The easiest flying mounts in TBC Anniversary are not all easy for the same reason. Faction gryphons and wind riders have no reputation requirement, but their real price is the riding skill. The Cenarion War Hippogryph has a guaranteed reputation path but requires Exalted and Artisan Riding. Engineering mounts are predictable for characters already committed to the profession. Netherwing Drakes have a clear finish line and no random drop, but they require epic flying and a structured reputation grind.
This guide compares those practical routes without limiting the answer to one content phase. It explains mount prices, Expert and Artisan Riding costs, faction and profession requirements, and the complete access conditions for Netherwing Ledge. The goal is to help you choose the fastest first flyer, the easiest 280 percent upgrade, or the most realistic unique mount for your available gold and playtime.
Easiest TBC Anniversary Flying Mounts at a Glance
The basic faction flyer is the easiest way to get airborne because the route has no reputation, profession, or drop requirement. The swift faction flyer is the easiest fast mount if the character already has enough gold for Artisan Riding. The Cenarion War Hippogryph and Netherwing Drakes are guaranteed reputation rewards, while the Engineering machines are practical only when the required profession levels already fit the character plan.
| Mount | Source | Mount cost | Main requirement | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rare faction gryphon or wind rider | Faction flying mount vendor in Shadowmoon Valley | 100 gold | Expert Riding at 800 gold | The fastest and simplest first flying unlock |
| Swift faction gryphon or wind rider | Faction flying mount vendor in Shadowmoon Valley | 200 gold | Artisan Riding at 5,000 gold after Expert Riding | The easiest direct 280 percent flying route |
| Cenarion War Hippogryph | Fedryen Swiftspear at Cenarion Refuge | 1,600 gold at Exalted | Cenarion Expedition Exalted and Artisan Riding | A guaranteed unique mount tied to dungeon and reputation progress |
| Netherwing Drake | Netherwing Exalted reward and Drake Dealer Hurlunk | First selected drake is free, additional colors cost 200 gold each | Level 70, Artisan Riding, Netherwing questline, and Exalted reputation | An iconic epic drake with a predictable daily reputation route |
| Flying Machine | Engineering craft | Depends on materials and realm prices | Engineering and Expert Riding | Engineers who want a profession-themed normal flyer |
| Turbo-Charged Flying Machine | Engineering craft | Depends on materials and realm prices | Engineering and Artisan Riding | Engineers who already plan to buy epic flying |
Expert Riding and Artisan Riding Costs
Most of the price of flying comes from training rather than the mount item. Expert Riding costs 800 gold and allows the use of 60 percent flying mounts. A basic gryphon or wind rider costs another 100 gold, so the standard first-flight package costs 900 gold. This mount is slower than an epic ground mount while traveling across flat terrain, but it opens flying-only areas and lets you avoid long paths, cliffs, and ground obstacles.
Artisan Riding costs 5,000 gold and unlocks 280 percent flying. A swift faction mount costs another 200 gold, creating a 5,200 gold epic-flying upgrade after Expert Riding has already been trained. A character starting with no flying should budget 6,000 gold for Expert Riding, Artisan Riding, and one swift faction mount if the basic 100-gold mount is skipped. Reputation and crafted epic flyers do not remove the Artisan Riding requirement, so the 5,000-gold training cost remains the central gate for the Cenarion War Hippogryph, Netherwing Drakes, and Turbo-Charged Flying Machine.
| Flying level | Training cost | Typical mount cost | Flight speed | What it unlocks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expert Riding | 800 gold | 100 gold for a rare faction flyer | 60 percent | Basic Outland flying and access to flying-gated locations |
| Artisan Riding | 5,000 gold | 200 gold for a swift faction flyer | 280 percent | Epic flying mounts and the full Netherwing progression path |
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Basic Faction Flyers Are the Easiest First Choice
If the goal is to fly with the least friction, the rare faction mount is still the correct first answer. Alliance players train with Ilsa Blusterbrew and buy gryphons from Brunn Flamebeard at Wildhammer Stronghold in Shadowmoon Valley. Horde players train with Olrokk and buy wind riders from Dama Wildmane at Shadowmoon Village. The trainers and vendors are located close together, so there is no additional quest chain after reaching the required level and bringing the gold.
