Flying in FFXIV saves endless time and gil.
To unlock flying in areas beyond A Realm Reborn, you must collect aether currents.
Recommended Read: How to Get and Sell Items Via Retainer in FFXIV
Aether currents in FFXIV are easy to find with the Aether Compass. The compass is in your collections under Duty. Aether currents the compass cannot detect are granted as rewards from specific quests in each region.
Table of Contents
- What are Aether Currents in FFXIV?
- How to Find Aether Currents
- Types of Aether Currents
- How Many Aether Currents Do You Need to Fly in Each Region?
What are Aether Currents in FFXIV?
Aether currents are green orbs composed of aether in FFXIV. To fly in each zone after A Realm Reborn, you must collect the aether currents in that zone.
Most aether currents must be attuned with, which is similar to attuning to aetherytes cities. Click and attune.
To begin collecting aether currents, you must complete the level 50 Heavensward quest “Divine Intervention”.
It rewards you with the Aether Compass, which you need to find most of the aether currents in the game.
How to Find Aether Currents
There are two methods to find aether currents in FFXIV. Since Endwalker’s release, it has become slightly easier though less intuitive.
Manual Method – Aether Compass
The Aether Compass is an item you get from the “Divine Intervention” quest. It shows you in which direction and how far away an aether current is.
The Aether Compass has been around since Heavensward. But some things have changed since then.
Many people were confused at Endwalker’s release because the compass was no longer in their key items.
It is now in Collections under Duty. You can also assign it to the hotbar to quickly access it and find the location of the nearest current.
Quick Method
The quickest method to finding Aether Currents is to use an online tool. You can use a handy tool like Heavenswhere, which also shows vistas, hunts, maps, and elite spawns.
If you prefer to have everything on one page, the Console Games Wiki for FFXIV is one of the best options.
Types of Aether Currents
There are two types of aether currents in FFXIV. Most regions require you to collect both to earn flying in the area.
Wild Currents
For wild currents, all you have to do is attune to them. If you see floating green orbs that look like an energy blast from an anime, click on it.
These currents are where the Aether Compass leads you. So pull out your compass to find them one by one.
Quest Currents
For quest currents, you must complete a quest and accept the current as a reward. These are gold quests on the map that look like any other quest.
The only way to tell if the quest gives an aether current is by talking to the NPC or looking it up online.
There are sometimes aether currents you must get from the MSQ, but most of them are small side quests.
How Many Aether Currents Do You Need to Fly in Each Region?
You must collect all currents in a region to fly in it. The number of currents varies per region and can be tracked via the Aether Currents menu in-game.
Heavensward – 50 Currents
All Heavensward regions except one have five quest currents and four wild currents. You’ll notice this pattern for the first three aether current expansions.
The Coerthas Western Highlands – 9 Currents
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 9-15 | – | – |
| Wild | 31-12 | – | – |
| Wild | 30-34 | – | – |
| Wild | 16-22 | – | – |
| Quest | 18-23 | Sounding Out the Amphitheatre | For All the Nights to Come |
| Quest | 16-23 | Camp of the Convictors | Protecting What’s Important |
| Quest | 17-22 | Sounding Out the Amphitheatre | Baby Steps |
| Quest | 16-21 | – | Purple Flame, Purple Flame (MSQ) |
| Quest | 32-35 | Disclosure | Bridge Over Frozen Water |
The Dravanian Forelands – 9
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 13-14 | – | – |
| Wild | 31-17 | – | – |
| Wild | 38-28 | – | – |
| Wild | 30-36 | – | – |
| Quest | 16-23 | A Gnathic Deity | A Lesson in Humility |
| Quest | 24-20 | – | Mourn in Passing (MSQ) |
| Quest | 25-19 | The Nonmind | Stolen Munitions |
| Quest | 32-24 | A Gnathic Deity | The Hunter Becomes the Kweh |
| Quest | 31-24 | Where the Chocobos Roam | Some Bad News |
The Sea of Clouds – 9
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 19-12 | Into the Blue | – |
| Wild | 11-15 | – | – |
| Wild | 7-20 | Into the Blue | – |
| Wild | 7-26 | Into the Blue | – |
| Quest | 17-37 | Disclosure | Clipped Wings |
| Quest | 11-11 in the Pillars | He Who Would Not Be Denied | Honoring the Past |
