Black Friday MacBook Air deals 2024: get ready for big price cuts on Apple's thin and light laptop

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We pick the best Black Friday MacBook Air deals for 2024

Black Friday MacBook Air deals 2023
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Black Friday MacBook Air deals are coming soon as we are now mere weeks away from Black Friday 2024, which is on November 29.

Throughout November we'll start seeing MacBook Air price cuts coming thick and fast as retailers start their Black Friday sales early - so now is the perfect time to keep an eye out for MacBook Air deals.

I've been covering Black Friday sales events for over a decade now, and this year's event could be one of the best for people looking to buy a MacBook Air thanks to the wide range of different models that are currently available. Not only are there M3 models in both 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, but you can still get the older (and cheaper) M2 models in both those sizes as well. Some retailers will even have the M1 model, and prices could drop sharply.

While Apple didn't announce an M4 MacBook Air during its recent week of Mac announcements (a new Mac mini, iMac and a pair of M4 MacBook Pros were all announced, however), it did announce a big change, with base models of both the M2 and M3 MacBook Airs now coming with 16GB of unified memory - double the 8GB that they used to come with. Best of all, there's no price rise.

So, the most recent MacBook Air models are now better value than ever - and we might see some retailers cut the price of the 8GB models to clear stock. If you don't mind going for less memory, it might be a good way of getting an even cheaper MacBook Air on Black Friday.

We'll be updating this page regularly as Black Friday approaches, so as soon as early offers go live, you'll find them right here. If you want offers for other types of Apple laptop, then check out our guide on the best Black Friday MacBook deals.

Today's best MacBook Air deals in the US

Today's best MacBook Air deals in the UK

Deals picked by
Managing editor Matt Hanson
Deals picked by
Matt Hanson

I've been covering Black Friday sales events for over a decade, and I'm also a MacBook Air expert, having reviewed every recent model for TechRadar. Most of the MacBook Air laptops I've reviewed have ended up at (or near) the top of our best laptops guide, so I can say with a huge amount of confidence that if you're looking for a thin and light laptop, a MacBook Air is a fantastic investment, and thanks to the variety of models on offer, there's likely a version that's ideal for your needs.

Black Friday MacBook Air deals: FAQs

cheap macbook air deals prices sales

(Image credit: Future)

When will the Black Friday MacBook Air deals start in 2024?

Black Friday 2024 is on November 29, followed by Cyber Monday on December 2. These two dates (and the Saturday and Sunday between them) will be when a huge amount of MacBook Air deals go live.

However, as with previous years, retailers are also likely to start cutting prices as early as mid-to-late October thanks to Amazon Prime Day kicking off the deals frenzy, so awesome MacBook Air Black Friday deals should start coming thick and fast in the next few weeks.

Is Black Friday the best time to buy a MacBook Air?

Black Friday has proved to be an excellent time to buy a MacBook Air over the years. While the MacBook Air is Apple's most affordable laptop, that doesn't mean it's cheap. However, over Black Friday, MacBook Airs are some of the most popular laptops that get big price cuts, especially as retailers try to one-up each other in a bid to win over your custom.

However, Apple itself doesn't usually go big on Black Friday deals. Rather than cutting prices, Apple often includes gift cards with new purchases. While maybe not as tempting as straightforward discounts, it can still save you a fair chunk of change - especially if you're looking to buy MacBook Air accessories from Apple as well. The company also offers trade in deals, so if you have an older MacBook Air (or other Apple product) that's in decent condition, you may be able to trade it in for an extra discount.

What Black Friday MacBook Air deals should I expect?

MacBook Airs are one of the most iconic and popular series of laptops in the world, which means you should expect some great deals on Black Friday for both the 13-inch and 15-inch models. The latest models come with M3 chips and launched back in March, and while there's no sign of an M4-powered MacBook Air just yet, the M3 models are due a price cut right around now anyway, and the M2 models could fall even further in price.

If retailers still have stock of the M1 MacBook Air, then we could see some further price cuts over Black Friday, making it a great choice for students or anyone who wants a MacBook but without the high price tag. However, while the M1 MacBook Air is fine for a day-to-day laptop, if you want something more future-proof, I'd recommend spending a little bit more to get an M2 or M3 model, especially as their base models now come with 16GB of unified memory, rather than 8GB.

Which MacBook Air should I buy?

There's never been a larger selection of MacBook Air models to choose from. To start, you've got the latest models that come in both 13-inch and 15-inch screen sizes and are powered by the M3 chip.

There are also the older M2 models, which again come in 13-inch and 15-inch screen sizes, and despite their age they remain excellent laptops. Apple continues to produce M2 MacBook Airs, positioning them as an affordable entry into the Mac ecosystem thanks to a new low price. These are the MacBook Air models I expect to see the biggest discounts on Black Friday.

There's also the M1 model, which only comes in one size and features an older design. While Apple no longer makes or sells the M1 MacBook Air, many retailers still have stock - and during past Black Friday events we've seen some exceptional price cuts that make this model worth considering for students.

