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If you're looking for a discount on the MacBook Air, you've come to the right place. We'll walk you though some of the best deals around, and explain whether they are fantastic deals, or just OK deals. We know exactly what the MacBook Air costs at Apple right now, so we know just how much of a discount you're getting.
Before we begin you need to know that Apple updated the MacBook Air twice in 2020! In March it added new processors and changed the keyboard, and then in November 2020 Apple update the MacBook Air with its own Apple Silicon M1 processors. For more information about how the two compare read: MacBook Air (Silicon) vs MacBook Air (Intel). We also have a full review of the M1 MacBook Air.
You may be considering an older MacBook Air because you aren't sure you want to jump straight into Apple Silicon, in that case these articles might help: Should I buy an Intel Mac and Should I buy an M1 Mac? We also have more advice about Which MacBook to buy in our separate guide. Plus here's more information on the differences between the MacBook Air and Pro.
Before we fill you in on what you need to know before you buy a new MacBook Air, no doubt you are wondering what the best deals are right now, read on to find out more...
Best Apple MacBook Air deals right now
When we see great deals on the MacBook Air we list them here. We have deals for the new M1 MacBook that launched in November 2020 as well as some for the model that arrived in March 2020.
From time to time there are some excellent Apple Refurbished Store deals on the M1 Macs, they tend to quickly sell out. Check the links at Apple's selling M1 MacBook with up to £230 off.
Make sure you check out our complete round up of the best Apple deals we've seen.
How to get the best MacBook Air deal
There are a few things you need to know before you can be sure whether you have found a good deal:
- How much did it cost at launch?
- What does Apple sell the equivalent model for now (and how much better is it)?
- Where is a good place to buy a discounted MacBook Air?
We'll address each of those questions below.
How much did it cost?
Our first tip is to make sure you know what the MacBook Air you are considering costs now (or cost when it was sold by Apple). You need to watch for companies claiming a discount based on the price the Mac was originally sold for, rather than what it would now cost you to buy that Mac from Apple. This is particularly pertinent since Apple has reduced the price of the entry-level MacBook Air twice in the past two years.
As of November 2020 the price of the more expensive MacBook Air has also been reduced.
This is the pricing for the line-up from November 2020:
| M1 Chip, 8-core CPU, 7-Core GPU, 256GB | £999/$999 |
| M1 Chip, 8-core CPU, 8-Core GPU, 512GB | £1,249/$1,249 |
This is the pricing for the line-up earlier in 2020:
| 1.1GHz, Dual-Core i3, 10th-gen (3.2GHz Turbo Boost), 2565GB | £999/$999 |
| 1.1GHz, Quad-Core i5, 10th-gen (3.5GHz Turbo Boost), 512GB | £1,299/$1,299 |
The 2019 models were:
| 1.6GHz, Dual-Core i5, 8th- gen (3.6GHz Turbo Boost), 128GB | £1,099/$1,099 |
| 1.6GHz, Dual-Core i5, 8th-gen (3.6GHz Turbo Boost), 256GB | £1,299/$1,299 |
When the 2018 MacBook Air launched the price started at £1,199/$1,199 for the 128GB version. Then in 2019 Apple reduced the price of the identically speced entry-level model to £1,099/$1,099. Now for 2020 Apple has reduced the price of the entry-level model again to £999/$999 as well as improved the specs.
On that basis, until we start to see the 128GB version of the 2018 or 2019 MacBook Air on sale for less than £999/$999 we wouldn't recommend buying them over either of the 2020 versions.
What is it worth?
Our next tip is to check the specs to find out what you will get for your money. You might spot a deal on the 256GB version of the 2018 or 2019 MacBook Air, which cost £1,299/$1,299 new. The equivalently priced 2020 MacBook Air has double the storage and quad-core processors making it a significantly better specced machine for the same price.
For example, we've seen the £1,299 2019 model sold for £999, which might sound like a good deal, but we are inclined to think that you'd be better off with the new entry-level model at the same price. Read our review of the 2020 M1 MacBook Air.
Also, do not assume that the specs given by the stockist are correct. We thought we'd spotted a great deal on Very for what was advertised as a 1.1GHz quad-core MacBook Air (2020) at £999 - except that it was actually the dual-core model with 256GB, rather than the 512GB quad-core model listed. Watch out for this!
