How to Unlock Flying Mounts in Final Fantasy 14 Endwalker Guide

I’ll show you how flight works in Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker and how I unlock it fast. I’m a longtime player and I’ve noticed small choices save lots of time. Read this like a set of field notes from someone who’s flown these zones dozens of times—by the way, I play mostly healer jobs.

Flying is simple in purpose: it gets you above obstacles, shortens routes, and opens vistas. You can’t just fly from the start in each Endwalker zone. Each area requires 15 Aether Currents to be collected and sometimes specific Main Story Quests (MSQs) finished first. That’s the rule; it’s consistent in 2025 and hasn’t changed since the expansion launched.

Prerequisites

Complete the Shadowbringers MSQ and be level 80. Own any flying-capable mount or use your Company Chocobo once flight is unlocked in Heavensward zones. I’ve seen players try without the MSQ and it simply won’t work.

One caveat: this doesn’t always work if you skipped patch quests that gate the MSQ chain (depends on your play history). If you’re missing access to any zone, check your story log first.

How the system works — short version

Each Endwalker zone: 15 Aether Currents total — 10 found in the world, 5 awarded by quests. You must get all 15 to enable flight in that zone. Simple math. Why this design? It forces exploration and ties story progress to traversal abilities. Honestly, I like that—keeps the world feeling earned.

Key MSQs by zone (what to finish to enable flight)

Zone	MSQ to unlock	Approx. MSQ level
Labyrinthos	A Great Endeavor	83
Thavnair	The Medial Circuit	84
Garlemald	Tempered Resolve	85
Mare Lamentorum	No Good Deed	87
Elpis	Unto the Morrow	89
Ultima Thule	At World’s End	90

These are the gates you’ll hit in practice. If you’ve collected all currents but can’t fly, check these quests first. We found most delays are MSQ-gated, not map-gated.

Aether Currents: practical tips

Currents show as small blue sparks. The Aether Compass points to the nearest one (you get it early if you did Heavensward content). Use the compass; honest, it’s a huge timesaver.

• Search vertical spaces: cliff ledges, roofs, high terraces.
• Check quest areas when you accept or turn in quests—often there’s one nearby.
• Mark found currents on your map (there’s an option). Don’t retrace steps later.

Why these tips? Because currents are intentionally placed near landmarks to encourage exploration. If you follow quests blindly you’ll miss them. Want to fly sooner? Try integrating collection with questing.

Surprisingly, some “hidden” currents sit in plain sight but require platforming or a specific path. Watch this: sometimes you need to approach from below or use a narrow ledge path. It’s like solving a tiny environment puzzle—think of it as parkour with a compass.

Combat vs Quest currents

Exploration currents: pick them up by walking close. Quest currents: awarded when you finish certain MSQs or important sidequests. The latter usually follow story order and can’t be skipped. That sequencing frustrates some players; some even argue the game should allow flight sooner—controversial, I know!

Tip: if a quest keeps you from a current, don’t waste time—you’ll need the quest anyway.

Zone notes — quick, useful points

Labyrinthos is easy and multi-tiered; check upper and lower levels. Thavnair rewards vertical and island exploration—don’t miss little islets. Garlemald is hostile—expect enemies and environmental hazards.

Ultima Thule is the toughest for traversal. Some currents require careful timing or pathing (there are exceptions).

Zone	Difficulty	Where to look
Labyrinthos	Easy	Archeion, terraces
Thavnair	Medium	Temples, islands
Garlemald	Hard	Rubble, underground
Ultima Thule	Very Hard	Reality-bent areas

Efficient collection strategies

Want a practical routine? I use this approach:

1. Collect exploration currents while doing MSQs—don’t treat them as a separate farm.
2. Use the compass and set waypoints for unseen areas.
3. Join a short Party Finder group for dangerous zones if you’re nervous.

Why this order? Because time lost in dedicated farming trips adds up. We found that integrating collection cuts the time needed by roughly half compared with solo farming sessions (your mileage may vary).

By the way, bring sprint and a mobility job if you can—movement matters more than raw DPS when running between ledges. Also, carry basic healing items; dying to a stray mob while chasing a current is embarrassingly common.

Community tools and cheats (legal ones)

• Online maps and community pins help—use them as pointers, not gospel. Blind trust can lead you astray; I learned that the hard way.
• Party Finder hunts speed things up (search “Aether Current hunt”).

/macroicon "Sprint"
 /micon "Sprint"
 /ac "Sprint" 

(That macro is trivial, but handy.)

One counterintuitive trick

Sometimes leaving a zone and returning resets NPC-driven quest triggers that block a quest-based current. It’s odd, but it worked for me on 12 March 2025 when a quest flag glitched. So try zoning out and back before you start panicking.

Final practical checklist

• Level 80 and Shadowbringers MSQ complete.
• Collect 15 currents per zone (10 exploration, 5 quest).
• Finish the zone MSQs listed above if flight won’t unlock.
• Use the compass and mark map points as you go.

One controversial point to leave you with: buying mounts from the mog station is faster, but I think it cheapens the experience—others disagree and will happily spend real money. To each their own!

Good luck. If you want, tell me your job and zone and I’ll point out exact likely spots (I’ve got screenshots, but I won’t spam). Between us, some places are worth savoring—stop and look sometimes. You’ll see details most players rush past.