"Preflyte" was released on July 29, 1969 in the United States on Together Records (catalogue item ST-T-1001), but it was not issued in the United Kingdom until January 1973, when it was released by Kim Fowley's Bumble record label (catalogue item GEXP 8001).It was then reissued in the U.S. in April 1973 by Columbia Records (catalogue item C 32183), with alternative cover artwork by British comic book artist Barry Windsor-Smith, depicting the five original members of the Byrds as futuristic astronauts.