1 A2 neutral
To arrive at a destination by aircraft.
"The president flew in late last night ahead of the summit."
inseparable
fly in
A2 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To arrive somewhere by aircraft, or to transport someone or something by air.
In plain English
Arrive at a place in an airplane, or bring someone or something in by airplane.
What does "fly in" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To transport people, supplies, or equipment to a location by aircraft.
"Aid organisations flew in food and medicine to the flood-affected areas within hours."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To fly into a place — completely transparent.
Actually means
Arrive at a place in an airplane, or bring someone or something in by airplane.
Usage tip
Common in news reporting and travel contexts. Can be intransitive ('She flew in from New York') or transitive ('They flew in emergency supplies'). Very frequently used in journalism when describing the arrival of important people at events or emergencies.
Words that pair with "fly in"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
supplies experts troops specialist London Paris overnight
How to conjugate "fly in"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
fly in
I/you/we/they
3rd person
flies in
he/she/it
Past simple
flew in
yesterday
Past participle
flown in
have + pp
-ing form
flying in
continuous
Hear "fly in" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "fly in" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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