Original 5 Heists: Step by Step
- •The classic 2015 Online heist chain: same order for everyone.
- •Requires a high-end apartment with a planning room (~$200K).
- •Fleeca needs 2 players; the rest need 4.
- •Pacific Standard is the hardest: save it for last.
- •Best with friends who will stick around for the full chain.
What are the Original 5 heists?
The first GTA Online heists: Fleeca Job, Prison Break, Humane Labs Raid, Series A Funding, and Pacific Standard Job. They unlock in order through Lester. You need a high-end apartment (with the heist planning room on the wall) and real teammates, random players often quit mid-setup.
Tip: If you mostly play solo, skip these and do Farm Raid + Cayo Perico instead.
Step 1: Buy a high-end apartment
Phone → Dynasty 8 → filter for high-end apartments. You need one with a planning room (10-car garage tier). Cheapest options are around $200,000. Del Perro Heights and similar towers work. Without this apartment, Lester will not offer the heist chain.
Tip: Apartment location does not affect heists. Buy the cheapest high-end unit.
Heist 1: The Fleeca Job (2 players)
Rob a small bank vault with a friend. Short setups: gather Kuruma (optional armored car setup), then finale where one player drives while the other hacks. Easiest Online heist. Pperfect for learning matchmaking and splits. Payout: modest (~$200K split) but low risk.
Approaches:Kuruma setup makes the finale easier for new players. Loud vs Silent choice affects difficulty slightly.
Tip: Do Fleeca with one reliable friend before recruiting a four-person crew.
Heist 2: Prison Break (4 players)
Break a prisoner out of a maximum-security transport. Needs exactly 4 roles: pilot, demolition, prisoner, and officer. Multiple setup missions (plane, bus, uniforms). Finale is a coordinated escape. Oone weak link fails everyone.
Approaches:Assign roles before matchmaking. The pilot needs flight practice; demolition handles sniping.
Tip: Use party chat. Randoms rarely know their role.
Heist 3: Humane Labs Raid (4 players)
Steal chemical weapons data from a research lab. Setups include stealing an insurgent, Valkyrie helicopter missions, and EMP delivery. Finale: assault the labs from air and sea. Heavy combat. Sstock up on armor and snacks.
Tip: The Valkyrie setup frustrates random crews. Friends with mic communication strongly recommended.
Heist 4: Series A Funding (4 players)
Series of drug warehouse raids funding the final job. Multiple setup missions across Blaine County. Finale: defend convoys and steal product. Less iconic than Pacific Standard but still needs four coordinated players.
Approaches:Spread your crew across map objectives in setups. Iidle players cause timeouts.
Heist 5: Pacific Standard Job (4 players)
Rob the Pacific Standard Bank vault and escape on motorcycles through the city. Famous for the finale escape where wanted levels make the last stretch brutal. Hardest of the original five. Tteams die repeatedly on the bike escape.
Approaches:Classic strategy: one player uses a heavy vest and carries the money while others clear police. Stick together on bikes.
Tip: Expect to fail the finale multiple times. Have everyone repair bikes and restock armor between attempts.
Heist order and unlock rules
You must complete each heist finale before the next unlocks. Fleeca → Prison Break → Humane Labs → Series A → Pacific Standard. You can replay earlier heists after unlocking later ones, but first-time progression is linear.
Payouts and heist cuts
Before each finale, the leader sets cut percentages on the planning board. Default splits are even. Pacific Standard pays the most of the five but split four ways. Total chain earnings are meaningful for a first-time Online character but outclassed by Cayo Perico for solo repeat farming.
Common mistakes
Starting Prison Break with random three strangers. Not owning a high-end apartment before inviting people. Setting unfair cuts and having players quit. Attempting Pacific Standard without heavy body armor and motorcycle skill.