When Do AirPods Go on Sale? Complete Price History

AirPods are the most popular wireless earbuds on the planet, and their pricing is more predictable than most people realize. After tracking prices on every AirPods model since 2023, here are the patterns.

AirPods (3rd Generation) — MSRP $169

Price History Pattern

| Period | Typical Price | |--------|--------------| | Regular price | $169 | | Random sales | $139-149 | | Prime Day | $119-129 | | Black Friday | $99-109 | | Back to School | $129-139 |

When to Buy

Best time: Black Friday. The AirPods 3rd Gen consistently hit $99-109 on Black Friday, a 35-40% discount. This is the best deal you'll find all year.

Second best: Prime Day (mid-July). Usually $119-129.

Avoid buying: January-April and September-October. Prices stay near MSRP with only occasional $10-20 discounts.

AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) — MSRP $249

Price History Pattern

| Period | Typical Price | |--------|--------------| | Regular price | $249 | | Random sales | $189-199 | | Prime Day | $169-179 | | Black Friday | $159-169 | | Back to School | $189-199 |

When to Buy

Best time: Black Friday. The AirPods Pro 2 hit $169 in 2025 and are expected to match or beat that in 2026.

Second best: Prime Day and random flash sales. Amazon drops AirPods Pro to the $169-179 range several times per year outside of major events. Set a CamelCamelCamel alert at $175 and you'll catch one.

AirPods Max — MSRP $549

Price History Pattern

The AirPods Max is Apple's premium over-ear headphone. It sees less frequent discounts than the in-ear models.

| Period | Typical Price | |--------|--------------| | Regular price | $549 | | Random sales | $449-479 | | Prime Day | $399-429 | | Black Friday | $379-399 |

When to Buy

Best time: Black Friday, when they've dropped to $379-399. At $399, the AirPods Max are competitive with the Sony XM5 and offer a premium build that justifies the price.

Alternative: Apple Certified Refurbished. The AirPods Max appears regularly on Apple's refurb store at 15-20% off with a new headband, ear cushions, and full warranty.

Model-by-Model Buying Strategy

Already Own AirPods and Want to Upgrade

If your current AirPods still work, wait for Black Friday. The $60-80 you save by waiting 2-3 months is worth it for a product you'll use for 2-3 years.

First-Time Buyer, Need Them Soon

Check CamelCamelCamel for the current model's recent price. If it's within 10% of the all-time low, buy now. If it's near MSRP, set an alert and wait — sales happen every 4-8 weeks.

Buying as a Gift

Plan ahead. Buy during Prime Day (July) for back-to-school gifts or holiday gifts. Buying in December means paying near full price.

Where to Buy

Amazon consistently offers the lowest prices on AirPods. They price-match Walmart and Best Buy automatically through competitive algorithms.

Best Buy occasionally beats Amazon during member sales. Best Buy Plus/Total members sometimes get exclusive early access to deals.

Costco offers AirPods bundles (sometimes with extra cases or cables) that provide better value than the standalone product elsewhere.

Apple almost never discounts AirPods directly. The exception is the back-to-school promotion (free gift card with purchase) and the Apple Certified Refurbished store.

AirPods vs. the Competition at Sale Prices

At full price, AirPods face stiff competition. At sale prices, they become much harder to beat.

| Product | MSRP | Typical Sale | Best Deal | |---------|------|-------------|-----------| | AirPods 3 | $169 | $129 | $99 | | AirPods Pro 2 | $249 | $179 | $159 | | Sony WF-1000XM5 | $279 | $199 | $178 | | Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro | $249 | $179 | $149 | | Jabra Elite 85t | $229 | $149 | $119 |

At Black Friday prices, the AirPods Pro 2 at $159-169 is the best value wireless earbud on the market when you factor in the Apple ecosystem integration, Find My tracking, and Adaptive Audio.

Read our full wireless earbuds guide →

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