However, as Apple has stopped making them, stock is bound to be drying up by now, so don't get your hopes up too high for this model.

Another thing to consider is that Apple is very likely to announce new M4-powered MacBooks before Black Friday - the company has just teased as much - and with new Macs coming out, we could see further cuts to existing models during Black Friday 2024.

At the moment, rumors suggest new M4 MacBook Pros, M4 Mac mini and M4 iMacs are likely to be announced. While a new M4-powered MacBook Air is all-but inevitable at some point, there haven't been any convincing rumors that it'll also launch imminently. The M3 MacBook Airs launched earlier this year, which means it's too soon for them to be replaced by M4 versions.

Why trust TechRadar this Black Friday

For over a decade, the TechRadar team have been sharing their deal-hunting knowledge and tech expertise to bring our readers only the best Black Friday deals across a range of products.

We don't just pick super-cheap offers or go for eye-catching price cuts just because prices are low - each deal we find is carefully checked to make sure it offers the best possible value to our readers. That includes checking price histories to make sure the products haven't been previously sold for lower prices, as well as using our decade's worth of tech reporting knowledge to check all of the specifications for the products. We review hundreds of products every year on TechRadar, so there's a good chance we've already used and tested the products we find deals for, and we'll never recommend a product we don't think is worth buying - no matter how tempting the price cut may be.

We've also tested every MacBook Air model since our launch 15 years ago, and have followed the ups and downs of Apple's iconic thin and light laptop - from the dog days of the Intel-based MacBook Airs that felt like they were stuck in a rut, to the reinvention of the MacBook Air thanks to Apple's own M1, M2 and M3 chips.

So, on this page you'll not only find amazing deals on the best MacBooks Airs on the market in 2024, but also expert analysis and opinions on each product we recommend.

Last year's best Black Friday MacBook Air deals in the US

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MacBook Air (M1): was $999.99 now $749.99 at Best Buy
Record low price: The 2020 Apple MacBook Air with an M1 chip is a little old now but it's still one of the best laptops ever made - and Best Buy now has it for its best-ever price right now. Our MacBook Air M1 review awarded the device 4.5 stars out of five, where we particularly praised Apple's premium device for its speed, responsiveness, beautiful design and long-lasting battery life. Overall, this is a deal we've seen before on rare occasion but this laptop is a great buy at $749.

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MacBook Air (M2, 2022): was $1,099 now $949 at Best Buy
If you'd prefer to get the latest Apple device, Best Buy has the recent MacBook Air M2 for a saving of $150 (though it was at $899 last week). We concluded that this is the best laptop you can buy in our MacBook Air M2 review, thanks to the stylish design, clear display, impressive performance, and long battery life. For those needing a premium powerhouse for creative apps such as photo editing, video editing, and more intense workloads, this is worth the extra investment. The M1 is still up to those jobs too, so you'll still be fine with the cheaper option if your budget is smaller.

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MacBook Air 15-inch, 8GB (M2): was $1,299 now $1,049 at Amazon
It may essentially be just a larger version of the MacBook Air 13-inch, but if that's what you want then that's what you get – and it's now reduced to a new lowest-ever price at Amazon. Our MacBook Air 15-inch review praised the display, performance, design and speaker array, although we did think the jump in size hurt one of the MacBook Air's key selling points - its portability. Nevertheless, the is still an impressive laptop at a good price following this new $250 discount.

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MacBook Air 15-inch, 16GB (M2): was $1,699 now $1,449 at Best Buy
If you don't think 8GB of RAM is quite enough for you then Best Buy currently has a great deal on the 16GB model. This is the lowest price we've seen for this configuration, cutting $250 off the usual price.

Last year's best Black Friday MacBook deals in the UK

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MacBook Air (M1, 2020): was £999 now £799 at Amazon
This is a great price for the previous generation MacBook Air M1 - although it is £50 away from the previous record-low. Even though there's a newer M2 model available now, this is still a very powerful creative workstation that'll suit most users. If you've had an eye on the device we called a 'game-changer' in our MacBook Air M1 review, then now's still a good time to buy.

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MacBook Air 13-inch, 8GB (M2): was £1,119 now £1,049 at John Lewis
Apple's latest 13.6-inch MacBook Air comes with a stylish redesign and boosted M2 processor. This model, with 8GB memory and 256GB SSD, gets a price cut, making it better value, and now just £60 more than what the older M1 model usually sells for.

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MacBook Air 15-inch, 8GB (M2): was £1,399 now £1,279 at John Lewis
Apple's recent 15-inch MacBook Air comes with the same stylish design and boosted M2 processor of the 13-inch model, but with a larger 15.3-inch display. For Black Friday, John Lewis has cut £120 off the price for the version with 8GB memory and 256GB SSD.

Matt Hanson
Matt Hanson
Managing Editor, Core Tech

Matt is TechRadar's Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there's no aspect of technology that Matt isn't passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. He’s personally reviewed and used most of the laptops in our best laptops guide - and since joining TechRadar in 2014, he's reviewed over 250 laptops and computing accessories personally.