So many questions.Havent played since 2006

Just to give you a little update on traveling;

Instant Warp scrolls now only cost 10 conquest points, so any amount of solo low lvl will basicly give you free warp forever.

Later on (after lvl 30 and your first abyssea party to get Cruor, the currency in abyssea), the main focus is not traveling to, but from, Jeuno. Abyssea NPC there can warp you to Buburimu, Valkurm Dunes, Konschtat Highlands, La Theine, Tahrongi canyon etc etc so it's very easy to get around for "free".

Even later more options opens up with Voidwatch warps but that's endgame content you can look up at wiki if you want to.

To be honest I can't remember the last time I used an airship, or a teleport for that matter. Insta-travel-NPCs is the new toy in FFXI.