This study proposes a design methodology to determine the optimum configurations of the optical flying head (OFH) for near-field recording systems. Since the OFH requires stricter static and dynamic characteristics of slider air-bearings within an optical tilt tolerance over the entire recording band, an optimum design to keep the focusing and tracking ability stable is essential. The desired flying characteristics considered in this study are to minimize the variation in flying height between the SIL and the disk from a target value, satisfying the restriction of the minimum flying height, to keep the pitch and roll angles within an optical tilt tolerance, and to ensure a higher air-bearing stiffness. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed design methodology by showing that the static and dynamic flying characteristics of the optimally designed OFH are enhanced in comparison with those of the initial. The gap between the SIL and the disk can be kept at less than 100 nm even if the optical tilt tolerance of the SIL is considered.