FFXIV Mount Quests Explained (2026 Guide)
FFXIV mount quests begin with one guaranteed ride: the company chocobo. Progress the Main Scenario Quest until you can join a Grand Company, complete My Little Chocobo, and spend 200 Company Seals on a Chocobo Issuance. After that, mounts come from a mix of story and side quests, trials, currencies, achievements, and other activities. Flying is a separate unlock that applies zone by zone.
How to get your first mount in FFXIV
- Follow the Main Scenario Quest. Continue the A Realm Reborn story until it introduces the three Grand Companies. You must join one before the company chocobo quest becomes available; character level alone does not replace this story requirement.
- Choose a Grand Company. You can enlist with the Maelstrom in Limsa Lominsa, the Order of the Twin Adder in Gridania, or the Immortal Flames in Ul'dah. The quest name is the same, but the officer and issuance match your company.
- Accept “My Little Chocobo.” Visit your Grand Company headquarters and speak with its personnel officer. If the quest is missing, check that you have completed the story step that sends you to enlist.
- Pay 200 Company Seals. Buy the company-specific Chocobo Issuance from your Grand Company Quartermaster, then present it as the quest directs. Finish the quest to register your chocobo as a mount. The official Eorzea Database entry for My Little Chocobo lists the quest; the matching Storm Chocobo Issuance entry describes the Maelstrom deed.
Company Seals are earned through Grand Company activities. Early options include FATEs and your Grand Company hunting log; other seal sources and purchases may depend on rank. If you are short, check the seal total in your currency display and use the Quartermaster's shop to confirm the exact item and current requirement.
Where other FFXIV mounts come from
There is no single mount quest chain that awards every ride. Use the route that matches the reward you want, and check the item or duty listing before committing to a long farm.
| Mount source | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Main Scenario and side quests | Some quests award mount items or unlock a mount through story progress. Many story milestones do not give a mount directly. |
| Extreme Trials and special duties | A mount may appear as a reward drop, while some duties also let you exchange a fight-specific totem after enough clears. |
| Grand Company seals | Seals buy the first chocobo issuance and other company items. Some containers can yield mounts, but a random container is not a guaranteed mount. |
| Reputation, achievements, and currencies | Society questlines, achievement rewards, Gold Saucer prizes, PvP rewards, and special events offer additional collection paths. |
| Optional store items | Some cosmetic mounts are sold separately. Store mounts are optional; the chocobo and many other mounts are earned in-game. |
Story and side-quest mounts
Keep progressing the MSQ, but read the reward text instead of assuming each expansion finale gives a mount. Some story progress grants a mount or unlocks a flying mount; other quests simply open new areas or activities. Optional questlines can also reward mounts, so blue side-quest markers and the Eorzea Database are useful when you are collecting a specific ride. The exact quest and reward depend on the mount.
Extreme Trial mounts and totem exchanges
Many trial mounts are tied to high-difficulty duties. Depending on the fight, the mount item can be a direct loot drop, or a vendor may offer it for totems earned by clearing the trial. Drops are not guaranteed each run, but a totem exchange can provide a predictable target once you meet that duty's requirement. The amount and vendor vary. For example, the official Patch 7.5 notes list the Wings of Death mount exchange for 99 Grave Totems. Check the current patch notes and duty reward details for the mount you want; drop rates and exchange conditions can change.
Company seals and the Quartermaster
Company Seals remain useful after you unlock the chocobo, but do not treat one seal price or rank as a universal mount shop rule. For example, the Eorzea Database entry for Materiel Container 3.0 describes a container that can produce a random mount or minion from A Realm Reborn or Heavensward. It costs 20,000 seals, but the result is random, so buying it does not guarantee a mount. Check the item's listing for its company, rank, and current price before saving seals.
Reputation, achievements, and other currencies
Mounts are also rewards for reputation questlines, achievements, Gold Saucer activities, PvP series, and limited-time events. These paths suit players who would rather work toward a visible currency or milestone than repeat a trial for a drop. The official Manderville Gold Saucer guide explains its activities and prize system. For achievements and event rewards, search the in-game descriptions or Lodestone database for the specific mount name.
How to unlock flying in a zone
Owning a flying-capable mount does not mean you can fly everywhere immediately. In expansion areas that use Aether Currents, attune to every field current and complete the quests that grant the remaining currents. Flight then unlocks for that zone for every mount you own. The Aether Currents window shows your local progress. The official Patch 3.0 notes explain that currents can be found in the field or earned through Main Scenario and side quests.
Current requirements are not identical across every expansion. The official Patch 7.0 notes confirm that the number of Aether Currents required in Endwalker areas was reduced, so older online maps may show counts that no longer match the game. Use your in-game Aether Currents window for the current zone rather than relying on an old total. A Realm Reborn areas use a separate flight unlock; the Aether Current checklist applies to the expansion zones that display it.
Quick fixes when a mount or flight is missing
- “My Little Chocobo” is not available: Confirm you joined a Grand Company and completed the Main Scenario step that introduces it. Visit the correct company's headquarters.
- The quest is complete, but the chocobo is missing: Finish any pending quest turn-in, then open the Mount Guide and look for the chocobo. The Lodestone documents the /mountguide command for opening that interface.
- Your mount works on the ground but will not fly: Open the Aether Currents window for the zone you are standing in. Complete any missing field attunements and quest requirements shown there.
- A trial mount has not dropped: Check whether that duty has a totem exchange. If it does, each clear can move you toward a guaranteed purchase even when the mount itself is not in the loot chest.
Frequently asked questions
What is the first mount you can get in FFXIV?
For most new characters, it is the Grand Company chocobo from “My Little Chocobo.” You must join a company and provide 200 Company Seals for its Chocobo Issuance.
Do all FFXIV mounts require a quest?
No. Quests are one route. Other mounts come from duties, totem exchanges, currencies, achievements, reputation, PvP, events, and optional store purchases.
Does completing Aether Currents unlock every mount?
No. Aether Currents unlock flying in one eligible zone at a time. They do not award a mount, and mounts that can fly still need the zone's flight unlock.
Where can I see mounts I have already unlocked?
Open the in-game Mount Guide, or enter /mountguide. It is the place to review and summon mounts available to your character.
Start with “My Little Chocobo,” then choose a collection route that fits your play style. Use quests for story rewards, totems for eligible trials, and the zone's Aether Currents checklist when your goal is flight. That approach makes FFXIV mount quests easier to navigate without confusing a mount unlock with a flying unlock.
