GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide

Our GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide will go over all the aspects of this lucrative venture. Though grindy in nature, it can be an essential tool in your criminal empire, churning out profits via the trade of stolen crates from across Los Santos and Blaine County. It is worth noting that the initial investment is pretty hefty, especially for those who want the best property location and upgrades. That said, the business is worth the expenditure.

For anyone who's wondering, yes, it is quite solo-friendly too. With that said, here is a detailed GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide, explaining how to enter the business, get the best property, and make the most money, along with some other useful tips and FAQs.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and only reflect the writer's opinions and analysis.

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GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide: Overview

GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide: Official DLC artwork (Image via Rockstar Games)

Rockstar Games dropped the GTA Online Smuggler's Run update back in August 2017. It was through this free DLC that Hangars were introduced as a purchasable property in the multiplayer.

Interestingly, not only do these properties serve their obvious purpose of storing aircraft, but they can also act as the headquarters of a smuggling operation called the Air Freight Cargo business. Hangars are up for sale on the Maze Bank Foreclosures website in the multiplayer. Once purchased, you can get started with the business right away.

It runs on the simple principle of stealing different types of cargo and then selling them, much like the GTA 5 Online Special Cargo business. Rockstar Games has even tweaked some of its elements a couple of times, rendering the establishment a lot easier to operate and more profitable than before.

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GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide: How to buy a Hangar

GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide: Hangar on sale (Image via Rockstar Games)

As mentioned earlier, Hangars are sold on the Maze Bank Foreclosures website. You can log into it through the web browser available on your in-game mobile phone. The thumbnail typically spawns on the home page itself, but is otherwise present in the Money and Services tab.

Each player can buy any one of these five Hangars in GTA Online:

• Fort Zancudo Hangar A2 - $3,250,000
• Fort Zancudo Hangar 3499 - $2,650,000
• Fort Zancudo Hangar 3497 - $2,085,000
• LSIA Hangar A17 - $1,200,000
• LSIA Hangar 1 - $1,525,000

All of them operate in the exact same manner and have no differences in terms of payout. So, which one should you choose?

While the Hangars at LSIA are cheaper, those at the Fort Zancudo military base are in a much better location strategically. Their somewhat central position on the map helps with travel time in missions, essentially making the overall operations feel a little less tedious.

Not to forget, buying a Hangar at Fort Zancudo provides an all-time free access to the otherwise highly restricted military base.

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GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide: What upgrades to get

GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide: All upgrades (Image via Rockstar Games)

As is the case with most GTA 5 Online properties, there are a few upgrades for Hangars available on Maze Bank Foreclosures. They are a mix of operational and cosmetic upgrades, and hence, not all are worth getting, especially if you are on a tight budget.

Here is a list of all Hangar upgrades and a bit of context regarding each of them:

• Hangar Style - Decides the color of walls, pillars, and floor
• Lighting - Pick the color of the light rig inside your Hangar
• Floor Graphics - Pick a design for the Hangar floor
• Office Furniture - Decide the look of your Smuggler's Run Business office
• Living Quarters - Adds a bed in the office
• Workshop - Adds an aircraft workshop in the Hangar

This GTA Online Smuggler's Run guide suggests that you only get the Living Quarters upgrade. This will let you set the Hangar as a spawn location, allowing for quicker traversal by switching sessions rather than traveling via a GTA Online vehicle every time.

Those who also own aircraft can consider getting the Workshop, as it will let you modify customizable planes and helicopters.

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How to start Smuggler's Run in GTA 5 Online

GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide: The office is on the upper deck (Image via Rockstar Games)

To start the Smuggler's Run business, go to the computer in your Hangar's office, and press the button prompted in the top-left corner of the screen to interact with it. As mentioned earlier, this business runs on the principle of bringing in crates and selling them for a profit.

When on the computer, click on Source, and then on Select under any of the listed cargo types to start sourcing crates. Here are all eight types of cargo available:

• Narcotics
• Chemicals
• Medical Supplies
• Animal Materials
• Art & Antiques
• Jewelry & Gemstones
• Tobacco and Alcohol
• Counterfeit Goods

You will have the option to do these GTA Online Air Freight Cargo missions either using air or land vehicles. The latter option was added much later and is a lot more convenient than the former.

GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide: Source cargo (Image via Rockstar Games)

The basic objective of these sourcing missions is to go to a location and bring back a crate. However, there can be different kinds of challenges when attempting to collect these crates.

You can also task an NPC named Rooster McCraw to source crates in the background.

GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide: Rooster McCraw (Image via Rockstar Games)

He is present inside your Hangar, under the office deck, and charges $25,000 for the job. Note that he will take 48 minutes to return with either one or two crates.

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GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide: Payout

The Smuggler's Run business's payout depends on how many crates are being sold. Each crate sells for $30,000; so the more crates you sell (50 maximum for each cargo type), the higher your profit will be. That being said, there are a few ways to earn even more.

