Aetherytes connections

[Michelasso]

Is there any reason why the big aetherytes are not connected to each other? I mean, we can teleport (for a gil), return for free, use the small ones inside the cities but not teleport from aetheryte to aetheryte? O_o

[HinaCake]

The lore says you have to pay for teleportation in order to reimburse the Ul'dahn merchants who paid for the reconstruction of the aetherytes and you can only teleport to aetherytes you have attuned yourself with.
My guess is the only reason why you don't have to pay money inside the cities is because they(city leaders) decided to provide it free of charge for adventurers.
While the big aetherytes may be connected from a gameplay and lore perspective it's useless given that you can use Teleport from everywhere.

[Enkidoh]

1.0 had a teleport system similar to what you're talking about, where you could teleport from an aetheryte to an aetherial gate (kind of like a natural aetheryte found deep in each zone), but this is no longer available because, the original aetherytes were different in shape, they cost not gil to teleport but a consumable (and slowly regenerating) stat called anima, zones were so much larger than they are now, and that there were far more aetherytes available. Now there's usually only a single aetheryte per zone (and no aetherial gates either).

[Michelasso]

Oh, ok. It makes sense then. Thanks.