| Quest | 10-16 | – | Bolt, Chain, and Island (MSQ) |
| Quest | 9-15 | Black and the White | Sleepless in Ok’ Zundu |
| Quest | 10-14 | Black and the White | Flying the Nest |
The Churning Mists – 9
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 29-20 | – | – |
| Wild | 31-36 | – | – |
| Wild | 21-27 | – | – |
| Wild | 7-27 | – | – |
| Quest | 13-11 Foundation | – | Into the Aery (MSQ) |
| Quest | 29-36 | Moghan’s Trial | The Bathing Bully |
| Quest | 12-29 | The Wyrm’s Lair | Hide Your Moogles |
| Quest | 32-15 | Heart of Ice | Waiting to Inhale |
| Quest | 27-33 | Leaving Home | Road Kill |
The Dravanian Hinterlands – 9
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 13-17 | – | – |
| Wild | 13-36 | – | – |
| Wild | 37-25 | – | – |
| Wild | 24-19 | – | – |
| Quest | 21-18 | A Great New Nation | Louder Than Words |
| Quest | 5-6 in Idyllshire | Leaving Idyllshire | Taking Stock |
| Quest | 7-6 in Idyllshire | An Illuminati Incident | Ebb and Aetherflow |
| Quest | 6-6 Matoya’s Cave | – | Forbidden Knowledge (MSQ) |
| Quest | 6-6 Matoya’s Cave | Matoya’s Cave | Saro Roggo’s Common Life |
Azys Lla – 5
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Quest | 9-11 | The First Flight of the Excelsior | Systematic Exploration |
| Quest | 10-10 | Systematic Exploration | In Node We Trust |
| Quest | 27-10 | In Node We Trust | Chimerical Maintenance |
| Quest | 37-11 | Chimerical Maintenance | Close Encounters of the Vith Kind |
| Quest | 18-31 | – | Fears of Lament (MSQ) |
Stormblood – 54
Stormblood maps follow the same aether current system that Heavensward does. They each contain nine currents.
The Fringes – 9
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 12-16 | – | – |
| Wild | 25-11 | – | – |
| Wild | 36-17 | – | – |
| Wild | 28-21 | – | – |
| Quest | 30-26 | Rising Fortunes, Rising Spirits | Eyes Bigger Than Her Stomach |
| Quest | 27-21 | The Lure of the Dream | Unexpected Guests |
| Quest | 31-16 | – | The Silence of the Gods (MSQ) |
| Quest | 8-11 | Signed, Sealed, to Be Delivered | Magiteknical Failure |
| Quest | 9-11 | Divide and Conquer | The Hidden Truth |
The Peaks – 9
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 11-26 | – | – |
| Wild | 16-17 | – | – |
| Wild | 24-32 | – | – |
| Wild | 27-7 | – | – |
| Quest | 24-7 | The Fires Fade | Saint Sayer |
| Quest | 28-29 | Where Courage Endures | A Hunger for Trade |
| Quest | 15-37 | The Path Forward | Out of Sight |
| Quest | 27-36 | Raubahn’s Invitation | Closing Up Shop |
| Quest | 27-36 | – | Liberty or Death (MSQ) |
The Ruby Sea – 9
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 5-26 | – | – |
| Wild | 35-20 | – | – |
| Wild | 22-9 | – | – |
| Wild | 30-38 | – | – |
| Quest | 20-20 | In Darkness the Magatama Dreams | The Palace of Lost Souls |
| Quest | 33-18 | Of Kojin and Kami | The Sword in the Stone |
| Quest | 31-37 | Boys with Boats | The Price of Betryal |
| Quest | 6-12 | – | Tide Goes in, Imperials Go Out (MSQ) |
| Quest | 23-9 | Pulling Double Booty | Alisaie’s Stones |
Yanxia – 9
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 20-33 | – | – |
| Wild | 31-38 | – | – |
| Wild | 25-21 | – | – |
| Wild | 31-29 | – | – |
| Quest | 30-19 | The Ones We Leave Behind | Wolves and Weeds |
| Quest | 31-18 | The Ones We Leave Behind | Whacking Day |
| Quest | 30-18 | The Stubborn Remainder | Fly, My Pretties |
| Quest | 30-16 | The Stubborn Remainder | Something Smells |
| Quest | 31-29 | – | All the Little Angels (MSQ) |
The Azim Steppe – 9
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 8-34 | – | – |
| Wild | 23-20 | – | – |
| Wild | 26-11 | – | – |
| Wild | 33-30 | – | – |
| Quest | 13-34 | The Undying Ones | Mauci of the Seven Worries |
| Quest | 23-23 | For Love of the Moon | Forty Years and Counting |
| Quest | 28-14 | The Heart of Nations | Sheep Snatcher |
| Quest | 33-28 | A Season for War | Words Are Very Unnecessary |
| Quest | 31-12 | – | Glory to the Khagan (MSQ) |
The Lochs – 9
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 35-31 | – | – |
| Wild | 26-23 | – | – |
| Wild | 23-37 | – | – |
| Wild | 13-22 | – | – |
| Quest | 11-22 | The Legacy of Our Fathers | Are They Ill Tempered |
| Quest | 8-20 | The Legacy of Our Fathers | If I Were a Fish |
| Quest | 11-21 | Upon the Great Loch’s Shore | A Rite to Rest |
| Quest | 11-20 | Upon the Great Loch’s Shore | It’s a Zu Out There |
| Quest | 32-23 | – | All the Little Angels (MSQ) |
Shadowbringers – 54
Shadowbringers aether currents are significantly easier to collect than Stormblood ones.
