7 Best Helicopters in GTA Online

Image: Rockstar Games via HGG

Human Made

My name is Gibson Vasela. I am a freelance writer who has been playing video games for almost 20 years now. I play all kinds of games, but I especially love immersive sims and RPGs.

Reviewed by Benjamin Barr

Grand Theft Auto V may be focused on cars, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other great vehicles you should consider using. Some of these vehicles include boats, planes, and even helicopters! While there may not be as many of them as some of the other rides in the game, the ones that can be purchased in GTA Online are some of the most useful assets to own in Rockstar’s open-world sandbox.

If you’re trying to figure out which is the best helicopter in GTA Online, you’ve landed in the right place. We’ll be covering which ones are worth the money and what does each of them does best. Let’s begin!

7/7

Cargobob

Kicking off our ranking for the best helicopters in GTA Online, we have the Cargobob! This is a very simple helicopter that can be bought off of Warstock Cache & Carry for $1,790,000 (or $1,995,000 for the Jetsam version).

It’s not the fastest in the game and has no offensive or defensive capabilities, but it’s worth picking up because of one special ability. The Cargobob can drop down a hook that will latch onto the roof of any car it flies over!

This is a very useful feature if you happen to own a Vehicle Warehouse for doing Import/Export source missions. You no longer need to steal a Cargobob for missions that require it! For the other sourcing missions, simply picking up a car and flying across the map is much safer then driving it through Los Santos.

The reason this vehicle ranks so low is because the hook isn’t that useful outside of Import/Export. Having moved on from the business long ago, I hardly ever use this thing anymore. Still, if you are a low-level player or are looking to give I/E a try, be sure to pick up a Cargobob beforehand!

6/7

Savage

First up for PVP based helicopters, let’s take a look at the Savage! You can purchase one from Warstock Cache & Carry for $2,593,500, or a trade price of $1,850,000. The Savage is one of my favorite helicopters in the game.

As a military gunship, the Savage features two primary weapons — homing launchers and explosive cannons! Its homing launchers can lock onto enemy vehicles and cause massive damage. The explosive cannons are typically only found on jets, but the Savage is one of the few helicopters to feature them.

Unlike the military jets, the Savage can hover itself in the air, making targeting much easier. I recommend this for PVE activities, as players are much more erratic, and hitting them with non-lock-on weapons can be trickier. That said, it’s best to keep moving if you are being attacked by another player, lest you get shot down mid-air while hovering in place!

5/7

Buzzard

Next up, we have the Nagasaki Buzzard! Players can snag this versatile helicopter on Warstock Cache & Carry for $1,750,000. It is without a doubt one of the most popular helicopters in the game, and it’s not difficult to see why once you take a look at its features.

Like many military helicopters, the Buzzard can fire homing missiles that deal large amounts of damage to enemy vehicles. You can also hold three of your buddies on board. The two in the back can even pull out their weapons and fire them from the helicopter! Pretty useful if you play with friends.

The primary reason why you should get this helicopter isn’t its offensive capabilities, though. Unlike every other helicopter, which typically spawn far away from you, you can call the Buzzard from your CEO menu. This will spawn it right next to you!

4/7

Volatus

Our next helicopter is the Volatus! This is a luxury helicopter that you can only find on Elitas Travel. It’s sold for $2,295,000, and is one of the best helicopters in the game for showing off. Not only does the outside look great, but the inside has a luxurious finish and comes with internet access and champagne bottles for toasting with your friends!

But let’s be real here — you probably couldn’t care less about luxuries or “showing off.” You want something practical, right? Well, let’s get the bad news out of the way first. This helicopter has no defensive measures and no weapons of any kind. So why is it so high on this list, then?

Simply put, this is the fastest helicopter in the entire game. It can reach a top speed of 161.25 MPH (according to YouTuber Broughy1322). This makes it a must-own if you find yourself traveling across the map frequently. Just be sure to avoid other players, and you’ll be able to reach your destination in style.

3/7

F1-Hunter

Now getting into the final three contenders for the best helicopters in GTA Online, we have the F1-Hunter. Players can pick it up on Warstock for $4,123,000 (or a trade price of $3,100,000). This is arguably one of the best helicopters to use in PVP, yet for some reason, you hardly ever see it in use.

The F1-Hunter features two primary weapons — homing missiles and a rocket barrage. The homing missiles on this thing track great, and the rocket barrage sends out a big swarm of several missiles at once! The cooldown on the barrage is fairly high, so be sure to switch between the weapons often.

If you have a co-pilot, they can activate the auto-cannons. These cannons fire explosive rounds at a decent rate of fire. If you still aren’t convinced you should buy this thing, you should know that it also drops bombs. The armor on is good too, and it can take three rockets from an RPG or similar weapon before being destroyed.

2/7

Akula

Now that our ranking is coming to a close, let’s talk about what I consider to be a must-own helicopter for grinders and PVP players alike. The Akula is a stealth helicopter that can be bought from Warstock for a starting price of $3,704,050, or a trade price of $2,785,000. This helicopter sports one special feature that no other vehicle in the game has.

By pressing right on the D-pad (or ‘H’ if you’re on PC), the chopper will activate stealth mode. While in stealth mode, its weapons will be retracted, but you’ll completely disappear off the map! Players can still physically spot you if they are nearby, but you will not show up as an icon on their radar.

When in stealth mode, any cargo, business supplies, or heist equipment you’re carrying will disappear as well. This makes it great for completing resupply and sell missions without fear of being griefed. If you do find yourself engaged in a fight, the Akula features bombs, a mounted turret, and the option of either homing missiles or barrage missiles.

1/7

Sparrow

Our pick for the best helicopter in GTA Online goes to the Sparrow! This can be bought from Warstock by selecting the Kosatka Submarine and adding the Sparrow as an upgrade. It’ll cost you $1,815,000, not including the price for the Kosatka Submarine.

Many of you may be looking at this simple helicopter and wondering why it’s taken home the gold medal. This one certainly isn’t the best for PVP — its armor is very weak, and while it does have homing missiles, those are its only weapons. Despite all this, the Sparrow is by far my most used helicopter.

This is because it is, hands-down, the best vehicle for grinding the Cayo Perico Heist (the current meta way to make money in GTA Online). It spawns onboard your submarine, and you can hop in it at any time. This makes it great for completing setup missions quickly, as you will not need to swim to shore or call a Dinghy.

Again, this helicopter may not be the best for PVP, but it’s still one of the most useful vehicles for making money in the game. I’ve earned my investment back on this thing a hundred times over, and you will too if you intend to make Cayo Perico your main money grind in GTA Online.

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Happy gaming!