This page contains information on how to obtain and use Helicopters in Saints Row, including where to find them in Santo Ileso, and how to get your own helipad. Unlike regular vehicles, helicopters can be hard to find in Saints Row, and you’ll have to progress to a certain part in the story before you can easily pilot one at will. Fortunately, there are ways to get around this.

Before you found the Saints and build out your headquarters, you’ll have to locate helicopters while exploring Santo Ileso. Though it’s probably faster just to stick with the main story for a bit until you reach the mission that unlocks a helipad at your base, you may find yourself in need of a quick getaway. Below you’ll find a few examples of where you can find a helicopter to steal:

One of the easiest to reach helicopters is located in the rich district of Monte Vista, located east of the large hollywood-like Santo Ileso sign. The hills here are full of rich houses with long driveways and expensive cars. One house in particular located on the far northeast side on the first hill has a helipad that you can steal a helicopter from.

Another easy to reach helicopter is actually from a helipad you’ll use during the mission to unlock one at your base - but this helipad can be reached at any point before this. In the El Dorado District, head along the north side of the district along the waterfront near a ferris wheel to locate a spot that has a helipad on the water that you can take. During the main mission, you’ll find an attack helicopter here, but at all other times, only a regular civilian Thompson helicopter will appear.

A very out of the way helicopter can also be found on the far northwest side of the map in the Badlands North. Look for the large Marshall Prison complex in the badlands, and explore the south side of the outer walls to find a helipad that’s unguarded. Just be sure not to stray too close to the prison itself, or you’ll be put on an automatic 4-star notoriety just for getting close.

Once you grab the Thompson civilian helicopter right outside the Marshall Prison, use it to fly into the prison (you likely won't be shot at too much from the air). Check the north side of the prison and look by some large shipping containers - and there's a good chance you'll find a Tornado Attack Helicopter stashed by a container.

Unlike other choppers, it's not a guaranteed spawn, sometimes you might find a golf cart or police vehicle instead. However, if you keep checking back after fast traveling or completing missions, and use the civilian helicopter outside to check the location, you should eventually be able to nab it for yourself.

Not only is the Tornado one of the few vehicles to include weapons (it can fire regular rounds and missiles), you can also store it at your helipad at the Saints HQ to bring it back out whenever you like!

Stealing a chopper is all well and good, but sometimes you just don’t want to scour the city for one. Luckily, you don’t have to progress too far into the main missions to get your own helipad.

Once you’ve officially founded your new Saints HQ at the church, you’ll have a lot of building and fixing up to do. Be sure to undertake all of Neenah’s Missions - including Neenah’s Car, and the followup: The Forge. By completing this mission, you’ll unlock a helipad next to the garage at your HQ. Even better, any helicopter you steal can be stored here much the same as you can for vehicles - though you’ll have a default Thompson helicopter already stored, you can find other variants in the wild and bring them back if you choose.