Stormblood was made for flying, while Shadowbringers is easy to navigate without it.
Lakeland – 9
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 9-18 | – | – |
| Wild | 18-19 | – | – |
| Wild | 33-17 | – | – |
| Wild | 33-29 | – | – |
| Quest | 7-13 | Logistics of War | An Unreasonable Request |
| Quest | 8-17 | Logistics of War | The Astute Amaro |
| Quest | 6-15 | Logistics of War | Imperative Repairs |
| Quest | 12-16 in Crystarium | Warrior of Darkness | A Jobb Well Done |
| Quest | 8-10 in Crystarium | – | Logistics of War (MSQ) |
The Rak’tika Greatwood – 9
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 25-16 | – | – |
| Wild | 28-25 | – | – |
| Wild | 19-22 | – | – |
| Wild | 13-31 | – | – |
| Quest | 31-17 | In Good Faith | Stand on Ceremony |
| Quest | 29-18 | Top of the Tree | Suit Up |
| Quest | 20-27 | An Unwanted Proposal | The Great Deceiver |
| Quest | 18-28 | A Day in the Neighborhood | What We Do for Family |
| Quest | 30-17 | – | The Burden of Knowledge (MSQ) |
Amh Araeng – 9
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 23-35 | – | – |
| Wild | 14-17 | – | – |
| Wild | 28-32 | – | – |
| Wild | 30-10 | – | – |
| Quest | 11-17 | A Dirty Job | A Vein Pursuit |
| Quest | 12-17 | The Truth Hurts | Charmless Man |
| Quest | 13-17 | Scavengers Assemble | On Track |
| Quest | 27-18 | Working Off the Meal | Work to Live or Live to Work |
| Quest | 16-29 | – | A Fresh Start (MSQ) |
Il Mheg – 9
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 21-16 | – | – |
| Wild | 30-6 | – | – |
| Wild | 22-4 | – | – |
| Wild | 17-24 | – | – |
| Quest | 30-8 | A Resounding Roar | A New Amaro |
| Quest | 16-30 | Courting Cooperation | The Path to Popularity |
| Quest | 9-17 | Unto the Truth | Delightful Decorations |
| Quest | 14-32 | Il Mheg, the Faerie Kingdom | The Forbidden lran |
| Quest | 30-7 | – | Acht-la Ormh Inn (MSQ) |
Kholusia – 9
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 20-21 | – | – |
| Wild | 34-10 | – | – |
| Wild | 8-33 | – | – |
| Wild | 34-32 | – | – |
| Quest | 15-29 | A Fickle Existence | A Plankless Task |
| Quest | 19-18 | Rich Veins of Hope | Fugitive of Fear |
| Quest | 15-29 | A Fickle Existence | Village of Woe |
| Quest | 12-9 | Meet the Tholls | A Disagreeable Dward |
| Quest | 19-18 | – | Extinguishing the Last Light (MSQ) |
The Tempest – 9
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 5-19 | – | – |
| Wild | 28-16 | – | – |
| Wild | 22-11 | – | – |
| Wild | 29-7 | – | – |
| Quest | 9-28 | The End of the World | Community Cohesion |
| Quest | 7-31 | The End of the World | Debate and Disclosure |
| Quest | 14-28 | The End of the World | Responsible Creation |
| Quest | 32-17 | Waiting in the Depths | Koal of the Cups |
| Quest | 9-26 | – | A Greater Purpose (MSQ) |
Endwalker – 90
Endwalker surprised us all with 15 aether currents per region. This ensures it takes more time to collect them.
