The best AirPods deals for September 2024

If you know where to look, you can often score discounts on Apple’s ever-popular AirPods. Since Apple launched the third-gen AirPods at the end of 2021, we’ve seen the starting price of the second-gen, entry-level model consistently dip below $100. And now that the second-gen AirPods Pro have been on the market for nearly two years, we’re also seeing their price fall more often, too. We’re even seeing great deals land on the updated AirPods Pro with USB-C.

Here, we’ve curated the best deals currently available on each model. Before we dive in, it’s worth noting Apple could update any of these at its “Glowtime” event on September 9th, so it may be worth waiting. If you can’t though, here are the best deals right now on the existing lineup, which including the second-gen and third-gen AirPods, the latest AirPods Pro, and the AirPods Max.

In 2021, Apple lowered the list price of the second-gen AirPods — now the entry-level model — from $159 to $129. It now only sells the model with a wired charging case, however, which charges via a standard Lightning cable. Despite their age, we found that the easy-to-use, second-gen AirPods still offer great wireless performance and reliable battery life, making them a great pick if you can live without a wireless charging case.

Apple’s most affordable pair of earbuds recently dropped to around $89 ($49 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy, which is just $11 shy of their all-time low.

Read our AirPods (second-gen) review.

With support for the company’s MagSafe charger and an asking price of $179, Apple’s third-gen AirPods are often considered the middle child in Apple’s current AirPods lineup. The shorter stems make for a more subtle design, too, while improved sound and features like sweat and water resistance, support for spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, and improved battery life render them a nice improvement over the last-gen model.

In 2022, Apple introduced a new, slightly cheaper option of the third-gen AirPods that comes with a Lightning-only charging case. That model is currently available from Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart for $139.99 ($29 off) which is $20 shy of their all-time low price. The MagSafe option is also available to Costco members for $169.99 ($10 off) and from Staples for $2 more, which is a far cry from their all-time low price of $129.99.

Read our AirPods (third-gen) review.

In 2022, Apple released the second-gen AirPods Pro, which feature a similar build to the first-gen model but offer better noise cancellation, swipe-based controls, and an extra-small pair of swappable silicone ear tips for smaller ears. Apple followed them up last year with a minor refresh, one that features a USB-C charging case and an upgraded IP54 rating for water and dust resistance. The newest model also supports lossless audio when used with Apple’s new Vision Pro headset.

Apple’s updated AirPods Pro recently dropped to a new low of $168.99 ($81 off). Right now, however, you can only purchase the USB-C model at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart for $189.99 ($60 off).

Read our hands-on impressions of the AirPods Pro with USB-C.

The AirPods Max aren’t the iconic in-ears that have become synonymous with the AirPods name. They’re large and luxurious, comprised of aluminum, steel, and mesh fabric that remains comfortable during extended listening sessions. They also sport excellent noise cancellation, Apple’s spatial audio feature, and expansive, balanced sound, even if they lag behind some of their peers when it comes to bass response and features. They’re not the best noise-canceling headphones for most people — blame the sticker price — but it’s hard to find a better pair of Bluetooth headphones if you’re an iPhone user.

It’s possible Apple could replace the headphones with a new USB-C model at its “Glowtime” event on September 9th. As said earlier, if you can’t wait until then, right now you can buy Apple’s AirPods Max from Amazon and B&H Photo starting at $399, which is just $5 shy from their all-time low price.

Read our AirPods Max review.