Is the idea that angels have wings biblical?

from the old testament

• In Exodus 25:20, where God explains to Moses how to craft the ark of the covenant, we read, "The cherubim [a type of angel] shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be." The ark was a symbolic representation of the scene in heaven, meaning real cherubim have wings.
• Ezekiel saw cherubim with wings, and even heard the sound of them (Ezekiel 10:5, 8, 16, 19). The four living creatures, who are identified as cherubim and described in Ezekiel 1 and 10, also have wings, four each in his visions.
• In Isaiah 6, the prophet Isaiah saw a vision from God that included angels called seraphim: "Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew" (Isaiah 6:2; see also Isaiah 6:6).
• Other biblical passages speak of the travel of angels as if they were flying (Daniel 9:21). However, a supernatural angel could fly with or without wings.
• In other passages, however, angels appear without wings, looking human in form. For example, the angels in Genesis 18 and 19 that appeared to Abraham looked human, lacking wings.

from the new testament

• The apostle John saw angels in his vision recorded in Revelation 14:6: "Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people." This angel clearly flew. No wings are mentioned, however. Throughout Revelation angels travel extremely quickly around the earth, indicating they likely were flying as well.
• Angels that appear to humans appear as men, not as angels with wings. For example, when the angel announced the coming of Jesus to Mary, she recognized him as an angel but gave no description of a winged being (Luke 1:26–38). This is why Hebrews 13:2 says, "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."

implications for today

The Bible is our foundation of truth, and therefore we need to use it, not cultural depictions, to guide our perceptions. While popular culture often portrays angels with wings or as having an angel on one shoulder and the devil on another, the Bible gives us what we need to understand. In the Bible, as exemplified in the sections above, some angels are described with wings and others without. Angels can also appear as radiant beings, as seen in Revelation 10:1, or as ordinary men (e.g., Genesis 18—19; Hebrews 13:2). Their varied appearances seem to be based on their roles and contexts. By anchoring our understanding in God’s Word, we ensure that our beliefs are rooted in the truth, not in culturally shaped images or misconceptions. This deepens our faith and aligns our views with what is true.