The Ultimate Guide to Non Flying Type Pokémon That Can Fly in 2024 & 2024

As a long-time Pokémon gaming expert and content creator, one of my favorite niche topics to analyze is: what non flying type Pokémon can somehow learn and use the move Fly?

I‘ve studied this pattern across generations and it reveals some fascinating lore tidbits and game design choices. It also sparks debate amongst fans – some love the creativity, others think it breaks immersion or consistency!

In this ultimate guide, I‘ll profile the most notable non-flying types that can fly, quantify trends across games, explain the logic (or lack thereof!), and share some of my own theories on why this persists as an easter egg beloved by the most dedicated Trainers…

What Exactly Allows Non Flying Types to Fly?

First, let‘s ground ourselves (no pun intended) on what makes a Pokémon able to fly in-game:

• Knowing the HM/TM Move Fly: The famous Hidden Machine (HM) allows Pokémon to transport Trainers around regions by air. It‘s the main indicator a mon can fly.
• Flying as Part of Pokédex Lore: Even without Fly, dex entries for Pokémon like Latias state they are capable of air travel via wings, levitation or even psychokinesis.
• Significant Levitation Powers: Some ghosts like Rotom have lore of floating around which Game Freak translates into knowing Fly after transforming.

There are also many Flying type Pokémon that don‘t get Fly. So what gives with these airborne outliers? Let‘s investigate…

Notable Non Flying Types That Can Fly

Here I‘ll profile 11 of the most iconic non-Flying types with signature stories and designs that explain their air powers:

Garchomp & Mega Garchomp

This fierce Dragon/Ground pseudo-legendary surprise fans when it gained Flying type attributes like Fly upon Mega Evolving in X/Y. Turns out those fins aren’t just for show – they transform into true wings! Fan lore paints these wings as the key to Garchomp achieving its ultimate speed. It makes sense such an apex predator Pokémon would develop aerial capabilities.

Debut Generation: Gen 4 (Diamond/Pearl)
Flying Method: Wings after Mega Evolution

Latias & Latios

These cutesy dragon jets zoom through skies and hearts alike! Their psychic powers and build perfect for aviation means Soaring is a signature ability in their movie and spinoff appearances. They even ferry players on their backs. Being Dragon/Psychic type, I admire Game Freak’s commitment to letting their flight match personalities.

Debut Generation: Gen 3 (Ruby/Sapphire)
Flying Method: Jet plane-esque aerodynamics + psychic powers

Rotom (Fan Form)

This Electric/Ghost trickster uses its ghostly energy and appliances to float on the wind. When in Fan Form, it appropriately gains the power boost of flight. This makes lore sense and fits Rotom’s playful spirit. It reminds me almost of a kid grasping at fans and curtains to lift themselves up and glide on imagination!

Debut Generation: Gen 4 (Diamond/Pearl)
Flying Method: Ghostly levitation + fan form creating gusts

Emolga

At first I thought including this Electric/Flying type was cheating…but even with wings and air type Emolga learns moves via TM not natural level up! So Game Freak deliberately enabled the Sky Squirrel to use Fly. Perhaps its cute ears and membranous gliding suit inspired designers to amplify Emolga’s pilot persona. Those electric pouches probably don’t hurt its air mobility either!

Debut Generation: Gen 5 (Black/White)
Flying Method: Membrane/flap structures allow gliding

Sliggoo

I’ll be honest…I never expected natural flight capabilities from this slug-like Dragon type! Yet upon evolving, its dex entries describe growing wings to soar through rainclouds. My theory is Sliggoo’s inspiration from water snails made designers associate it with moist air, and flying through drizzle fits the gross-cute aesthetic. Maybe its sticky mucus helps too! Still an odd static encounter on routes, but it works.

Debut Generation: Gen 6 (X/Y)
Flying Method: Wings after evolution to Goodra

Rowlet Line

I have a soft spot for this quirky line of Grass/Flying starters. They gain Flying power before fully embracing the owl theme, so it makes equal sense for them to learn wing attacks whilst still Grass types. Perhaps Rowlet’s eventual ghost immunity also hints at early spectral abilities that could enable Floatzel-esque levitation? Either way, I appreciate this gradation of air mastery across the evolution stages.

Debut Generation: Gen 7 (Sun/Moon)
Flying Method: Eventual owl flight capabilities

Magikarp (& Gyarados)

No list would be complete without the meme-worthy feat of this floppy fish seemingly flying over mountains! Fans have edited the iconic Magikarp splash art with wings and clouds to parody its useless reputation. Though officially it can’t learn Fly, I wouldn’t be surprised if future Gigantamax forms or regional variants rectify this. Props to Gyarados gaining Flying type AND flight though!