Labyrinthos – 15
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 28-6 | – | – |
| Wild | 36-23 | – | – |
| Wild | 10-34 | – | – |
| Wild | 19-35 | – | – |
| Wild | 15-13 | – | – |
| Wild | 22-16 | – | – |
| Wild | 31-16 | – | – |
| Wild | 18-16 | – | – |
| Wild | 11-19 | – | – |
| Wild | 22-25 | – | – |
| Quest | 30-19 | The Full Report, Warts and All | Lost little Troll |
| Quest | 21-21 | No Job Too Small | Let the Good Times Troll |
| Quest | 21-21 | Hither and Yarns | The Lad in Labyrinthos |
| Quest | 23-20 | Hinter and Yarns | Gleaner’s Wish |
| Quest | 21-24 | – | Bonds of Adamant(ite) (MSQ) |
Thavnair – 15
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 18-32 | – | – |
| Wild | 27-31 | – | – |
| Wild | 19-16 | – | – |
| Wild | 20-7 | – | – |
| Wild | 12-10 | – | – |
| Wild | 23-12 | Beyond the Depths of Despair | – |
| Wild | 23-14 | Beyond the Depths of Despair | – |
| Wild | 32-18 | Beyond the Depths of Despair | – |
| Wild | 27-30 | Beyond the Depths of Despair | – |
| Wild | 22-25 | Beyond the Depths of Despair | – |
| Quest | 25-35 | A Fisherman’s Friend | Steppe Child |
| Quest | 11-21 | Shadowed Footsteps | Alchemist or Dancer |
| Quest | 29-17 | Simple Pleasures | Radiant Patrol |
| Quest | 31-17 | Simple Pleasures | In Agama’s Footsteps |
| Quest | 20-15 | – | Simple Leasures (MSQ) |
Garlemald – 15
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 18-30 | – | – |
| Wild | 25-34 | – | – |
| Wild | 23-11 | – | – |
| Wild | 9-15 | – | – |
| Wild | 11-23 | – | – |
| Wild | 29-12 | – | – |
| Wild | 30-32 | – | – |
| Wild | 23-23 | – | – |
| Wild | 24-18 | – | – |
| Wild | 18-13 | – | – |
| Quest | 15-30 | Strange Bedfellows | In Pursuit of Power |
| Quest | 31-13 | Strange Bedfellows | Children Are Our Future |
| Quest | 13-30 | In from the Cold | Best Delivered Cold |
| Quest | In from the Cold | Strranded at the Station | |
| Quest | 14-29 | – | Gateway of the Gods (MSQ) |
Mare Lamentorum – 15
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 22-18 | – | – |
| Wild | 12-9 | – | – |
| Wild | 28-9 | – | – |
| Wild | 22-10 | – | – |
| Wild | 19-20 | – | – |
| Wild | 33-24 | – | – |
| Wild | 29-28 | – | – |
| Wild | 34-13 | – | – |
| Wild | 7-7 | – | – |
| Wild | 22-14 | – | – |
| Quest | 15-11 | Styled a Hero | True Carrot Crimes |
| Quest | 16-11 | Styled a Hero | Carrots: It’s What’s for Dinner |
| Quest | 20-11 | Setting Things Straight | Aluring Allag |
| Quest | 22-11 | Setting Things Straight | Name That Way |
| Quest | 29-9 | – | Heart of the Matter (MSQ) |
Elpis – 15
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 34-23 | – | – |
| Wild | 6-30 | – | – |
| Wild | 24-21 | – | – |
| Wild | 18-32 | – | – |
| Wild | 12-31 | – | – |
| Wild | 13-8 | – | – |
| Wild | 10-25 | – | – |
| Wild | 13-16 | – | – |
| Wild | 6-19 | – | – |
| Wild | 16-21 | – | – |
| Quest | 25-26 | Theri Greatest Contribution | Touring Anagnorisis, part I |
| Quest | 9-31 | A Sentimental Gift | You and the Ailouros |
| Quest | 12-19 | A Flower Upon Your Return | The Perks of Being a Lost Flower |
| Quest | 9-17 | A Flower Upon Your Return | An Expected Guest |
| Quest | 31-15 | – | Caging the Messenger (MSQ) |
Ultima Thule – 15
| Type | Location | Requirements | Quest Name |
| Wild | 33-29 | – | – |
| Wild | 34-27 | – | – |
| Wild | 36-28 | – | – |
| Wild | 14-9 | – | – |
| Wild | 17-15 | – | – |
| Wild | 30-8 | – | – |
| Wild | 32-26 | – | – |
| Wild | 35-30 | – | – |
| Wild | 22-6 | – | – |
| Wild | 15-14 | – | – |
| Quest | 23-12 | “Where Knowledge Leads“ | A Most Stimulating Discussion |
| Quest | 22-11 | “Where Knowledge Leads“ | Ending as One |
| Quest | 31-28 | “Victory, We Lost“ | Combat Evolved |
| Quest | 32-28 | “Victory, We Lost“ | Learn to Love |
| Quest | 26-28 | – | You’re Not Alone (MSQ) |
Now you know the basics of aether currents in Final Fantasy XIV.
Have you ever had an aether current give you trouble? Let me know in the comments!
