GTA VI Heist Missions Guide: Planning, Execution & Maximum Payout

Heist missions are the crown jewels of GTA VI’s story mode. These multi-phase operations represent the most complex, rewarding, and replayable content in the game. Each heist demands careful planning, crew management, and flawless execution — but the payouts make the effort worthwhile. This guide covers every major heist in detail, from the opening Port Gellhorn Score to the legendary Federal Reserve Depository job.

How GTA VI Heists Work

Rockstar has significantly expanded the heist system since GTA V. Each major heist follows a five-phase structure:

1. Reconnaissance — Scout the target location, tag security features, identify entry and exit points
2. Approach Selection — Choose between 2-3 approaches (typically Aggressive, Smart, or Tactical)
3. Prep Missions — Complete 3-7 setup missions to acquire equipment, vehicles, and intel
4. Crew Selection — Hire crew members for specific roles, balancing skill against their cut of the take
5. The Job — Execute the heist; your planning directly impacts difficulty and payout

The Heist Planning Board

All heist management occurs at any safehouse through the Planning Board — a physical board on the wall that you interact with. The board displays:

• Target information and potential scores
• Available approaches with difficulty ratings
• Prep mission status and checklists
• Crew member profiles with skill ratings and cut percentages
• Estimated versus actual take comparison

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Heist 1: The Port Gellhorn Score

Chapter: Prologue (Chapter 1) Location: Port Gellhorn Docks Potential Take: $2,400 - $3,200 Approaches: 1 (linear tutorial heist)

Overview

This is the tutorial heist covered in depth in our prologue guide. As the game’s introductory score, options are limited, but it establishes the fundamental heist mechanics: reconnaissance, stealth, combat, and escape.

Crew

No crew selection — Jason and Lucia handle everything themselves.

Maximizing the Take

• During the vault segment, grab the bonus cash box in the office safe (Lucia finds the combination during the lockpicking segment)
• Do not waste time in the vault — the police response timer starts when the vault opens
• Steal a faster vehicle after the initial getaway to reduce pursuit time

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Heist 2: The Vice City Trust Heist

Chapter: 2 (Mission 18) Location: Vice City Trust & Savings, Downtown Potential Take: $45,000 - $120,000 Approaches: 2

Approach A: The Smart Way (Recommended for First Playthrough)

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Missions: 4 Estimated Time: 45 minutes (heist only)

This approach involves infiltrating the bank during business hours with disguises. Key steps:

1. Acquire maintenance worker uniforms during the prep mission
2. Enter through the service entrance during the afternoon shift change (narrow time window)
3. Lucia accesses the safe deposit vault while Jason monitors the security office
4. Exit through the underground parking garage before police arrive

Gold Medal Objectives:

• Complete without triggering the silent alarm
• No civilian casualties
• Escape before police arrive on scene
• Steal at least $100,000

Approach B: The Aggressive Way

Difficulty: Hard Prep Missions: 5 Estimated Time: 35 minutes (heist only)

Go in loud. This approach yields a higher potential take but carries greater risk:

1. Prep includes acquiring a stolen armored truck and heavy weapons
2. Ram the armored truck through the bank’s front entrance
3. Use explosives to breach the vault door (timed sequence while fending off security)
4. Fight through escalating police response during the escape

Gold Medal Objectives:

• Complete in under 12:00
• 25 headshots during the escape
• Vault breached within 90 seconds of entry
• No crew members killed

Crew Selection

Role	Best Choice (Low Cut)	Best Choice (High Skill)
Driver	Kenny “Wheels” Tran (8%)	Iris Delgado (14%)
Gunman	Marcus Webb (9%)	Ray “Brick” Thompson (15%)
Hacker	Zoe Chen (7%)	Dmitri Volkov (16%)

Recommended Crew for First Attempt: Kenny Tran (driver), Zoe Chen (hacker), Jason acts as primary gunman (no cut cost). This keeps the crew cut under 15%, maximizing your take while providing adequate support.

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Heist 3: The Cartel Convoy Job

Chapter: 3 (Mission 26) Location: Leonida Highway System Potential Take: $200,000 - $450,000 Approaches: 3

Overview

This mid-game heist targets an armored convoy transporting Mendez Cartel cash across Leonida’s highway system. It is unique among GTA VI heists because it takes place entirely in transit — there is no fixed target building, only a moving convoy.

