To use the jetpack (boost pack) in Starfield, you need to unlock a specific skill, equip the right backpack, and then trigger it with a second jump while watching your fuel bar.

Quick Scoop: How to Use the Jetpack in Starfield

1. Unlocking the jetpack (Boost Pack Training)

  • Open the Skills menu (Tab on PC, Menu button on Xbox, then go to Skills).
  • Go to the Tech skill tree.
  • Put at least one skill point into Boost Pack Training (sometimes called Jetpack Certification in localized versions).
  • Some backgrounds, like Bounty Hunter or Soldier , start with this skill already unlocked, so you can use the jetpack immediately.

Once you have Rank 1, you’re allowed to use any equipped boost pack or jetpack.

2. Equipping a proper jetpack (boost pack)

  • Open your inventory and go to the Pack slot (your backpack).
  • Make sure the pack’s description says something like “Boost Pack” (Basic Boost Pack, Balanced Boost Pack, etc.).
  • If it doesn’t mention boosters or boost pack in the details, it won’t let you fly.

You get a free early-game boost pack with the Constellation Pack when you reach The Lodge in New Atlantis, so you don’t have to hunt too long to try it.

3. Basic controls: actually using the jetpack

Once you have Boost Pack Training and a proper pack equipped:

  • PC :
    1. Press Space to jump.
    2. While in mid-air, press Space again (tap or hold, depending on pack type) to fire the jetpack.
  • Xbox :
    1. Press the jump button (usually A) to jump.
    2. Press jump again in mid-air to trigger the boost.
  • Watch the small boost/fuel bar near your reticle or HUD; once it empties, you have to wait for it to recharge before boosting again.

In short: jump → then jump again while still airborne to ignite the jetpack.

4. Skill ranks: why upgrading matters

Boost Pack Training has four ranks with stacking benefits:

  • Rank 1 – Enables boost packs at all.
  • Rank 2 – Each boost uses less fuel , so you stay airborne longer.
  • Rank 3 – Faster fuel regeneration , meaning less downtime between bursts.
  • Rank 4 – Doubles the bonuses from ranks 2 and 3 for maximum airtime.

Players who max this out report that traversal and combat mobility feel dramatically smoother, especially on big, uneven planets.

5. Practical tips for using the jetpack well

  • On low-gravity planets , you’ll float farther and higher, turning each boost into a long glide across terrain.
  • Tap boosts in short bursts rather than holding, especially with “balanced” or “basic” packs, to stretch your fuel.
  • Use vertical boosts to:
    • Reach roofs, cliffs, or ledges quickly.
    • Flank enemies by jumping from cover to cover.
    • Escape melee enemies or close-range threats.

Some enemies also have boost packs; hitting their pack can make it malfunction and send them flying to their death.

6. Jetpack types and feel

Guides and players mention several common boost pack styles with different behaviors:

  • Balanced Boost Pack – General-purpose, good mix of power and control; many players stick with this.
  • Other variants – Some focus on quick bursts, others on longer glides or higher thrust; which feels best is mostly preference.

You can experiment by swapping packs you loot from enemies or find in chests and checking their description in the inventory.

7. Community chatter & “trending topic” angle

Since launch, “how to use jetpack Starfield” has been one of the most common early-game questions on forums, YouTube, and guides, mainly because the game doesn’t spell it out clearly and many players don’t realize they need the skill first. You’ll see lots of quick tutorial videos that boil it down to the same three steps: unlock Boost Pack Training, equip a pack with boosters, then jump and jump again to fly.

TL;DR:

  1. Unlock Boost Pack Training in the Tech tree.
  2. Equip a pack with “Boost Pack” in its description.
  3. Jump, then press jump again in mid-air to fire the jetpack, watching your fuel bar and upgrading the skill for longer, faster boosts.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.