The Alliance rare choices include Golden, Ebon, and Snowy Gryphons. The Horde rare choices include Tawny, Blue, and Green Wind Riders. Each has the same functional speed, so the color choice does not affect progression. Buy this route when access matters more than travel speed, or when spending 5,000 gold on Artisan Riding would delay gear, professions, consumables, or other immediate goals.
Swift Faction Flyers Are the Easiest Fast Mounts
Swift gryphons and wind riders are mechanically simple because they require no reputation grind, daily quest routine, profession, or rare drop. The mount itself costs 200 gold. The difficulty is entirely financial: Artisan Riding costs 5,000 gold and must be trained before the mount can be used. Once that requirement is covered, the faction vendor route is the fastest direct way to obtain a 280 percent flying mount.
Alliance can choose Swift Blue, Swift Red, Swift Green, or Swift Purple Gryphons. Horde can choose Swift Red, Swift Green, Swift Yellow, or Swift Purple Wind Riders. These are the best first epic flyers for players who prioritize speed and convenience over a distinctive model. They also satisfy the riding requirement needed before a character can complete the full Netherwing reputation progression.
Netherwing Drakes and Netherwing Ledge Requirements
Netherwing Drakes are now part of the realistic TBC Anniversary flying-mount route. They are not an immediate purchase like a faction flyer, but they have a guaranteed reputation finish instead of a random drop. The six available colors are Azure, Cobalt, Onyx, Purple, Veridian, and Violet. After reaching Exalted and completing the required questline, the character can select the first drake without paying a mount price, while additional colors can be purchased from Drake Dealer Hurlunk for 200 gold each.
These drakes are epic flyers, so Artisan Riding is not optional. A player cannot bypass the 5,000-gold training cost by reaching Exalted. The reward path is designed for characters who have already completed the epic-flying investment and are ready to add a structured daily reputation block in Shadowmoon Valley.
How to Unlock the Netherwing Questline
The introductory chain begins at level 70 with Mordenai, who patrols the Netherwing Fields in Shadowmoon Valley. At least Expert Riding is required to start the initial route. The early chain includes Kindness, Seek Out Neltharaku, Neltharaku's Tale, Infiltrating Dragonmaw Fortress, To Netherwing Ledge!, and The Force of Neltharaku. Completing this sequence establishes the player's relationship with the faction and raises Netherwing reputation to Neutral.
To Netherwing Ledge! requires the character to fly to the floating island above southeastern Shadowmoon Valley, so a flying mount or equivalent flight access is needed to reach the objective. Physically reaching the ledge is only the first step. Artisan Riding is required to continue beyond Neutral and access the next part of the reputation progression.
Artisan Riding, Blood Oath, and the Daily Hub
After training Artisan Riding, return to Mordenai and continue with Blood Oath of the Netherwing. The following disguise and introduction quests move the character into the Dragonmaw Base Camp and unlock the daily quest structure. More daily quests become available as reputation rises, while repeatable Netherwing Egg turn-ins provide an additional way to accelerate progress.
The key checklist is level 70, Expert Riding for the introductory chain, completion of the chain through Neutral, Artisan Riding for the next stage, Blood Oath of the Netherwing, and continued reputation work to Exalted. For a more detailed reputation order, use the Netherwing section in the TBC Anniversary Reputation Guide. Players who want a scheduled route can also use a structured Netherwing reputation plan for the quest chain, daily progression, and Exalted target.
Cenarion War Hippogryph Is a Direct Reputation Mount
The Cenarion War Hippogryph remains one of the cleanest unique flying-mount targets because Cenarion Expedition reputation overlaps with normal character progression. Quests in Zangarmarsh, Coilfang Reservoir dungeons, and repeatable turn-ins can all contribute to Exalted. The mount is sold by Fedryen Swiftspear at Cenarion Refuge and costs 1,600 gold after the Exalted reputation discount.