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GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide: How to make the most money

GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide: Sell cargo for profit (Image via Rockstar Games)

Each type of cargo in the GTA 5 Online Air Freight Cargo business rewards a specific bonus upon selling a certain amount of its crates. For example, a 5% bonus is rewarded for every five Counterfeit Goods crates sold, and you get a 35% bonus for every 25 crates of Narcotics that you manage to offload.

Here is a list of the conditions required to trigger bonuses in each cargo type:

• Narcotics - 35% bonus per 25 crates
• Chemicals - 35% bonus per 25 crates
• Medical Supplies - 35% bonus per 25 crates
• Animal Materials - 12% bonus per 10 crates
• Art & Antiques - 12% bonus per 10 crates
• Jewelry & Gemstones - 12% bonus per 10 crates
• Tobacco and Alcohol - 5% bonus per 5 crates
• Counterfeit Goods - 5% bonus per 5 crates

Therefore, instead of getting just any type of crates, targeting a certain group can result in pretty lucrative bonuses.

Narcotics, Chemicals, and Medical Supplies can be regarded as the best cargo for the GTA Online Smuggler's Run business. They offer the highest bonuses when it comes to selling the maximum number of crates.

Here's a quick breakdown:

• 50 crates of Narcotics, Chemicals, or Medical Supplies - 70% bonus
• 50 crates of Tobacco and Alcohol or Counterfeit Goods - 50% bonus
• 50 crates of Animal Materials, Art and Antiques, or Jewelry and Gemstones - 60% bonus

Further note that any Air Freight Cargo with bonuses applied should be sold separately. Selling all crates together negates that incentive.

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GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide: Higgins Helitours poster (Image via Rockstar Games)

Besides these bonuses, those who own the Higgins Helitours business get a further 10% increase on the overall sale value of their Air Freight Cargo.

This business is also sold on the Maze Bank Foreclosures website, and it can help you earn a decent amount of money on its own. However, to acquire it, you need to buy the Hands On Car Wash first, which is also sold on the same website.

Also check: Smoke on the Water

Lastly, doing a GTA Online Smuggler's Run Sell Mission in a full Public session rewards an additional 50% bonus. Needless to say, the offer seems incredibly attractive, but remember that Public sessions are often infested with griefers who might destroy your product, resulting in losses.

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GTA Online Smuggler's Run solo guide

GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide: Aircraft in Hangar (Image via Rockstar Games)

A solo GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide wouldn't be much different from what we have covered so far.

That said, remember to send Rooster McCraw on sourcing runs regularly. He can accumulate one or two extra crates every now and then while you source them yourself.

Additionally, always select Land Sell Missions. This way, you will only get a single delivery vehicle, no matter how many crates are being sold. Air Sell Missions, on the other hand, can spawn multiple delivery vehicles if the number of crates is high. This would make completing Sell Missions alone tricky, since they have a time limit.

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GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide: Tips round-up

Here are some quick tips from this GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run business guide:

• Try getting a Hangar at Fort Zancudo rather than at LSIA.
• Avoid getting cosmetic upgrades for the Hangar if you are on a tight budget.
• Go with Land source missions as they take relatively less time to complete than Air source missions.
• Similarly, go with Land Sell Missions, as only a single sale vehicle spawns in this option, regardless of how much product is being sold. This will be highly beneficial for solo players.
• Avoid selling in Public sessions. While the full lobby bonus is lucrative, losing cargo due to griefers can waste all your hard work.

The following section will answer some FAQs.

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FAQs

1) What is Smuggler's Run in GTA V?

Smuggler's Run is a content update for GTA V's multiplayer mode - GTA Online. It is also what players use to refer to the Air Freight Cargo business, which is operated from a purchasable Hangar.

2) Can you do Smuggler's Run solo?

Yes. The Smuggler's Run business is very solo-friendly. Selecting Land Sell Missions also restricts the delivery vehicle to just one, regardless of the product quantity, which further aids solo players.

3) What are the cargo bonuses in Smuggler's Run?

Smuggler's Run cargo bonuses are rewarded for selling a certain quantity of crates of a specific cargo type. An example of this is getting a 5% bonus for every five crates of Tobacco and Alcohol sold.

4) What's the best thing to source in the Hanger?

Narcotics, Chemicals, and Medical Supplies are the best things to source in the Hangar. Players are given a 35% bonus per 25 crates of these items, which means a 70% bonus for selling 50 crates (the maximum possible amount). This is the highest obtainable bonus out of all available cargo types.

5) How can you complete a Tier 4 Smuggler's Run?

Do the following to complete the GTA 5 Online Smuggler's Run Career Progress Tier 4:

• Complete 100 sourcing missions
• Sell 1,000 crates
• Sell all types of cargo
• Earn $50,000,000 from cumulative cargo sales

The rewards for completing these Tier 4 challenges are a free Nagasaki Havoc helicopter, $250,000, and 10,000 RP. While not inherently difficult, beating them all can take quite a bit of time.

6) Is Smuggler's Run worth it in GTA 5 Online?

Yes. The Smuggler's Run business is absolutely worth it. It is relatively simple to run, solo-friendly, and while the initial investment may seem high, a lot of profit can be earned from it over time.

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