During previous expansions, World of Warcraft would allow you to invest in the ability to fly through its new zones with in-game currency. However, you would need to journey to the level cap before being able to explore zones from the sky. In Heavenward, you're given free reign to fly in each area roughly around 80% through your progression in each zone. So, you are able to enjoy slower-paced exploration on the ground for a few hours before being able to take to the sky. This is made better by the way that flight is unlocked, which is through completion of a few quests and by gathering
aether currents. It's a much more thoughtfully crafted system than what World of Warcraft has.