In World of Warcraft you can ride a mount from level 10: the riding skill is learned automatically, with no trainer and no gold cost, and you summon any mount you own from the Mounts tab of your Collections (Shift+P). Flying also starts at level 10 in every flyable zone, using either Skyriding or the classic Steady Flight style.
Below we cover the current riding skill levels, how to summon and bind a mount, how Skyriding differs from Steady Flight, the March 2026 rule change that unlocked Steady Flight everywhere, and how WoW: Forever handles mounts differently. This guide covers retail World of Warcraft on the Midnight expansion (patch 12.1 as of September 2026), verified against official patch notes and Blizzard’s developer posts.
When you can ride: riding skill by level
Since patch 10.1.5, Blizzard’s patch notes say “characters now learn the appropriate mount riding skill upon reaching the appropriate level without needing to visit a mount trainer.” The War Within pre-expansion notes then lowered the levels:
- Level 10: Journeyman Riding, 100% ground speed. Skyriding is also learned at level 10 (it was level 60 when it was still called Dragonriding).
- Level 20: Expert Riding, 220% Steady Flight speed.
- Level 30: Master Riding, 420% Steady Flight speed.
You do not need to buy or train anything. If a character is past level 10 and still cannot mount, the usual culprit is simply not owning a mount yet, or standing indoors or in an area where mounts are disabled.
How to summon a mount
- Press Shift+P to open Collections, then choose the Mounts tab. Blizzard now calls this the Warband Collection, and mounts are shared across the characters on your account.
- Pick a mount and click Mount, or drag it onto an action bar so you can summon it with one key.
- To dismount, press the same button again or jump off with Spacebar once you have landed.
The Mounts tab also has a Summon Random Favorite Mount button you can drag to your bars, which picks from mounts you have starred. Mounts come from quests, vendors, achievements, dungeons, raids, the in-game Shop and subscription bonuses; our World of Warcraft cost guide covers which subscription plans add bonus mounts.
Skyriding vs Steady Flight
Flying mounts can use two flight styles, and you switch between them yourself. The War Within patch notes describe it as the ability to “switch between Skyriding and Steady Flight styles for flying mounts.” Player guides describe the toggle as a spell called Switch Flight Style in your spellbook’s General tab, which you can drag to an action bar.
Skyriding is momentum-based flight. You dive to build speed and climb to spend it, and Blizzard’s returning-player guide says it now uses “six shared charges” for the two key abilities, Surge Forward and Skyward Ascent, replacing the old Vigor bar. Player guides describe launching by pressing Spacebar twice after mounting. Most flying mounts support it; Blizzard lists exceptions such as the Otterworldly Ottuk Carrier, some fish mounts and brooms.
Steady Flight is the classic style: you hover, climb with Spacebar and fly at a constant speed set by your Expert or Master Riding. It is slower but easier to control, and it lets you stop in midair.
One catch from the patch notes: “Mounts that don’t support Skyriding will be grounded if Skyriding is active.” If a flying mount refuses to take off, switch to Steady Flight.
The March 2026 change: Steady Flight everywhere
At Midnight’s launch, Steady Flight in Midnight and The War Within zones required each expansion’s Pathfinder achievement. That changed with a hotfix. In an official developer post on March 13, 2026, community manager Kaivax wrote that “any player-character who can use Skyriding can now use Steady Flight, with no additional unlocking required.”
Blizzard explained that since Skyriding became available “in all flyable zones, starting at level 10,” it no longer made sense to split the two styles while leveling. So the current rule is simple: if you can Skyride, you can Steady Fly, in any zone where flying is allowed. Older guides telling you to grind Pathfinder for flying are out of date.
How WoW: Forever handles mounts
WoW: Forever, Blizzard’s classic-style version launching November 4, 2026, does not follow retail’s rules. Blizzard’s deep dive says it is adopting “the Burning Crusade-style mount-cost approach, shifting the up-front mount cost into training and granting a mount when players learn the riding skill.” In other words, you pay to train riding, and the mount comes with it. Blizzard has not yet confirmed the level or gold cost for that training in its launch material, and nothing it has published mentions flying in Forever’s reimagined original Azeroth.
Collections are account-wide across Forever’s rulesets (Hardcore excepted), per Blizzard, so a mount earned on one Forever character carries over; our guides to WoW: Forever rulesets and the Legacy system explain what else carries across.
Frequently Asked Questions
What level can you ride a mount in WoW? Level 10 in retail. Journeyman Riding and Skyriding are both learned automatically at level 10, per the patch notes.
Do you still need to pay a riding trainer? Not in retail. Riding skills are learned automatically on level up. WoW: Forever brings back paid riding training, with the mount included.
Why won’t my mount fly? Either you are in a no-fly area, or Skyriding is active on a mount that does not support it. Switch to Steady Flight with the Switch Flight Style spell.
Do I need Pathfinder to fly in Midnight? No. A March 13, 2026 hotfix removed the Pathfinder requirement for Steady Flight in Midnight and The War Within zones.
Are mounts shared between characters? Yes. Mounts live in the Warband Collection and are available to every character on your account.