The iPhone 17 certainly offers some nice improvements over its predecessor, but the most exciting model in Apple’s latest lineup is the brand-new iPhone Air. It’s the first of its kind and the thinnest and lightest iPhone ever — measuring just 5.6mm thick and weighing in at just 165 grams. Though as you might expect, this cutting-edge model doesn’t come cheap.
The iPhone Air starts at $999, but fortunately, there’s a good chance you’ll only have to pay a fraction of that price thanks to some amazing launch discounts. Carriers like AT&T and Verizon are offering some serious savings to those adding a new line or trading in an old phone, which can put one of these sleek new iPhones in your pocket for free. To help you make the most of these offers while they’re still available, we’ve rounded up all the best iPhone Air deals below. And be sure to snag a compatible case for your new phone to keep it protected.
Buying a new iPhone Air? Check out the best deals on iPhone accessories like the Apple Watch Series 11, SE 3 and Ultra 3, as well as the AirPods Pro 3.
We’ve gathered information on where you can order the iPhone Air below. We’ll continue to expand this list as more retailers and get stock, too.
Best iPhone Air deals
If you’re looking for the thinnest iPhone, the new iPhone Air is definitely where it’s at. If you have an older device to trade in, you can get between $40 and $700 in trade-in credit. You’ll also get 3% cash back if you purchase with your Apple Card.* Apple also partners with carriers like AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Boost Mobile, which offer an enhanced trade-in credit of up to $1,100 if you’re looking for a service plan.
Free iPhone, anyone? With T-Mobile, you could technically pocket a new iPhone Air for free via bill credits. To get this deal, you’ll need to switch your existing number over from another carrier and activate a new line on T-Mobile’s Experience Beyond or Go5G Next plan, which saves you $1,000 total. Those who switch to the Experience More plan will get $830 off.
Those already on T-Mobile’s Experience Beyond or Go5G Next plan can also save up to $1,100 with an eligible trade-in, while those on an Experience More or Go5G Plus plan can save up to $830 and those on most other plans can save up to $300. Plus, you can save $830 with both a new line and trade-in.
T-Mobile is also offering special deals to military members, first responders and people aged 55 and older that can save you up to $900.
Sign up for a new line on Verizon’s Unlimited Ultimate plan and trade in an eligible device to save up to $1,000 off your iPhone Air, which scores you the basic model for free. Just note that the phone you trade in must be from Apple, Google, Motorola or Samsung. Your savings will be applied via 36 monthly bill credits.
AT&T is offering enhanced trade-in credit to help you put the new iPhone Air in your pocket for less. You’ll get up to $830 off with a trade-in valued at $130 or more, and even phones and devices valued at just $35 or more will still get up to $350 in credit. The discounts will be applied as bill credits over 36 months.
Just adding a new line on US Cellular’s Unlimited Data Basic, Everyday or Even Better 3.0 plan (which includes business plans) will save you $1,099, which scores you the basic 256GB iPhone Air for free. If you’ll also be trading in an old phone, you can save up to $1,200, which means you can also get the 512GB model for free or grab the 1TB model for around $6 per month.
You can also prepay for the entire phone upfront, which comes with a $350 discount. Plus, there’s no activation fee when purchased online. Your discount will be via bill credits over 36 months.
Best Buy doesn’t carry any unlocked iPhones, but it is offering some savings on the new iPhone Air if you’re looking to sign up with a carrier. You’ll get enhanced trade-in credit that saves you up to $830 if you’re an AT&T customer or up to $1,000 if you’re a Verizon customer. You’ll also get two free months of Apple TV Plus and three free months of Apple Music, Apple Arcade and Apple Fitness Plus with the purchase, as long as you’re a new or returning subscriber.
Save up to $830 off the iPhone 17 series on Boost Mobile’s $65 per month Infinite Access for iPhone plan. That’ll drop the cost of your new iPhone Air to less than $5 per month. Or prepay for the phone up front and score an entire year of free service.
Visible isn’t offering any special deals at the moment, but does have its own trade-in program where you can earn some credit towards the iPhone Air in exchange for your old phone. The amount you save will depend on which phone you trade in, as well as its condition.
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When did the iPhone Air launch?
The iPhone Air was announced on Sept. 9 with preorders kicking off a few days later on Sept. 12. The phones were then officially released on Sept. 19.
Looking to switch to an Android phone? We’ve found plenty of Samsung Galaxy S25 and Google Pixel 10 deals, too.
How much does the iPhone Air cost?
Prices differ depending on the amount of storage you buy, but the iPhone Air starts from $999 ( 999, AU$1,799).
Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.
What colors does the iPhone Air come in?
The iPhone Air comes in four colors: space black, cloud white, light gold and sky blue.
Read more: iPhone 17 vs iPhone Air, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max Compared: 4 Biggest Differences
What are the highlights to know about the iPhone Air?
This phone is 5.6mm thick and weighs just 165 grams. It also has a 6.5-inch OLED ProMotion display with a refresh rate adjusting from 120Hz, a maximum brightness of 3,000 nits and a scratch-resistant Ceramic Shield 2 coating. The iPhone Air also has an A19 Pro chip, Apple’s C1 5G modem, a titanium frame and a single 48-megapixel main camera. It’s available with 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage. You can read more about this phone from CNET’s own Abrar Al-Heeti or check out our spec comparison of the entire new lineup.
Shopping for a previous iPhone model? Our roundup of the best iPhone deals includes sales on the iPhone 16, iPhone 16E, iPhone 15 and more.
*All information about the Apple Card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