Debut Generation: Gen 1 (Red/Blue)
“Flying” Method: Fan parody + eventual evolution into Gyarados

MissingNo.

This infamous glitch Pokémon ironically found in the skies above cities earns a spot for curiosity‘s sake! MissingNo.’s scrambled data makes its abnormal Flying type and learnset almost logical in a meta way…like it reflect’s the player’s ambitions for flight themselves. Hordes of MissingNo. raining down is a creepy vision that makes you question what’s real. A cautionary lesson in hacking gone wrong!

Debut Generation: Gen 1 (Red/Blue)
Flying Method: Glitched data + sprite found flying

Quantifying How Many Non Flying Types Can Fly By Generation

Curious about the numeric trends across games? Here’s a breakdown of non-Flying types that learn Fly in each generation main series installment:

We see spikes during generations introducing new type combos and signature Legendaries. Otherwise it’s kept to special cases like Emolga. Interestingly Gen I and Gen VIII are the anomalies with no official non-flying Fly users!

Theories On Why This Phenomenon Persists

After studying patterns across generations, conversing with other expert players, and analyzing fan perspectives, I have a few theories on why Game Freak keeps allowing a select few non Flying type Pokémon to Fly:

Creative Liberty: Designers enjoy experimenting with the boundaries of type conventions. Enabling irregular cases like Garchomp or Solgaleo shakes up expectations. It’s like an inside joke amongst developers to squeeze in sly airborne outliers.

Lore Friendliness: As seen above, most non-flying Fly users have clear lore or inspiration that bridges the logic gap. Regional creators have fun stretching concepts like psychic connection or ghostly floating into makeshift flight.

Risk/Reward Gameplay: Finding a rare non-Flying type with Fly powers rewards veteran fans who unlock the capability. It provides fresh team building potential and advantages against rivals lacking coverage.

Series Tradition: After seeing fun glitches like MissingNo. or powerful anomalies like Rayquaza capture fan intrigue for decades, developers recognize allowing a few non-flying Fly users each generation as a beloved Easter Egg.

Hint At Future Content: Sliggoo’s preemptive access to Fly foreshadowed its evolution Goodra’s wings. Similarly, Floatzel and Buizel’s clues predated their official Flying type regional Paldean forms. Non-flying Fly could hint at future variants!

Those are my current top theories on why this entertaining quirk continues popping up. I’m thrilled by each new generation revealing fresh non-flying Fly surprises!

What Non Flying Types Will Soar Next?

Looking ahead, which current Pokémon do I predict could gain air powers in new main series or spinoff games? Here are my educated guesses:

Tauros: Its dex entries describe magnificent jumping powers, perhaps future regional forms add literal bull wings!

Luxray: This epic lion gaining a Thunderbird forme with storm clouds to ride could work beautifully.

Dunsparce: This forgotten normal type feels destined for a draconic evolution granting mighty Dragon/Normal wings.

Qwilfish: A poisonous balloon pufferfish buoyantly floating on winds matches its silly vibe.

Komala: They already sleepwalk—perhaps they could similarly snooze-soar? Add some hanging scale gliders!

Grafaiai: Its prehensile tail could balloon with gases allowing drifting mobility fitting a poison chimp.

Greedent: I could see its squirrel glider flap evolving into full membrane wings for comical air chases after berries!

Any Eeveelution: Come on, designers! We need a Dragon Eevee that starts with tiny wings and graduates to a glorious Wyvern evolution.

New Fossil ‘Mon: Another wacky combination like the Arcto-Dragon from fossil fragments could justify air skills.

Final Thoughts For Non Flying Type Fly Fans

And there you have it – the Ultimate Guide to Non Flying Type Pokémon That Defy Odds to Take Flight in 2024 and Beyond! This quirky feature persists thanks to developer creativity, lore friendliness, gameplay incentives, series tradition and hints toward future content. And I‘ll eagerly await which non-flying type shocks us next by flapping, floating or jetting across skies soon…

Got any other uncommon Fly users I missed? Or theories on future airborne rule-breakers? Let me know in the comments! I could talk all day about this niche topic. Until next time, may all your non-flying team members enjoy magical mystery flight capabilities allowing you to Take To The Skies, Up & Away on your Pokémon journey!