Approach A: Ambush (Smart)

Set up a roadblock at a predetermined choke point on the highway. This approach requires precise timing and rewards patience:

• Scout the convoy route during prep to identify the optimal ambush point
• Stage a construction vehicle blockade
• Use EMP charges (acquired during prep) to disable the escort vehicles
• Minimal combat if executed correctly

Take: $350,000 - $450,000 Difficulty: Intermediate

Approach B: Rolling Assault (Aggressive)

Attack the convoy while it is moving. This high-speed, high-risk approach is the most exciting option:

• Requires a high-performance vehicle (prepped in advance)
• Use vehicle-mounted weapons on the escort vehicles
• Board the armored truck while both vehicles are moving
• High combat intensity, significant police response

Take: $400,000 - $450,000 Difficulty: Hard

Approach C: The Inside Man (Tactical)

Plant a crew member inside the security detail before the convoy departs. Unlocked by completing the optional prep mission “Hector’s Weakness”:

• Plant a GPS tracker during the prep phase
• The inside man disables the armored truck at a predetermined location
• Minimal resistance, high stealth requirement
• Unlocks exclusive dialogue and a hidden Cartel stash location

Take: $200,000 - $300,000 (lower raw take but higher net due to minimal crew damage and expense) Difficulty: Intermediate

Crew Selection Tips

For the Ambush approach, invest in a quality hacker (Dmitri Volkov at 16%) — the EMP charges require skilled timing to disable all escort vehicles simultaneously. For rolling assaults, a top-tier driver is essential; Iris Delgado’s 14% cut is justified by her ability to maintain convoy proximity without crashing.

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Heist 4: The St. Claire Tower Job

Chapter: 4 (Mission 42) Location: St. Claire Tower, Downtown Vice City Potential Take: $1.2M - $3.5M Approaches: 3

Overview

This heist targets Victor St. Claire’s personal vault on the 88th floor of his eponymous skyscraper. The job combines vertical infiltration, executive security systems, and a high-altitude escape. It is the most vertically-oriented heist in Rockstar history.

Approach A: Corporate Infiltration (Smart)

Infiltrate during the annual St. Claire Industries gala. This approach requires significant social stealth:

• Acquire gala invitations and formal attire (prep missions)
• Navigate the party socially while planting hacking devices
• Access the vault during St. Claire’s keynote speech
• Parachute from the 88th floor (epic skyline descent)

Take: $1.8M - $2.5M Difficulty: Intermediate

Approach B: Airborne Assault (Aggressive)

Helicopter insertion onto the tower’s helipad, then fight downward:

• Requires acquiring a stealth-modified helicopter (prep mission)
• Fast-rope onto the roof, eliminate rooftop security
• Fight down through 12 floors of corporate security
• Escape via base-jump or helicopter exfiltration

Take: $2.5M - $3.5M Difficulty: Very Hard

Approach C: The Mole (Tactical)

Place an operative inside St. Claire’s organization weeks before the heist. This approach unlocks only by completing every optional prep mission and having a relationship score above 80% with your chosen crew:

• The mole leaves the vault door unlocked during a maintenance window
• Minimal combat — most security is disabled or distracted
• Escape through the underground tunnel system

Take: $1.2M - $1.8M Difficulty: Easy (but requires significant prep investment)

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Heist 5: The Federal Reserve Depository

Chapter: 5 (Mission 59) Location: Leonida Federal Reserve, Vice City Financial District Potential Take: $4.5M - $8.5M Approaches: 3

Overview

The Federal Reserve heist is GTA VI’s magnum opus — the longest, most complex, and most rewarding mission in the game. This is the heist the entire story has been building toward. It requires every skill you have developed and every ally you have cultivated.

Approach A: The Underground Route (Smart)

Prep Missions: 7 Heist Duration: 50-65 minutes

Dig into the Federal Reserve from the abandoned Vice City subway system:

• Acquire tunnel-boring equipment (major prep mission chain)
• Navigate unmapped underground passages beneath the Financial District
• Breach the vault floor from below, bypassing all ground-level security
• Escape through the subway before the tunnel floods (geological complication)

Take: $5M - $7M Gold Medal: Complete without triggering surface-level alarms, no crew casualties, vault cleared within 15 minutes

Approach B: Shock and Awe (Aggressive)

Prep Missions: 6 Heist Duration: 40-55 minutes

The full-frontal assault. This is the most challenging combat sequence in GTA VI:

• Use a stolen FIB armored personnel carrier to breach the main entrance
• Fight through waves of FIB tactical teams, security guards, and responding military units
• Thermite the vault door (3-minute burn time while defending the bank lobby)
• Helicopter extraction from the roof (requires taking out anti-air defenses first)

