Cayo Perico Heist

The Cayo Perico Heist sends players to El Rubio's private island to steal a primary target and as much secondary loot as their crew can carry. It was added to GTA Online on December 15, 2020, and was the first GTA Online heist that could be completed alone from beginning to end.¹

You can run the heist solo or with up to three other players. Hosting requires the Kosatka submarine, which serves as the planning base for gathering intel, completing prep work and launching the finale.²

How to start the Cayo Perico Heist

Meet Miguel Madrazo inside The Music Locker beneath The Diamond Casino & Resort. That introduction unlocks the Kosatka for purchase from Warstock Cache & Carry. Once you own the submarine, use its planning screen to begin Gather Intel and pay the GTA$100,000 planning fee for each new run.

You do not need a Casino Penthouse to start the heist. The Kosatka is the required property for the host; invited crew members do not need to own one.

How the Cayo Perico Heist works

1. Gather Intel

Travel to Cayo Perico and identify the primary target, infiltration points, escape points, compound entrances and useful equipment. The complete Cayo Perico scope-out guide shows every permanent location, while the secondary targets guide covers cash, weed, cocaine, artwork and gold.

2. Complete the prep missions

Choose and source an approach vehicle, collect the required equipment and obtain a weapon loadout. Disruption missions are optional, but they can weaken El Rubio's weapons, armor and air support if the finale turns into a firefight.

3. Set the final plan

The planning screen lets the host choose the approach vehicle, infiltration point, compound entry point, escape point, time of day, weapon loadout and any available support crew. The options shown depend on the intel and prep work completed for that run.

4. Steal the target and escape

Enter the compound, take the primary target, collect any reachable secondary loot and leave the island. Stealth is usually the most controlled route, but the finale can continue after the alarm is raised.

Cayo Perico guides

Solo and team play

Every stage can be completed solo, but a crew can carry more secondary loot and enter areas that require two players. Gold rooms inside the compound normally use a dual-keycard lock, so solo players should plan around loot available outside those rooms.³

Your best crew size depends on the available targets, each player's cut and how much loot the group can reach. The Cayo Perico payout guide keeps the current values and cooldown rules separate from the route guidance here.

Payouts and cooldowns

The total take changes with the primary target, secondary loot, difficulty, crew cuts, fees and any active event bonuses. Lower-value targets can still produce a worthwhile run when the available secondary loot and route are favorable.

Use the complete payout and cooldown reference for current target values, loot-bag capacity, Hard Mode, Elite Challenge rewards and the wait before starting another run.

Frequently asked questions

The Cayo Perico Heist FAQ answers common questions about access, solo play, restarting prep missions, Hard Mode, payouts and cooldowns.