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Apple holiday deals 2026: when to buy
Where Apple products get cheaper in the holiday season, what Apple's own event really gives you, and the return deadline to watch.
The bottom line
Apple's own Black Friday event is a gift card on a full-price purchase, not a price cut. Stores like Amazon and Best Buy are where cash discounts show up, and DealNews says the first big drops come in the first two weeks of November. The newest models were left out of Apple's event last year, so expect full price on anything just released. Apple has not announced its 2026 event yet.
Apple's gift card event vs. store discounts
Apple Store (online or in store)
What you get: Full price. A gift card came with eligible products last year, but only for the event days.
Watch out for: The gift card is not a price cut, and the newest models were excluded in 2025.
Amazon, Best Buy, Target and other resellers
What you get: Cash price cuts. DealNews says the first big drops come in the first two weeks of November.
Watch out for: Check the return deadline. Last year Amazon gave Apple-branded items a shorter holiday window than other items.
Last year's event ran November 28 to December 1, 2025. Gift cards ranged from $25 to $250 by product, for example $250 with a MacBook Pro (M4 Pro or M4 Max), $175 with a 13-inch MacBook Air, $50 with AirPods Pro and $25 with AirPods 4. Cards were emailed after purchase, and could not be combined with education pricing or used with refurbished items. Amounts and dates for 2026 are not announced, so treat these as last year's figures only.
When prices drop
- First two weeks of November: DealNews says this is when the first significant drops from third-party stores tend to appear. Early deals can sell out.
- Before Thanksgiving week: DealNews says many of the lowest prices on MacBook Air and previous-generation Apple Watch models often come before that week.
- Black Friday weekend (November 27 to 30, 2026): Apple's own event, if it repeats, usually sits here. It is a gift card, not a lower price.
Which models are current matters here. Apple's site now lists the MacBook Air with the M5 chip in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, Apple Watch Series 12, Ultra 4 and SE 3, AirPods 5, AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max 2, and the iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad and iPad mini. A deal on an older version can be a fine buy, but check the exact generation in the listing before you pay.
Which route fits you
| If you... | Do this |
|---|---|
| Want AirPods, an iPad or a MacBook Air at a lower price | Watch reseller prices from early November. Do not wait for Apple to cut its own price. |
| Want an older Apple Watch | DealNews says the lowest prices on previous-generation Apple Watch models often come before Thanksgiving week. |
| Want the newest model of anything | Plan on full price. New releases were left out of Apple's gift card event last year. |
| Were going to buy at Apple anyway | The gift card event can still add value if your product is on the eligible list and you will spend the card at Apple. |
Traps to avoid
- Treating the gift card as a discount. You pay full price first, and the card only spends at Apple.
- Assuming the new model qualifies. In 2025 the iPhone 17 line, M5 Macs and the latest iPad Pro were excluded.
- Missing the Amazon return deadline. Last year Apple-branded items bought on Amazon from November 1 to December 31 had to go back by January 15, 2026. Most other items had until January 31. Buying a gift? Note the date.
- Skipping the model name. Compare the chip, generation and storage on the listing with Apple's own page.
Before you check out
- Find the exact model and generation on Apple's site and match it to the listing.
- Compare the cash price at two or three stores, not just one.
- If the product is on Apple's gift card list, decide if you will really spend the card at Apple.
- Write down the store's return deadline the day you buy.
- Check Apple's event page the week of Black Friday, since terms change each year.
How we put this guide together
We don't test Apple products. We read Apple's own product pages and last year's reporting on its holiday event and store discounts from the sources below, on October 9, 2026. We did not track prices for this guide, so it names no target prices. Apple has not announced its 2026 shopping event, so where we cite one we say "last year." Check the store's own page before you buy. We earn a commission on some purchases through our links; that never decides what we recommend.
Quick answers
Does Apple discount its products on Black Friday?
Not with lower prices. Apple's Black Friday event has been a gift card with an eligible purchase. Last year it ran November 28 to December 1, 2025, with gift cards of $25 to $250 depending on the product. Apple has not announced its 2026 event as of this update.
Is the Apple gift card better than a cash discount?
Usually not. You pay full price at Apple and get the gift card afterward, and it can only be spent on Apple purchases. TechRadar reported last year that Apple resellers had better MacBook, iPad and AirPods deals than Apple's own event.
When do Apple prices drop at stores like Amazon and Best Buy?
DealNews says the first big drops from third-party stores come in the first two weeks of November, and many of the lowest prices on MacBook Air and older Apple Watch models happen before Thanksgiving week.
Are the newest Apple products included in the gift card event?
Last year they were not. The 2025 event left out the iPhone 17 line, Macs with the M5 chip and the latest iPad Pro. Expect the newest models to stay at full price.
How long can I return an Apple product bought on Amazon during the holidays?
Last year, Apple-branded items bought from November 1 to December 31, 2025 could go back until January 15, 2026, earlier than the January 31 deadline for most other items. Check Amazon's return page for this year's dates.
Shopping for Apple gear now?
See Apple products on Amazon, our tech deals, and every store's Black Friday ad as it comes out.
Sources
- MacDailyNews, "Apple's 2025 Black Friday shopping event" (dates, gift card tiers, exclusions)
- TechRadar, "Apple just revealed its Black Friday sale, but these MacBook, iPad and AirPod deals elsewhere are better"
- DealNews, "Apple Black Friday predictions" (updated April 2, 2026)
- BGR, "Amazon's return policy is changing for the holidays" (Apple-branded items, January 15, 2026)
- Scripps News, "Amazon expands holiday return window" (2025 holiday dates)
- Apple, MacBook Air (M5 chip, 13-inch and 15-inch)
- Apple, Apple Watch (Series 12, Ultra 4, SE 3)
- Apple, AirPods (AirPods 5, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Max 2)
- Apple, iPad (iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad, iPad mini)
BlackFriday365 is independent and not affiliated with Apple or Amazon.