If you want higher ranks in Rocket League, you must care about speed. The speed flip is one of the strongest tools for this. It lets you reach the ball faster, win more kickoffs, and rotate with less wasted time. If you don’t know how to perform a speed flip in Rocket League, keep reading because we covered every detail for you!

What is a speed flip in Rocket League?

A normal front flip makes your car tilt forward, then briefly face backward during the animation. If you hold boost during that backward phase, you lose speed. A speed flip fixes this problem.

You start a diagonal front flip, cancel the flip quickly, then hold the stick or keys in a controlled angle while you air roll and boost. The car stays aligned with its momentum. You keep supersonic speed and reach your target earlier than a player who uses a standard flip.

Think of it as three ideas working together:

• Diagonal flip
• Flip cancel
• Air roll control with boost

Why is speed flip important in Rocket League?

Ranked games became faster and more mechanical over time. Normal front flips on kickoff are often not enough anymore. If your opponent knows how to speed flip and you do not, you will arrive late and lose the first touch.

The mechanic also helps outside kickoffs. You can rotate back to goal faster, steal boost pads early, and support your teammates sooner. In 1v1 it can decide games on its own. In 2v2 and 3v3 it still creates a clear edge in tempo and pressure.

If you already tuned your camera and controller in guides such as Best Rocket League settings or zen camera settings for Rocket League, the speed flip is the next natural upgrade.

How to speed flip on controller

Start in free play from the center kickoff mark. Use these steps:

1. Start the diagonal flip: Push your left stick slightly up and to the left or right, about 15–30 degrees from straight up. Press jump, then press jump again to start the flip.
2. Cancel the flip: Right after the flip starts, pull the stick down to the 6 o’clock position and hold it. This cancels the rest of the flip and keeps your nose forward.
3. Add boost and air roll: Hold boost from the start of the flip. While you hold the stick down, press your air roll button that matches the side of your flip. If you flipped slightly right, use air roll right. If you flipped slightly left, use air roll left.
4. Stabilize the landing: Keep the stick slightly tilted toward the flip direction as you land. The car should land on all four wheels while staying straight and fast.
5. Repeat in both directions: Practice speed flips to the left and right until both feel similar. You need both directions for different kickoff spawns.

You can check this YouTube video for the visual demonstration:

How to speed flip on keyboard and mouse

Keyboard players can still speed flip. You only need clear binds for jump, boost, and air roll.

1. Set your binds: Use W for forward, S for backward, A and D for left and right. Bind air roll left and right on easy keys such as Q and E.
2. Start the diagonal flip: From kickoff, press W plus A or D and tap jump twice to start a diagonal front flip.
   1. For a right speed flip: W + D
   2. For a left speed flip: W + A
3. Cancel the flip: As soon as the flip starts, press S plus the opposite side input.
   1. If you started with W + D, cancel with S + A.
   2. If you started with W + A, cancel with S + D.
4. Add boost and air roll: Hold boost through the entire motion. Press your air roll key that matches the flip side. This keeps the car stable and points the nose forward.
5. Practice the landing: Focus on landing on all four wheels and staying in a straight line. If the car spins too much, adjust your timing or side inputs.

Core skills you need before learning the speed flip

If you struggle with basic control, the speed flip will feel impossible. Build these skills first:

Clean front and diagonal flips

Practice simple front flips and small diagonal flips from the kickoff spot in free play. You should flip straight without random spins.

Basic air roll control

Jump, boost a bit, and use air roll to keep the car level. You do not need full freestyle skills. You only need to feel how the car reacts to air roll left and right.

Simple flip cancel

Jump, start a front flip, then pull your joystick or press S (on keyboard) quickly to stop the flip. The car should return to a driving state earlier than normal. This feeling is key for the full mechanic.

Once these feel stable, you can move on to real speed flips.

When and where to use speed flips in real matches

The first and main use is kickoff. A good speed flip lets you reach the ball first and control the first touch. You can push the ball to a safe corner, a teammate, or a wall play instead of watching it bounce straight into your net.

You can also use speed flips when you rotate back on defense. If the ball rolls toward your goal and you feel it is almost out of reach, a clean speed flip can give you the extra distance for a save.

On offense, you can use them to rotate quickly from a failed shot back to boost pads or to the back post. Faster rotations keep your team’s shape solid and reduce double commits.