Take: $6M - $8.5M Gold Medal: Complete in under 40:00, 50 headshots, no crew casualties, all anti-air defenses destroyed within 5 minutes of reaching the roof

Approach C: The Trojan Horse (Tactical)

Prep Missions: 8 (most of any heist) Heist Duration: 55-70 minutes

Infiltrate the Federal Reserve by posing as an armored transport crew making a scheduled delivery:

• Requires acquiring authentic Federal Reserve uniforms, schedules, and credentials
• Replace the real transport crew (multiple prep missions for intel and equipment)
• Once inside, disable security systems from within
• Walk out with the cash in the armored vehicle — no chase if executed perfectly

Take: $4.5M - $6M (lower raw take, but near-zero expenses and crew damage means higher net) Gold Medal: Complete without breaking cover until the vault is accessed, no alarms triggered, no casualties, escape without gaining a wanted level

Crew Selection for the Federal Reserve

This heist has expanded roles due to its complexity:

Role	Essential For	Best Low-Cut Pick	Best High-Skill Pick
Driver	All approaches	Kenny Tran (8%)	Iris Delgado (14%)
Gunman 1	Aggressive only	Marcus Webb (9%)	Ray Thompson (15%)
Gunman 2	Aggressive only	—	Victor Chen (12%)
Hacker	Smart, Tactical	Zoe Chen (7%)	Dmitri Volkov (16%)
Demolitions	Aggressive, Smart	Luther Banks (10%)	Mike “Sparky” Alvarez (18%)
Pilot	Aggressive escape	Carla Mendez (8%)	Jack Swift (14%)

Optimal Crew (High-Skill Aggressive Run):

• Iris Delgado (Driver) — 14%
• Ray Thompson (Gunman 1) — 15%
• Dmitri Volkov (Hacker) — 16%
• Mike Alvarez (Demolitions) — 18%
• Jack Swift (Pilot) — 14%
• Total Cut: 77% / Players: 23% ($1.96M of $8.5M)

Optimal Crew (Budget Smart Run):

• Kenny Tran (Driver) — 8%
• Zoe Chen (Hacker) — 7%
• Luther Banks (Demolitions) — 10%
• Total Cut: 25% / Players: 75% ($5.25M of $7M)

The budget approach nets significantly more money despite the lower raw take. For players confident in their skills, the budget crew is always the better financial choice.

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Heist 6: The Final Score

Chapter: 6 (Mission 68) Location: Varies by ending choice Potential Take: Narrative resolution; monetary reward varies

This heist is heavily narrative-driven and its details depend on choices made throughout the game. Without spoiling specific story beats, here is what you need to know:

• The target is determined by which faction became the primary antagonist
• Available approaches depend on which crew members survived previous heists
• The payout varies from $1M to $5M but the heist is more about narrative closure than profit
• Post-heist, all surviving crew members receive a loyalty bonus for future activities

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Optional Side Heists

Beyond the main six story heists, GTA VI features two optional heists discovered through exploration:

The Bayside Jewelry Store

Location: Vice Beach Shopping District Unlocked By: Exploring Vice Beach and receiving a tip from a random NPC encounter Potential Take: $80,000 - $250,000 Approaches: 1 (smash-and-grab or stealth)

A small-scale heist that can be completed at any time after Chapter 2. Good for early-game cash if discovered quickly. The jewelry store has a randomized security layout each time you replay it, making it a fun replayable activity.

The Leonida Lottery Heist

Location: Gas Station off Route 1 Unlocked By: Completing the “Lottery Fever” stranger mission Potential Take: $500,000 - $1.2M Approaches: 2

A unique heist targeting a lottery distribution center. Unlocked late in the game, this heist has no crew mechanics — Jason and Lucia handle it as a duo. It plays like a classic GTA heist, stripped down to its essentials.

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Heist Money Management

The Cleaner Fee

After every heist, you lose a percentage of your take to the “cleaner” — a money launderer who converts your stolen cash into usable funds. The cleaner fee ranges from 8% to 20% depending on which cleaner you use:

Cleaner	Fee	Unlocked By
Elena Vasquez	20%	Available from Chapter 2
Solomon Richards	14%	Complete “The Art Dealer” stranger mission
The Accountant	8%	Complete all of Elena’s optional missions in Chapter 5

Unlocking The Accountant is highly recommended before the Federal Reserve heist. The 12% difference on an $8 million take represents $960,000 in saved fees.

