Air Races

Overview

Air Races are a race type in GTA Online in which players fly planes through a course of aerial checkpoints. They have been part of the game since its launch on October 1, 2013, and support 1 to 30 players in standard PvP format. Vehicles used across the official and Rockstar verified routes include the Mallard stunt plane, the Besra and Vestra jets and the P-996 LAZER.

Many Air Races were added later as community creations. Sprunk Air Race No 1, for example, is a Rockstar verified point-to-point course of 3.98 miles starting at LSIA for up to 8 players in Mallards only. It was one of five winning entries in the Flight School Creator Competition and was added on October 14, 2014. It is no longer available.

How it works

Players start together and must pass through each checkpoint in order, with the first to cross the final gate winning. Routes are either point to point or laps. The host can set options such as collisions; on stunt-style Mallard courses, Non-Contact is the default so planes pass through each other.

Tips

• Smooth, early turns save more time than raw top speed on tight courses.
• Keep Non-Contact on for stunt courses to avoid mid-air collisions ending your run.
• Learn the loops and low passes before racing others; missing a checkpoint costs a long reroute.
• Jets like the Vestra and Besra reward gentle inputs over sharp corrections.

Rewards and unlocks

• Standard race payouts of cash and RP based on finishing position.
• Available from Rank 1 on routes such as Sprunk Air Race No 1.