To start the Cayo Perico Heist in GTA Online, meet Miguel Madrazo at The Music Locker beneath The Diamond Casino & Resort, purchase the Kosatka submarine from Warstock Cache & Carry, then use the planning screen aboard the sub to gather intel and complete the required prep missions. The finale supports a solo player, so you do not need to recruit a crew to launch it.
This guide covers the current start-to-finale sequence, what you actually need to buy, and which older Cayo Perico claims to ignore. Rockstar’s current update notes have adjusted target values and target appearance rates, so fixed payout tables copied from older guides may no longer match your run.
You do not need to own a Sparrow, Sonar Station, or other Kosatka upgrade to begin. They can make travel or other activities more convenient, but the submarine itself is the essential purchase. Old advice that you must reach a particular rank to buy a property is outdated: Rockstar removed property rank requirements in Title Update 1.69.
Go to The Diamond Casino & Resort and enter The Music Locker, the underground nightclub beneath it. Follow the introduction and speak with Miguel Madrazo about the island job. This meeting is the story step that points you toward buying the Kosatka. If the nightclub or mission marker does not appear, finish any prompts already active in Freemode and check the map again.
Open the in-game phone, visit the Warstock Cache & Carry website, and purchase the Kosatka. The game will show the current price and optional configurations before you confirm. You can skip cosmetic and convenience upgrades for your first run; they are not required to unlock the planning board.
Once the submarine is yours, use the Services menu to request it if needed, then travel to its map marker and enter. The main planning area is inside the sub. Rockstar describes the Kosatka as the base for planning the heist, and its original update notes confirm that the Cayo Perico job can be scoped, prepared, and completed solo.
Go to the planning screen inside the Kosatka and select The Cayo Perico Heist. Follow the prompts to register the job and pay the setup fee shown on-screen. The board shows the current setup fee, so use that figure rather than an old guide’s total budget. For a first attempt, choose Gather Intel and start the island reconnaissance mission.
Take the Velum flight to Cayo Perico and follow the mission instructions after landing. Your first priority is the primary target in El Rubio’s compound. Photograph required points of interest for Pavel, and note useful entry and exit options as you explore. You can also inspect secondary loot locations, such as the airstrip or docks, if you want to plan what is reachable during a solo run.
Scouting every optional location is not necessary to unlock the finale. A solo player has limited bag space, so concentrate on a route and secondary loot that you can actually collect without a teammate. If you want to use a specific entry point, scope it out before leaving the island.
Return to the Kosatka planning screen and review the available approach vehicles and infiltration options. Pick a route that fits the entry point you identified. For example, the drainage tunnel can support a quiet compound entry, but you must discover it during reconnaissance and complete the relevant equipment preparation. The Kosatka approach is available without buying an extra vehicle; the Longfin and other approaches require their own setup mission.
On the planning screen, finish the mandatory prep markers for your selected approach. These typically cover an approach vehicle, weapons, and the equipment required for your chosen target and entry plan. The specific prep list depends on your selections, so use the board’s required indicators rather than assuming every player needs the same checklist.
When selecting a weapon loadout, add suppressors if you plan to stay undetected; the board displays any associated charge before you confirm. You do not need to buy a separate weaponized vehicle to start the heist.
Disruption missions weaken parts of the island’s defenses and can make a failed-stealth run less punishing, but they are not all mandatory. If you are learning the route and expect a firefight, consider completing the disruption prep the board offers. If you are confident you can remain undetected, prioritize the required equipment and skip optional work to save time.
When all required prep is complete, select the Finale on the Kosatka board and leave the player count at one. Choose your approach vehicle, compound entry, escape plan, and weapon loadout, then confirm the launch. Keep an eye on the objective prompts and avoid unnecessary fights: alarms can turn a controlled solo route into a much harder escape.
For the finale, collect secondary loot that fits in your bag and is on your route. Some compound loot requires two players to access, so do not build a solo plan around a door that needs two keycards. Once you have the primary target and the loot you can carry, leave the island using the exit route that best suits your position.
The old claim that the Cayo Perico Heist always pays a specific amount is unreliable. Rockstar’s Title Update 1.73 notes say it made further adjustments to primary and secondary target values and changed repeated-run target appearance rates to refresh on a weekly cadence. Your gross take therefore depends on the target, difficulty, secondary loot, and any active event bonuses. The amount you keep is lower after the setup fee and other heist deductions. Treat limited-time targets such as the Panther Statue as event-dependent rather than guaranteed loot; Rockstar has announced its return for specific event weeks, including the Summer Heist Event.
There is also a wait between solo finales. Rockstar Support says a solo Cayo Perico finale can be completed once every three in-game days. If Pavel has not contacted you after a solo completion, wait for the cooldown to pass before trying to start the next run. This is not an instant replay loop or a one-hour reset.
For the game’s current overview, see Rockstar’s Cayo Perico Heist page. Rockstar’s Title Update 1.52 notes document the Kosatka, The Music Locker, and solo play. For current target-value and appearance changes, check the Title Update 1.73 notes. The replay timing is covered in Rockstar Support’s solo finale cooldown article.
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