attack the player and their rival in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl.

Pokemon GO is a much different game than the other main series titles. A Pokemon that is great in Pokemon GO can be terrible in the main series. Players want to know which Flying-type Pokemon performs best in the realm of Niantic's mobile spin-off rather than the main series, so here is a list of the top five best Flying-type Pokemon in Pokemon GO.


Pokemon GO: Mega Pidgeot is the best Flying-type Pokemon

5) Staraptor

Staraptor as it appears in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)
Staraptor as it appears in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Staraptor made its debut in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl and has had a spot in the hearts of players everywhere ever since. Staraptor with a moveset of Wing Attack and Brave Bird maximizes its damage output in Pokemon GO. Staraptor has a Damage Per Second value of 15.21 and a Total Damage Output value of 496.72.


4) Braviary

Braviary as it appears in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)
Braviary as it appears in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Braviary was added along with the rest of the Unova Pokemon, so its addition is still fairly new. Many players may remember hatching a Rufflet from an egg along with its counterpart Vullaby. Braviary's best moveset is Air Slash and Brave Bird and has a Damager Per Second value of 14.79 but pulls ahead of Staraptor in terms of its Total Damage Output, which sits at a hardy 586.89.


3) Rayquaza

Rayquaza as it appears in the seventh movie, Destiny Deoxys. (Image via The Pokemon Company)
Rayquaza as it appears in the seventh movie, Destiny Deoxys. (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Many players would consider Rayquaza the legendary Pokemon due to just how recognizable and memorable it is. Showing up to stop the fighting between Groudon and Kyogre in Pokemon Emerald, it would be way harder for someone to find a Pokemon fan that does not like Rayquaza rather than someone who does.

Rayquaza's best moveset in Pokemon GO is a combination of Air Slash and Hurricane and has a Damage Per Second value of 14.66 but a much higher Total Damage Output of 612.37.


2) Moltres and Shadow Moltres

Moltres as it appears in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)
Moltres as it appears in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Due to how close both Pokemon are in their numbers, as well as being technically the same Pokemon, Moltres shares its spot with its shadow variant. Most notably being catchable when Giovanni first appeared in Pokemon GO, players should be proud to have this powerful Flying-type legendary Pokemon in their collection.

Moltres has an optimal Flying-type moveset of Wing and Sky Attack with a Damage Per Second value of 14.81 and a Total Damage Output of 638.38. Its shadow variant unsurprisingly has values much higher.


1) Mega Pidgeot

Mega Pidgeot as it appears in the 19th Pokemon Movie, Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel (Image via The Pokemon Company)
Mega Pidgeot as it appears in the 19th Pokemon Movie, Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Experienced Pokemon GO veterans will be unsurprised to learn that the best Flying-type Pokemon in Pokemon GO is a Mega Evolution. Mega Pidgeot was added to the Pokemon franchise in the second half of the sixth generation in Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire.

Mega Pidgeot's best moveset in Pokemon GO is a combination of Wing Attack and Brave Bird and has a Damage Per Second value of 22.27 and a Total Damage Output of 879.76.


The Pokemon franchise has a large catalog of Flying-type Pokemon, which holds true for Pokemon GO. While there are many to choose from, these five Flying-type Pokemon are the top performers in their typing in Pokemon GO.