Flying in Minecraft is one of those features that players constantly ask about, especially on multiplayer servers where the default settings kick players for attempting to fly. Whether you’re running a creative build server or want to give specific players the ability to soar around your world, enabling flight requires a few specific configuration changes.
Quick Answer: Enabling Flight on Your Minecraft Server
To enable flying on a Minecraft server, you need to modify the server.properties file by changing allow-flight=false to allow-flight=true, then restart your server. For player-specific flight permissions, you’ll also need to use commands or install a permissions plugin to grant flying abilities in survival mode.
Understanding Minecraft’s Flight Restrictions
By default, Minecraft servers have flight disabled to prevent cheating. When a player tries to fly in survival mode without permission, the server’s anti-cheat system kicks them automatically with a “Flying is not enabled on this server” message. This protection exists because flying gives unfair advantages in survival gameplay and PvP combat.
There are actually two types of flight in Minecraft:
- Creative Mode Flight – Built into creative mode, works automatically when enabled
- Survival Mode Flight – Requires specific permissions and the allow-flight setting enabled
The server.properties setting controls whether the server will kick players detected flying, while actual flight abilities come from game modes, commands, or plugins.
Method 1: Enabling Flight Through Server Properties
The first step for any flight setup is modifying your server configuration file. This prevents the server from kicking players who attempt to fly.
Editing Server.Properties File
Stop your Minecraft server completely before making any configuration changes. Locate the server.properties file in your server’s root directory and open it with any text editor.
Find the line that reads:
allow-flight=false
Change it to:
allow-flight=true
Save the file and restart your server. This change tells the server not to kick players for flying, but it doesn’t actually grant flight abilities to survival mode players.
For a complete breakdown of all configuration options, check out our Minecraft server properties configuration guide.
When to Use This Setting
Enable allow-flight when you’re running:
- Creative-focused servers where everyone builds freely
- Servers with flight-enabled plugins or mods
- Community servers where trusted players have flight permissions
- Minigame servers that use flying mechanics
Warning: Enabling this setting on pure survival or PvP servers without proper anti-cheat plugins opens the door to flying hacks. Players with hacked clients can exploit this setting if you don’t have additional protection in place.
Method 2: Granting Flight Permissions to Specific Players
Once allow-flight is enabled in server.properties, you can give specific players the ability to fly in survival mode using commands or permissions plugins.
Using Vanilla Commands
Minecraft’s built-in commands offer basic flight control. As a server operator, use:
/gamemode creative [playername]
This switches the player to creative mode where flight is automatic. Press the jump key twice quickly to start flying.
For more control without changing game modes, you’ll need plugins or mods since vanilla Minecraft doesn’t have survival-mode flight commands.
Using Permissions Plugins
For more granular control, install a permissions plugin like LuckPerms or PermissionsEx along with a flight plugin like EssentialsX.
With EssentialsX installed:
- Grant the flight permission:
/luckperms user [playername] permission set essentials.fly - The player can then toggle flight:
/fly - Flight works in any game mode when allowed
This approach gives you precise control over who can fly without changing everyone’s game mode or compromising server security.
Method 3: Using Plugins for Advanced Flight Features
Plugins offer the most flexibility for flight management on multiplayer servers. They provide features vanilla Minecraft can’t match.
Popular Flight Plugins
EssentialsX remains the most popular choice because it bundles flight with dozens of other server management features. Players with the essentials.fly permission can toggle flying on and off with a simple command.
Fly Plugin is a lightweight alternative focused solely on flight mechanics. It’s perfect if you don’t need all the extras that come with Essentials.
PermissionsEx or LuckPerms don’t provide flight themselves but control who has access to flight commands from other plugins. These are essential for managing permissions on larger servers.
Installation Steps
- Download your chosen plugin from SpigotMC or Bukkit
- Stop your server
- Place the .jar file in your server’s plugins folder
- Restart the server to generate configuration files
- Configure permissions and settings in the plugin’s config file
- Assign flight permissions to players or groups
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Balancing Flight with Server Security
Enabling flight creates potential security concerns, especially on survival or competitive servers. Players with hacked clients can exploit the allow-flight setting to gain unfair advantages.
Protecting Your Server
Install a proper anti-cheat plugin like NoCheatPlus or AAC (Advanced Anti Cheat) to monitor flight patterns and detect suspicious behavior. These plugins distinguish between legitimate flight permissions and hacked clients.
Configure your anti-cheat to:
- Allow flight for players with proper permissions
- Monitor flight speed and movement patterns
- Flag impossible movements or teleportation
- Log violations for review
Our detailed guide on Minecraft server anti-cheat protection systems covers advanced configuration strategies for maintaining fair gameplay while allowing authorized flight.
Permission-Based Flight Zones
Some servers use region-based flight permissions with plugins like WorldGuard. You can designate specific areas where flight is allowed (like spawn or build zones) while keeping it disabled in survival or PvP areas.
This approach gives creative builders the freedom they need without compromising competitive gameplay in other regions.
Troubleshooting Common Flight Issues
Players Still Getting Kicked
If players get kicked after you’ve enabled allow-flight, double-check that:
- You saved the server.properties file correctly
- You restarted the server after making changes
- No anti-cheat plugin is overriding the setting
- The player has actual flight abilities (not just the permission to not be kicked)
Flight Command Not Working
When /fly or similar commands don’t work:
- Verify the flight plugin is installed and loaded (check /plugins)
- Confirm the player has the correct permission node
- Check for plugin conflicts in the server console
- Ensure you’re using the right command syntax for your specific plugin
Flight Feels Laggy or Glitchy
Flight performance issues usually stem from server performance or network latency. Check your server’s TPS (ticks per second) and reduce loaded chunks or entities if needed. Players with high ping will experience delayed flight responses regardless of server settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I enable flying without plugins?
Yes, but only by switching players to creative or spectator mode using vanilla commands. Survival-mode flight requires plugins or mods. The allow-flight setting in server.properties only prevents kicks—it doesn’t grant flight abilities by itself.
Does enabling flight affect server performance?
Flight itself has minimal performance impact. However, players flying at high speeds load more chunks simultaneously, which can strain server resources. The actual flight mechanic uses negligible processing power compared to chunk loading and entity updates.
Will flight work with mods installed?
Most flight plugins work alongside mods without issues. Some mods like jetpacks or wings add their own flight mechanics that also require allow-flight=true to function. Just ensure your server type (Spigot, Paper, Forge, Fabric) supports both your mods and plugins.
Can I limit flight speed?
Yes, most flight plugins include speed configuration options. EssentialsX and dedicated flight plugins let you set maximum flight speeds to prevent players from zooming around too quickly. This helps with both server performance and gameplay balance.
How do I remove flight from a player?
Remove the flight permission using your permissions plugin (/luckperms user [playername] permission unset essentials.fly) or toggle it off with /fly [playername] if you have the appropriate admin permissions. The player will gently descend to the ground rather than falling.
Setting Up Your Perfect Flight Configuration
Enabling flight on your Minecraft server comes down to understanding the difference between preventing kicks and granting abilities. Change allow-flight to true in server.properties, then use game mode commands for simple setups or install permissions plugins for advanced control. Balance freedom with security by implementing proper anti-cheat measures, and you’ll create an environment where authorized players can soar while keeping gameplay fair for everyone else.
The right configuration depends on your server type—creative servers benefit from universal flight access, while survival servers need careful permission management and security monitoring. Start with the basic server.properties change, test it thoroughly, then add plugins as your needs grow more complex.