Before you buy do your research: we have reviews of all the resent MacBook Air models:
We also have this comparison of the Intel MacBook Air vs M1 MacBook Air.
Where to buy?
Now you know what the Mac is worth, you need to know where to buy a discounted Mac from. You can buy a MacBook Air directly from Apple here, but there are plenty of stores and Apple Premium Resellers (such as KRCS, Currys/PC World, Argos and John Lewis) offering a discount on new and old Macs so it's worth shopping around (read our Where to buy a Mac article).
One benefit of buying from Apple is you could trade in your old Mac and get money off. We have an article explaining How to get money off with Apple's trade-in program.
Best MacBook Air Deals
You can browse through the best MacBook Air deals below. We also have deals for MacBook Air as well as some other MacBook models further down in this article (in case you're not completely decided.)
Also check out our complete round up of the best Apple deals.
MacBook Air M1 2020
M1 MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/7-core GPU, £999/$999
M1 MacBook Air, 8-core CPU/8-core GPU, £1,249/$1,249
MacBook Air 2020 model, 1.1GHz
Earlier in 2020 Apple introduced a 1.1GHz Intel MacBook Air. It offered a newer processor, better RAM, improved graphics, twice as much storage, and it's £100 less than it was, starting at £999/$999. Of course now there is a new M1 MacBook Air (above).
Resellers are discounting the early-2020 MacBook Air, you will see the best deals listed below.
1.1GHz Dual-Core Core i3 MacBook Air, £999/$999
1.1GHz Quad-Core Core i5 MacBook Air, £1,299/$1,299
MacBook Air 2019 model, 1.6GHz
The 2019 MacBook Air only introduced True Tone to the screen (which means the screen can adjust to different lighting conditions) other than that the specs are the same as the 2018 model When the 2019 MacBook Air was introduced the price dropped by £100/$100, starting at £1,099/$1,099.
We were seeing some decent price cuts for the 2019 and 2018 MacBook Air now that the 2020 models have arrived, but they have dried up now. Just remember that the 2020 model costs £999 - so don't spend more than that!
Best refurbished MacBook Air deals
From time to time Apple drops the prices of it's Macs, but these are rare occurances. However, that doesn't mean you have to pay full price when you buy from Apple. If you don't mind having a refurbished Mac that's been pre-owned, then you can pick up a bargain at Apple's Refurbished Store.
These refurbished MacBook Air laptops were returned to Apple, perhaps due to a fault, but they are fully reconditioned now and come with a year's warranty. It's not like buying secondhand.
Therefore we recommend taking a look at Apple's Refurbished Store for great MacBook Air deals. They're forever changing, but you can get a huge discount on products that you'd never be able to tell are refurbished. Read about buying a refurbished Mac.
At the end of February 2021 Apple was offering a refurbished discount on the M1 MacBook Air in the Refurbished Store. You could pick up the M1 MacBook Air (8-core CPU, 8-Core GPU, 512GB SSD) for £1,019 in the Refurbished Store here.This deal is unfortunately sold out now, but we expect that at some point Apple will offer M1 Macs in the refurbished store again.
The older 1.1GHz dual-core MacBook Air was £809 at the Apple Refurbished Store. This was the March 2020 model, which cost £999 before Apple replaced it with the M1 model. It's no longer available, but click here to see if Apple gets more.
Alternatively a refurbished 2.1GHz quad-core MacBook Pro, which was originally released in March 2020 costs £1,019 and is currently available. When Apple introduced that model it cost £1,299. Buy it from Apple.
Amazon also has a certified refurbished store for Apple products but we would advise against buying any products that are older than five years - most of the products we see on the Amazon refurbished store are unfortunately very old.
Students should also check the Apple Education Store, where they may be able to pick up a discount. Read more: How to get a student discount from Apple.
We can help you decide which MacBook is best for you in our MacBook buying guide. Make sure you check out our complete round up of the best Apple deals.
Where to buy the new MacBook Air
You can, of course, buy the new MacBook Air from Apple itself on its website here. But that's not the only place it's available. You'll also find the MacBook Air at these, and other, UK and US stores:
