How Difficult is it to get a Flyng Mount

[qaija]

I am level 36 and about to complete the lvl 20 MSQ in order to join a Ground Company.

I understand that then I will get a ground mount.

As I plan to continue playing this game as long as I can continue to level up, and perhaps after that to level up other classes (I am presently a lancer, samurai wannabe) I would like to get a flying mount as soon as is reasonably possible. I have done some googling about this, but most of what I read is old (2015 to 2016) and decided to post the question here to get current suggestions from current players.

With the ability to fly directly to the spot I want to get to, and to move at twice the speed of a ground mount, it seems to me that getting a flying mount as soon as possible is worth the effort. And the flying chocobo mount will be fine for me as I don't care how it looks, unless perhaps some of the fancy ones can fly faster.

Is it worthwhile to specifically pursue the quests required to gain access to a flying mount, and then specifically pursue the quests needed to attune to the aether currents in each zone where flying is allowed?

Or do you recommend that I just do MSQ's and level up and eventually I will be able to fly?

Thank you for your help!

Qaija

[Blubb]

1. Every mount is capable of flight.
2. The earliest you can fly is after you complete the lvl 50 Main Scenario Quest "The Ultimate Weapon". This only includes the ARR areas (Thanalan, La Noscea, Black Shroud, Mor Dhona and Coethas - Central Highlands).
All other areas (like Coerthes - Western Highlands) need - as you said - aether currents, of which some are locked behind MSQ progression.

[Akiudo]

There really isn't any "flying" mount, you will unlock the ability to fly (in the a realm reborn zones) by reaching level 50+ and completing the original mainstory, from that point all your mounts will be allowed to fly, no extra steps needed.

Unlocking flying in Heavensward aswell as the other expansions will than happen on a per zone basis, where you will have to collect aether currents/complete some quests, but the game will tell you about this in due time.

Edit: Blubb beat me to the punch

[Hasrat]

Basically, you'll only ever be able to unlock flying in zones where you've largely completed all story requirements. ARR being slight exception, you'll always be spending some time somewhere around sooner or later, but still requires completing 2.0. Starting with 3.0, where flying was originally introduced, the aether currents necessary to unlock flight are typically gated behind one final dungeon or trial in each zone. But again, only relevant in 3.0 and beyond.

Flying over obstacles is great, but for speed, you do get ground speed increases as well. Those will also come as story quests progress. They help slightly, with a second speed increase available for purchase with Allied Seals, tho I don't think those are very readily available at lower levels. And anyway, maybe no longer a wise purchase since, by the time you'll be able to start collecting them, flight makes it obsolete anyway.

Conclusion, all mounts are now flying mounts since sometime last year or something. But story quests will still and always gate when and where you can fly. Always progress MSQ. Additional small clarifications: no, there are no mounts that fly faster, they're all the same. And you will not have to find aether currents in ARR zones, they don't exist since flight was introduced long afterwards.

[qaija]

Thank you all for your responses! Glad I posted the question!

[MiniTofu]

I am level 36 and about to complete the lvl 20 MSQ in order to join a Ground Company.

I understand that then I will get a ground mount.

As I plan to continue playing this game as long as I can continue to level up, and perhaps after that to level up other classes (I am presently a lancer, samurai wannabe) I would like to get a flying mount as soon as is reasonably possible. I have done some googling about this, but most of what I read is old (2015 to 2016) and decided to post the question here to get current suggestions from current players.

With the ability to fly directly to the spot I want to get to, and to move at twice the speed of a ground mount, it seems to me that getting a flying mount as soon as possible is worth the effort. And the flying chocobo mount will be fine for me as I don't care how it looks, unless perhaps some of the fancy ones can fly faster.

Is it worthwhile to specifically pursue the quests required to gain access to a flying mount, and then specifically pursue the quests needed to attune to the aether currents in each zone where flying is allowed?

Or do you recommend that I just do MSQ's and level up and eventually I will be able to fly?

Thank you for your help!

Qaija

You will get flying soon you finish some MSQ. Unlike WoW you have to pay 1000g to unlock flying as luxury back in the days and 250g for a mount - those are heavy grinding days.