Learning how to unlock mounts in FFXIV is one of the first big quality-of-life upgrades for any new adventurer. Mounts let you cross Eorzea's sprawling zones in seconds instead of jogging everywhere, and Final Fantasy XIV has hundreds of them — from the humble Company Chocobo to rare flying mounts dropped by Extreme trials. This guide walks you through every main way to earn mounts, in the order you will naturally meet them while playing.
The very first mount is tied directly to the story, so you cannot miss it if you keep following the quest line. After that, mounts come from a mix of story rewards, vendors, and tough endgame content. Here is what you need before you start.
What you need
- A character that has reached the point in the Main Scenario Quest (MSQ) where you join a Grand Company (around level 20 in A Realm Reborn).
- A little patience for the story — your first flying mount and several free rides come from later MSQ chapters.
- Optional: spare Company Seals, MGP (Gold Saucer points), or tribal reputation if you want to buy extra mounts.
How to unlock mounts in FFXIV, step by step
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Step 1: Join a Grand Company and claim the Company Chocobo
Your first mount comes from a Grand Company. While following the MSQ you will be invited to join the Maelstrom (Limsa Lominsa), the Order of the Twin Adder (Gridania), or the Immortal Flames (Ul'dah). Pick whichever you like — the choice is cosmetic and can be changed later. Once you have joined, complete the quest "My Little Chocobo," which costs 200 Company Seals. This unlocks the Company Chocobo, your first rideable mount.
Join any Grand Company, then buy the Chocobo Issuance to claim your first FFXIV mount. -
Step 2: Keep following the Main Scenario Quest
The MSQ is the single most generous source of free mounts. Look for the yellow quest icons marking the story. Finishing the A Realm Reborn finale grants the Black Chocobo, your first flying mount, and every later expansion hands out more rides as you progress. Because these come straight from the story, you only have to keep playing to collect them.
Several Main Scenario chapters reward mounts outright, including your first flying mount. -
Step 3: Buy mounts with seals, MGP, and reputation
Plenty of mounts are simply for sale once you have the right currency. Grand Company quartermasters sell mounts for Company Seals, the Gold Saucer trades unique mounts for MGP points you earn from mini-games, and tribal (beast tribe) vendors sell mounts once you raise your reputation by doing their daily quests. These are reliable, no-luck-required options for filling out your collection.
Spend Company Seals, MGP, or tribal reputation to buy mounts outright. -
Step 4: Earn rare mounts from trials, raids, and achievements
The flashiest mounts come from challenging content. Extreme and Unreal trials, Savage and Alliance raids, and certain dungeons have a chance to drop a mount each clear. Drop rates are usually low, so many players farm a fight weekly until it appears. A huge number of mounts are also tied to achievements — for example, completing a set of dungeons or trials can award a guaranteed mount with no luck involved.
Trials, raids, and achievements grant the rarest, most prestigious FFXIV mounts. -
Step 5: Open the Mount Guide, then summon and fly
Every mount you unlock is registered automatically in the Mount Guide, found in the Character menu. From there you can summon any mount, drag favourites to a hotbar, or use the Mount Roulette action to ride a random one. To actually fly in a given zone, you must first collect every Aether Current in that region — some are found in the world, others are rewarded by side quests. Once a zone's currents are complete, your flying mounts take to the sky there.
Summon mounts from the Mount Guide, and collect Aether Currents to unlock flying.
Tips for collecting mounts faster
- Do your Grand Company turn-ins. Submitting crafted or gathered items keeps your seal balance high for vendor mounts.
- Visit the Gold Saucer regularly. Daily Mini Cactpot and the Fashion Report are quick MGP boosts toward expensive mounts.
- Stick with one tribe at a time. Reputation gates unlock daily, so focusing on a single beast tribe reaches its mount vendor sooner.
- Clear Aether Currents as you quest. Grabbing them while a zone is current saves a lot of backtracking later.
Troubleshooting
I can't summon any mount yet
You need to finish "My Little Chocobo" first. If you have joined a Grand Company but still cannot ride, return to the quartermaster and make sure the quest is actually complete.
My mount won't fly in this zone
Flying is unlocked per region. Open the Aether Currents menu and check the list — if any are missing, you cannot fly there until they are all collected.
The trial isn't dropping a mount
Most trial and raid mounts are rare random drops. Keep clearing the fight; if it has an Unreal version or a weekly token, those can give you another route to the same reward.
Frequently asked questions
What is the first mount you can get in FFXIV?
The Company Chocobo. You unlock it by joining a Grand Company and completing the "My Little Chocobo" quest for 200 Company Seals.
How do you unlock flying mounts in FFXIV?
You first earn a flying-capable mount (the Black Chocobo arrives at the end of A Realm Reborn), then collect all the Aether Currents in a zone to enable flight there.
Are FFXIV mounts account-wide?
Mounts are unlocked per character, not per account. Each character builds its own collection through the Mount Guide.
What is the easiest way to get more mounts?
Buying them with Company Seals, MGP, or tribal reputation is the most reliable method, since these require no luck — just time spent earning the currency.
Where do I see all my mounts?
Open the Mount Guide from the Character menu. It shows every mount you own and lets you summon them or assign them to a hotbar.
Final thoughts
Unlocking mounts in FFXIV is a steady journey rather than a single task: your first chocobo arrives with the story, free rides keep dropping as you play the MSQ, and vendors, trials, and achievements fill out the rest. Keep following the Main Scenario, spend your seals and MGP when you can, and gather Aether Currents so you can take to the skies. For the latest official details, see the Final Fantasy XIV website.
