Themed to the popular comic book character, Superman: Ultimate Flight simulates flying by positioning its passengers parallel to the track, supported by harnesses and facing the ground through most of the ride.

The first flying roller coaster, in which passengers ride parallel with the track,[5] was launched in 1997 at Granada Studios Tour as Skytrak Total.

[11][12] Grading works also had to take place to convert the parking lot into something more suitable for Superman: Ultimate Flight.

[4] In 2006, a clone of the Superman: Ultimate Flight installations opened as Crystal Wing at the Happy Valley amusement park in Beijing, China.

[2][3][4] Superman: Ultimate Flight's signature element is its 78-foot-tall (24 m) pretzel loop; it was the first roller coaster in the world to feature one.

[15][16][17] The original version at Six Flags Over Georgia features a dual-platform loading station, permitting three trains to operate simultaneously.

Georgia's version was built on hilly terrain, and hence there is a short tunnel when the track enters the 270 degree helix leading into the heartline roll.

[11] Once in the station, riders of Superman: Ultimate Flight board a train sitting down, in a similar style to inverted roller coasters.

[21][22] The inline twist sees riders perform a full rotation around the track, starting from a position where they are facing downward.

After completing the twist, the train reaches the brake run and a final right-hand turn that leads back into the station.

[19] Jeremy Thompson of Roller Coaster Philosophy compared the ride unfavorably to Batman: The Ride, which also appears at all three parks: "Batman is gritty and intense and based on quick variations in the layout, while Superman is graceful and slower paced, based on creating a singular flight sensation, and quite honestly it's all a tad boring".

[24] In Amusement Today's annual Golden Ticket Awards, Superman: Ultimate Flight was ranked in the top-50 steel roller coasters numerous times since its opening.