Investing Heist Earnings

Smart money management multiplies your heist earnings. Key investment opportunities:

• Real Estate — Purchase properties that generate passive income. The Vice Beach condo ($450,000) returns $12,000 per in-game week
• Businesses — Buy into legitimate businesses through the BAWSAQ stock exchange
• Vehicle Storage — Invest in garage space to store rare vehicles that appreciate in value

For a complete investment strategy, see our Guides section.

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Heist Tips and Strategies

Prep Mission Priority

Not all prep missions are equal. Prioritize in this order:

1. Vehicle acquisition — Without a reliable escape vehicle, any heist is doomed
2. Security intel — Reveals guard positions, camera locations, and patrol patterns
3. Equipment — Specialized tools (EMP, thermite, hacking devices)
4. Disguises — Only necessary for Smart/Tactical approaches
5. Optional distractions — Fire trucks, power outages, construction permits

Crew Loyalty Matters

Crew members who survive multiple heists with you develop loyalty bonuses. A crew member who has been on three successful heists gains:

• 5% skill improvement in their role
• 2% cut reduction (they charge less because they trust you)
• Special ability unlock (unique perks, like the driver leaving a backup vehicle near the escape route)

This means keeping the same crew alive across multiple heists is far more valuable than always hiring the best available option. Crew loyalty is tracked on the Planning Board under each member’s profile.

Always Scout Thoroughly

During the reconnaissance phase, tag every security feature you can find. The game does not mark hidden elements unless you actively look for them:

• Rooftop security cameras
• Basement guard patrols
• Secondary alarm panels
• Police response time indicators (marked on the map after scouting specific locations)

Thorough reconnaissance can reveal entirely new approach options that are not shown if you rush the scouting phase.

Plan Your Escape Before You Enter

The most common cause of heist failure is a poorly planned escape. Always:

• Park your escape vehicle yourself — do not rely on the default placement
• Scout the escape route in free-roam before starting the heist
• Identify at least one backup escape vehicle location
• Note where police helicopters spawn (they always come from the same direction based on your location)

Use the Environment

GTA VI’s heists feature destructible environments that create tactical opportunities:

• Shoot out lights to create darkness for stealth
• Destroy fire extinguishers to create smoke screens
• Blow up gas lines to block enemy paths
• Breach walls (where marked) to create shortcuts or alternative exits

These environmental interactions are not explicitly tutorialized but can dramatically change how a heist plays out.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I complete all heists with just Jason and Lucia?

The first heist (Port Gellhorn Score) and both optional side heists require only Jason and Lucia. All other heists require at least one crew member, and aggressive approaches typically require two to three crew members. The minimum crew requirement is displayed in the Planning Board before you commit to an approach.

What happens to my cut if a crew member dies?

If a crew member dies during a heist, their cut of the take is redistributed to the surviving members, including you. However, the emotional and narrative consequences are significant — crew deaths affect dialogue, future mission availability, and in some cases, available endings. Financially, crew deaths increase your immediate payout but cost you long-term.

How do I unlock better crew members?

High-skill crew members unlock through:

• Story progression — Some become available naturally as the plot advances
• Stranger missions — Several strangers become crew members after completing their questlines
• Random encounters — Certain random events in Vice City introduce potential crew
• Previous heist performance — Successfully completing heists attracts better talent

Check the Planning Board regularly — new crew members appear without explicit notification.

Do heist choices affect the game’s ending?

Yes. Crew members who survive become part of the endgame sequence. Their presence or absence affects available options during the final chapter. Similarly, your choice of heist approaches throughout the game influences the resources and allies available during the finale. There is no single “required” set of choices — multiple paths lead to satisfying conclusions.

Can I complete heists on a replay without doing prep missions again?

When replaying a heist from the Mission Replay menu, all prep missions are automatically marked as complete. You can select any approach you have previously unlocked. However, the crew available is based on who was alive at the point in the story when the heist originally took place, not your current post-game roster.

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Next Steps

Heists are just one part of the GTA VI experience. Continue your deep dive with:

• Main Story Missions — Complete walkthroughs for every story mission
• Gold Medal Guide — Detailed strategies for heist gold medals
• Vehicles Guide — The best vehicles for heist approach, escape, and prep missions
• Secrets Guide — Hidden heist-related easter eggs and special approaches
• Map — All heist locations, prep mission start points, and escape route waypoints