As a giant airship travels to various far-flung locales, rival gangs compete to pull off daring heists. Your job is to recruit various skilled criminals to join your gang as you plan to take down fortified locations and steal the loot guarded within. You may also complete smaller jobs on the airship itself as it travels across the globe. Set in a steampunk world, Skyway Robbery offers high adventure and cunning, card-driven game play.

A player's turn consists of selecting three action cards and determining their order in secret. Once all players have selected their three actions, the cards are revealed and resolved in turn. Most actions allow players to purchase new cards (hire gang members and buy equipment) from areas on the board or engage in an illegal, but lucrative, activity. Whoever earns the most Reputation points at the end of the game is the winner.