First Airship Detours

After the Enterprise becomes available at Baron, you can explore before completing the Earth Crystal errand. These optional stops are worthwhile for treasure, equipment, and seeing the world, not prerequisites for advancing the story. Mist was already accessible on foot earlier; the airship makes revisiting it easier rather than unlocking it for the first time.

While you have free airship travel

Optional stop	What to do now	Timing
Mist	Explore the house’s fireplace passages for treasure, including Tiara; buy if you need a replacement.	Earlier access is possible. Preserve Tiara even if its current wearer leaves the party.
Agart	Explore the town and compare Cid’s armor at the shop. Iron armor helped his physical defense in this run, but replacing sacrificed magic defense.	Optional equipment and sightseeing stop; not a reason to replace everyone’s gear.
Mythril Village	Collect the hidden , Mythril knife and 5,000 Gil; see the performance and compare shops. Cid’s was a useful purchase.	Keep Wooden and other nonmetal alternatives for Magnetic Cavern.
Troia	Explore the waterways/hidden grass, collect accessible castle treasure, and optionally visit the Court of Kings.	Budget for supplies first. The club is entertainment, not a combat reward.

See Items and Equipment for Mythril prices and comparisons, Cid’s armor comparisons, and the Court of Kings visit for admission details.

These are the optional visits covered by this playthrough so far, not a claim that every reachable location or future side quest has been exhausted. The larger later-game side quests should get their own availability checks as progression unlocks them.

Before boarding after returning Earth

Returning Earth to Troia changes the next airship departure: boarding advances to Tower of Zot, rather than resuming free flight. Finish this preparation on foot or by chocobo before boarding. Free airship travel resumes after that story stretch. The PS1 Troia reference distinguishes this restriction from continued black-chocobo travel.

While You’re Here: Final Troia preparations

Speak to the clerics, collect all18 chests in the newly accessible treasury, and revisit Edward for changed dialogue.
Retrieve Tiara from Fat Chocobo if you stored it. Carry it for an upcoming equipment opportunity; do not assume the current four-person party is the only group you are preparing for.
Keep one , Fire20, Ice20, and Bolt10 from the treasury. Store duplicate bows rather than all bow equipment.
Keep , useful alternate rods/staff and elemental claws, plus healing, status cures, , , and Exit. Leave obsolete armor and duplicate weapons in storage.
Use Sort, restore HP/MP, and make a regular save before boarding.

No additional shopping tour is required just because the airship is available. If the stops above are complete, continue the story; broader exploration can wait until free flight returns. See the treasury chest checklist.

Before descending at Agart

After Zot, finish any remaining surface detours, including Eblan’s treasure sweep, before taking the Enterprise into the opening created by Magma. Opening the crater does not itself force the descent, but flying into it interrupts free surface travel.

While You’re Here: Storage before the descent

Visit Fat Chocobo after your final treasure sweep if inventory is crowded. Store obsolete armor, duplicates, and weapons you are keeping only for collection or later testing, such as .
Keep healing and revival items, status cures, , useful casting equipment, a working bow and ammunition, and Gysahl. Do not store every alternate weapon or all mage equipment. Legend cannot be stored.
Leave several empty inventory slots for treasure and removed equipment; use Sort before deciding you need to discard anything.
Heal and make a regular save before flying into the crater.

This is a convenience checkpoint, not a permanent storage cutoff. The PS1 Dwarven Castle reference lists Fat Chocobo in its basement, but initially restricts castle access to the inn and item shop. Carry what you need through the first castle story sequence rather than relying on immediate storage access after landing.