How to exfil in DMZ

Getting into DMZ can be tricky and finding the resources to survive in the area can be tough. But getting out of it is no walk in the park either. The new Escape From Tarkov-like addition to the Call of Duty franchise has players scavenging their way through Al Mazrah, gathering an assortment of items—including an exclusive weapon—and getting out with their loot.

Exfiltrating in DMZ can be trickier than it seems, however, since it’s not just a matter of outlasting enemies. There are only a handful of locations on each map, and if you’re not close to them, you may end up having a long trek ahead of you. And that’s before taking into account the radiation that will engulf the map if you take too long to get out.

Here’s how you can get out safely in DMZ and carry all your hard-earned loot back to base.

How to extract in DMZ

There are a few different ways to extract in DMZ. The easiest ways are by calling an exfil helicopter in any of the marked landing zones or jump into a helicopter after the Hostage Rescue contract. Operators who want a little more risk, however, can also use a Heavy Chopper of their own (as long as they find its fuel) or shell out a whopping $50,000 for a Personal Exfil.

Using a normal exfil point

To exfil in DMZ, you’ll need to go to specific points marked on your Tac-Map. The exfil points will be marked by an icon that looks like a blue person going through a door, and only a handful of exfil points will be active at once. There is “a finite number of exfil points” in DMZ, according to Activision, and if players use all of them, a final location will appear.

If you’re leaving before the radiation expands, you can head to any of the marked Exfil points (highlighted by green smoke) at any time and interact with it to request extraction. This will cause a heavy chopper to fly to your location after a while, though it will also attract attention to your position. AI combatants will likely show up, and the heavy chopper can also be a telltale sign for players that there is movement in the area.

After the chopper lands, you’ll have a little over 30 seconds to get to the chopper and make your way out of Al Mazrah. Enter through the ramp on the back and stand inside it to leave Al Mazrah and come back with your loot. Extracting will allow you to take most of what you had with you, including contraband weapons. Bringing a contraband weapon with you will unlock the base version of it as an insured slot and across different modes. All cash on your person once you leave will be converted into XP, giving you 10 percent of your earnings as experience.

At the end of a DMZ match, there will only be one exfil point available, and the remaining players will have to fight for it. If you’re lucky enough to get to it uncontested and without getting hit by the radiation, you can make a quick getaway by just getting to the point. Every other squad still in the fight will have the same strategy, though, so prepare for a fight.

Extracting with the Heavy Chopper

As of season three, players can also use a Heavy Chopper of their own to exfil the zone—provided they can find its fuel. A Heavy Chopper will spawn anywhere in Al Mazrah, but it will have an empty gas tank. If you want to use it to exfil, you’ll need to locate some fuel, then fill the Heavy Chopper up, and leave the area of operations by piloting it outside the mission area.

Finding Heavy Chopper Fuel can be a tricky task. The season three blog post recommends looking for it in the airport. We’ve also found it on the cargo train in Al Mazrah, which means it may have a chance of appearing in areas with high-end loot. Its spawns can be hard to find, though, so you may have to look around carefully. And with some luck, you can also find it on a downed player’s backpack.

After you’re done, head to the Heavy Chopper and fly it out of bounds to see an extraction countdown pop up in place of the usual “return to mission” message.

Extracting with a Personal Exfil

If you have the money to spare, you can also hire your own exfil zone. That luxury doesn’t come cheap, though: it costs a whopping $50,000, but it may as well be worth it if you really need to get out of the area in a pinch.

A Personal Exfil will create a new exfil area, picking one of the numerous unused locations for that match. They are also usually close to where you bought them, so keep your eyes peeled.

To buy a Personal Exfil, head to any Buy Station and look for it in the Gear section. Once you’ve purchased it, the game will open up a new extraction zone on your Tac-Map, marked with a yellow version of the extraction symbol. The new zone will show up as soon as you buy the Personal Exfil, so make sure you’re ready to move before purchasing it.

This Personal Exfil works as a regular exfil, though it won’t be marked in other teams’ maps. Caling the helicopter will also shoot up a green flare, just like in a normal extraction, so keep your eyes peeled for any potential enemies in the area. After the helicopter lands, head inside and escape normally.