GTA V Online San Andreas Flight School

Quick facts

Where the Flight School is and how to start it

The Flight School sits at the bottom of the map, just outside the gates to Los Santos International Airport (LSIA). An airplane icon marks the exact spot. Once you are Rank 6, head there and walk into the Job marker at the icon.

That opens the San Andreas Flight School menu, with three tabs: LESSONS, INFORMATION and RESULTS. The lessons tab lists all ten lessons with your best result and the gold, silver and bronze targets for each, so you always know what you are chasing before you take off.

If you own one of the Hangars, you have a second way in: since the San Andreas Mercenaries update (June 13, 2023), Hangars have their own entry point to the Flight School. Players report there is no phone or pause-menu shortcut, so it is the airport icon or your Hangar.

A few things worth knowing before you start:

• Every lesson is solo, and your instructor is J.T. Boyd.

• Players report each lesson takes a few minutes, though retries add up fast on the harder ones.

• You can replay any lesson from the menu to improve your medal.

All ten lessons and medal targets

Here is every lesson in the order the menu lists them, with the aircraft you fly and the exact gold, silver and bronze targets. "Finish" means you only need to complete the lesson for that medal.

Players rank Ground Level, Collect Flags and Formation Flight as the hardest three. The sections below cover how to get gold in every Flight School lesson, one lesson at a time.

Lesson 1: Outside Loop

You fly the P-996 Lazer through two outside loops against the clock, and the second one runs partly under a bridge. Gold needs 0:58.

Gold tip: start the first loop right after the first marker and finish each loop completely, because an unfinished loop does not count.

Lesson 2: Engine Failure

You land the Miljet with an engine failure and stop as close to the marker on the runway as you can. Time does not matter here, only distance: gold is within 10 m.

Gold tip: line up with the near end of the runway, level off and lower the landing gear about 1,000 m out. Touch down before the halfway point, then brake to a stop right on the marker.

Lesson 3: Chase Parachute

You jump out of a military plane, chase down a falling parachute bag, catch it, then land on the target. Gold means landing within 2 m.

Gold tip: dive straight down after jumping to catch the bag. Slow down before you land, because too much speed makes you stumble or slide off the target.

Lesson 4: City Landing

You fly the Titan through a storm, an engine fails on the way, and you set it down on the beach just past Pleasure Pier rather than at an airport. Gold is within 10 m of the target.

Gold tip: keep the plane steady through the early checkpoints and come in low over the Ferris wheel. Touch down just past the wooden barrier and roll to the target. Sand stops the plane quickly, so do not accelerate.

Lesson 5: Moving Landing

This one is a helicopter lesson: you land the Swift on a moving truck as it drives down a bridge. Gold needs 0:19.

Gold tip: fly straight to where the bridge starts and line up along it. Hover just above truck height and drop onto the truck as it passes under you.

Lesson 6: Formation Flight

You fly one Besra in a group and hold formation through several shapes and loops. It is scored in points, and gold needs 600.

Gold tip: raise your landing gear first or you cannot keep up. Use the rudder for small corrections instead of overcorrecting; the checkpoint turns green when you are in formation. In the loops, watch the other planes, not the checkpoint.

Lesson 7: Shooting Range

You take the Buzzard Attack Chopper through a shooting range and destroy targets with its guns and rockets. Gold is 25 targets.

Gold tip: keep the Buzzard stable and position it by climbing, descending and rotating. The machine gun is enough for single targets and rows; rockets help on clusters.

Lesson 8: Ground Level

You fly the Besra through a course and try to pass as close to each checkpoint as possible. Your score is your average height, and gold needs under 1 m.

Gold tip: go through the lower half of every checkpoint. Lower the landing gear and ease off the throttle to slow down. Time does not count toward your score, so take each checkpoint low, and restart straight away if you mess up early.

Lesson 9: Collect Flags

Flags are placed around the map and you fly through every one of them, in whatever order you like. Gold needs 2:40, and bronze only asks you to finish.

Gold tip: plan a route before you go. Grab the western flags first, then the city flags, lower the gear near buildings and go easy on the afterburner. Players say learning the route takes several tries, so do not expect gold first time.

Lesson 10: Follow Leader

The final test: you follow your instructor in a P-996 Lazer through an obstacle course around the city. Checkpoint colours tell you how to fly: gold is normal, blue means fly inverted and green means knife flight (on your side). Gold needs 2:25.

Gold tip: watch the next checkpoint, not the leader, and match its colour. In knife flight, use the rudder.

How much Flight School pays

Pay depends on the lesson and on the medal you earn, and the first completion is where the money is. Players who got gold on every lesson report over GTA$ 200,000 in total. According to players, replays pay much less than a first completion, so do not count on replays as a money grind.

Finishing all ten lessons with any medal, bronze or better, unlocks the Elitás Travel T-shirt. You do not need gold for it.

Rockstar has run 2X GTA$ and RP weeks on Flight School lessons several times, for example February 24, 2022 (seven days), September 29 to October 5, 2022, June 1 to 12, 2023 and June 26 to July 2, 2025. They come and go, so check the weekly updates before your first run, since the first completion is the payout a bonus helps most.

Is Flight School worth doing?

Yes, especially early. It is a one-time money boost from the first clears plus a Flying skill boost, and a better Flying skill makes aircraft easier to handle on take-off, landing and in turbulence. If you are a newer player at Rank 6 or above, do it early; it fits neatly into a beginners roadmap.

Once the first clears are done, players report that replays pay much less, so treat it as something you finish once rather than a grind.

FAQ

Where is the Flight School in GTA Online?

At Los Santos International Airport, just outside the airport gates at the bottom of the map. Look for the airplane icon. If you own a Hangar, it also has an entry point.

How do you start Flight School in GTA Online?

Walk into the Job marker at the airplane icon (or use your Hangar's entry) to open the San Andreas Flight School menu, then pick a lesson from the LESSONS tab.

What rank do you need for Flight School in GTA Online?

Rank 6 or higher. There is no fee and you do not need to own any property.

How much money does Flight School give in GTA Online?

It varies by lesson and medal. Players report over GTA$ 200,000 in total for gold on all ten, and say replays pay much less. Watch for 2X GTA$ and RP weeks to stretch that first payout.

What do you get for finishing Flight School in GTA Online?

The Elitás Travel T-shirt, for completing all ten lessons with bronze or better. Gold is not required.

Can you do Flight School with friends?

No. All ten lessons are solo, one player each, with no co-op lesson.

Does Flight School improve your flying skill?

Yes. The lessons raise your Flying skill, which makes aircraft easier to handle on take-off, landing and in turbulence.

Is the GTA Online Flight School the same as the story mode one?

No. GTA V's story mode has its own, separate Flight School with different lessons. The ten lessons on this page are the Online version.