Best Elytra Enchantments (And the Perfect Trident)

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Use Unbreaking III and Mending on elytra, applied with an anvil and enchanted books. Elytra also accept Curse of Binding and Curse of Vanishing, which are best avoided. Pair flight with rockets or a Riptide trident for wet-weather launches.

What you need

An anvil plus enchanted books (elytra never hits the table)
Unbreaking III and Mending books
An elytra from an End city ship

Step by step

Unbreaking III: unenchanted elytra provide roughly 7 minutes of continuous gliding. Unbreaking III extends that to about 29 minutes on average, or about 4 seconds per durability point.
Mending: XP repairs the elytra while you wear it - an XP farm session refills it fully. With both enchantments it is effectively permanent.
Elytra also accept Curse of Binding and Curse of Vanishing. They do not accept Protection: equipping elytra replaces your chestplate rather than providing chestplate armor.
Trident partner build: Riptide III launches you in rain or water - with elytra equipped it throws you into the sky, no rockets needed.
Trident combat build instead: Loyalty III + Impaling V + Channeling (thunderstorm lightning). Loyalty and Riptide conflict - choose per trident.
Phantom membrane note: even without Mending, membranes repair elytra on an anvil - 4 membranes for a full repair.
Break warning: at 1 durability the elytra stops working but does not break - repair it before it reaches that point.

Every elytra enchantment

Enchantment	Max	Effect	Worth it
Unbreaking	III	About 4x flight time before breaking	Yes - core of the setup
Mending	I	XP repairs the elytra while worn	Yes - makes them effectively permanent
Curse of Binding	I	Cannot be removed until death	Avoid
Curse of Vanishing	I	Elytra disappear on death	Avoid

Java vs Bedrock

Identical on Java and Bedrock.

Versions: Describes the current Java and Bedrock releases. See the edition note above for differences.

Frequently asked questions

Can elytra get Protection?

No. Elytra accept Unbreaking, Mending, Curse of Binding and Curse of Vanishing, but not Protection. You give up the chestplate slot while wearing them.

Loyalty or Riptide on a trident?

Riptide for movement (rain launches, ocean travel); Loyalty for combat (it returns like a boomerang). They conflict, so enchant two tridents if you can.