Artisan Riding is still required, so this is not a cheaper substitute for epic-flying training. Its advantage is that the reputation work can produce additional dungeon loot and faction rewards before the mount is purchased. Choose it when you want a unique model and prefer a reputation path that can be advanced through repeatable dungeon activity rather than a daily-only schedule.
Engineering Flying Machines Are Profession-Locked
Engineering provides the Flying Machine and Turbo-Charged Flying Machine. Their prices are not fixed because both depend on crafted materials and the realm economy. The basic Flying Machine uses the normal flying tier and requires Expert Riding, while the Turbo-Charged version uses the epic tier and requires Artisan Riding. Both mounts also depend on the appropriate Engineering progression, making them poor choices for a character that would level the profession only for the mount.
When Engineering Flyers Make Sense
The Engineering route works when the profession is already part of the character plan. In that case, the mount materials support an existing investment and the Flying Machine becomes a reasonable alternative to the default faction model. The Turbo-Charged version makes sense after Artisan Riding is already affordable and the character wants an epic flyer with a strong profession identity.
For everyone else, these mounts add profession leveling and material costs to a problem the faction vendors solve immediately. They are predictable rather than universally easy. Compare the full profession cost with the 100-gold rare faction mount or 200-gold swift faction mount before choosing the Engineering route.
Which Flying Mount Should You Get First
The best order depends on whether the immediate goal is access, speed, appearance, or a collection milestone. A fresh level 70 character with limited gold should train Expert Riding and buy the rare faction flyer. A character with enough gold for the full epic-flying requirement should train Artisan Riding and buy a swift faction flyer first, because that immediately improves travel and unlocks the complete Netherwing route.
| Your goal | Best first choice | Why | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get flying access as cheaply as possible | Rare faction gryphon or wind rider | No reputation, profession, or drop requirement | Save for Artisan Riding when faster travel becomes affordable |
| Unlock 280 percent flying immediately | Swift faction gryphon or wind rider | The mount is a direct vendor purchase after Artisan Riding | Begin Netherwing or another epic reputation-mount route |
| Earn an iconic drake with no drop RNG | Netherwing Drake | Exalted provides a guaranteed reward after a structured quest and daily path | Purchase additional colors from Drake Dealer Hurlunk if desired |
| Combine a unique mount with dungeon reputation | Cenarion War Hippogryph | Cenarion Expedition progress overlaps with Coilfang Reservoir content | Finish Exalted and purchase the mount after Artisan Riding |
| Use a profession-themed flyer | Flying Machine or Turbo-Charged Flying Machine | The mount supports an existing Engineering plan | Choose the version that matches the trained riding skill |
Do not delay basic flight for a prestige target when flying access would immediately improve questing, farming, or dungeon travel. Unlock the movement system first, then decide whether the next investment should be faster travel or a distinctive mount. If several collector goals are competing for time, the TBC mount routes can help compare reputation, profession, dungeon, and raid targets without mixing incompatible requirements.
Conclusion
The rare faction gryphon or wind rider is the easiest flying mount in TBC Anniversary because it requires only level 70, Expert Riding, and a 100-gold mount purchase. The swift faction version is the easiest direct epic flyer, but Artisan Riding raises the real entry cost to 5,000 gold before the 200-gold mount is added. The Cenarion War Hippogryph and Engineering machines remain predictable alternatives for characters already following their respective reputation or profession paths.
Netherwing Drakes add the expansion's most iconic guaranteed flying-mount route. Start at level 70 with Mordenai and Expert Riding, complete the introductory chain through Neutral, train Artisan Riding, finish Blood Oath of the Netherwing, and progress through the daily hub to Exalted. Choose the first drake as the reputation reward, then buy additional colors if desired. This creates a clean evergreen order: unlock normal flight, fund Artisan Riding, and then choose between direct speed, reputation prestige, or Engineering style.
