The basics of what I'm suggesting are to bring back the social aspects of airships.
Currently Airships are 200gil, and near instant transportation.
Yet, with city-states set as favored locations, you can teleport for slightly over 200gil, making airships more of a novelty than a necessity.

Also gone is the social aspect of meeting new people while traveling aboard the ships. If people are in a hurry, let them teleport. Others can travel upon the airships at a leisurely pace, even if it's walking about the airship lost in a sea of clouds for zoning restrictions.

What I'm merely suggesting is this. Bring back the actual wait and travel times of airships, but make them a free utility. Lore wise, this could be a commissioning of the leaders of the Grand Companies to promote the reignited unity between the 3 city states. This includes any level character, as there's no longer any worry they might travel to far abroad with no way to return from lack of funding.