GTA 5 Knife Flights are a miscellaneous challenge where you fly a fixed-wing aircraft with its wings vertical (a knife) through gaps between buildings. There are 15 of them around Los Santos, and they form half of the Close Shave achievement or trophy.
Key facts
- Total: 15 knife flights
- Aircraft: fixed-wing only, helicopters cannot perform a knife
- 100% completion: any 8 of the 15 count
- Close Shave needs all 15 knife flights plus all 50 Under the Bridge challenges
All 15 knife flight locations
Every gap sits between two towers or buildings in the city. Use this list with the GTA 5 map to line up your approach.
| No. | Area | Gap |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Vinewood | Between the Eclipse Towers and a Schlongberg Sachs building |
| 2 | West Vinewood | Between the Schlongberg Sachs building and the adjacent building to the south |
| 3 | Downtown Vinewood | Between the Vinewood Video store and Whirligig Theater |
| 4 | Hawick | Between the Vinewood Gardens and Galileo House |
| 5 | Pillbox Hill | Between the IAA and the FIB Headquarters |
| 6 | Pillbox Hill | Between the Quik House and the adjacent building to the east |
| 7 | Pillbox Hill | Between the Schlongberg Sachs Center and the Slaughter, Slaughter & Slaughter offices |
| 8 | Pillbox Hill | Between the Quik House and the Slaughter, Slaughter & Slaughter offices |
| 9 | Pillbox Hill | Between the Schlongberg Sachs Center and the adjacent tower to the south |
| 10 | Little Seoul | Between the two Lombank buildings on San Andreas Avenue |
| 11 | Rockford Hills | Through the street that crosses Boulevard Del Perro next to a Fleeca bank |
| 12 | Del Perro | Between the Bluff Tower and Del Perro Heights |
| 13 | Del Perro | Between the Von Crastenburg Hotel branch in Del Perro and Lombank West |
| 14 | Pacific Bluffs | Between the two towers of the Von Crastenburg Hotel branch in Pacific Bluffs |
| 15 | Rockford Hills | Between the Richards Majestic and the Weazel Plaza |
Planning your runs
Pillbox Hill holds five of the gaps (numbers 5 to 9), so it is the most efficient place to start. Because only 8 of the 15 count toward 100%, you can skip the awkward ones for the story checklist, but you need every knife flight for Close Shave. Pair the work with Under the Bridge, which is the other half of the same achievement.
For more plane challenges, see the Stunt Plane Time Trials and the San Andreas Flight School. The GTA 5 guide and the GTA 5 lexicon explain the districts and vehicles mentioned here.
Related guides
- All Parachute Jumps
- Hidden Packages and Briefcases Locations
- Letter Scraps Location Guide
- More hunts in the GTA 5 missions category
Video walkthrough
Prefer to watch? This video shows it in action.
FAQ
How many Knife Flights are in GTA 5?
There are 15, all between buildings in districts such as Vinewood, Pillbox Hill, Little Seoul, Del Perro and Pacific Bluffs.
Can I do a Knife Flight in a helicopter?
No. The challenge requires a fixed-wing aircraft flown with the wings aligned vertically.
How many do I need for 100% completion?
Any 8 of the 15 count toward 100%.
Which trophy involves Knife Flights?
Close Shave. It also requires all 50 Under the Bridge challenges.
