Best iPad Air deals: the best UK prices for the iPad Air M2 2024
We gather all the latest and best deals on the 2024 M2 iPad Air
The iPad Air is a popular tablet computer made by Apple that has most recently been updated in May 2024. This new iPad Air comes in both an 11-inch and a new larger 13-inch version, and gains a powerful upgrade with Apple’s M2 processor.
It’s an incredibly powerful tablet with everything you need – a big bright screen, all-day battery life, stereo speakers for those boxset binges, and compatibility with the new Apple Pencil Pro stylus and the older Magic Keyboard accessory if you want to use the iPad Air like a laptop.
Express.co.uk’s technology editor Dave Snelling recently reviewed the iPad Air, awarding it four stars. He said it’s a good choice if you don’t want to spend more on the iPad Pro.
“The iPad Air was already a top tablet for those wanting plenty of power without going Pro,” Snelling said. “Now this range gets the same M2 processor that powered Apple’s flagship models and there’s finally that option to go supersized without forking out more than £1,200 for the privilege.”
The cheapest new iPad Air costs £599 for the 11-inch model with 128GB storage and Wi-Fi only data connections, but prices can soar to £1,449 for a fully specced out 13-inch model with 1TB storage and Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity. That’s why you’re right to be reading this article to see if there’s a way to get the iPad Air you want for a cheaper price.
Because the 2024 iPad Air has only just come out that deals will be hard to come by for a time, but we’ve scoured the web to find the best and most up to date prices on the new tablet to help you make the best buying decision.
It can be difficult to confirm which model you’re looking at when shopping online, so make sure you are purchasing the iPad Air with the right storage and connectivity for your needs.
To find the lowest prices, we have linked to the 11-inch iPad Air models, but every retailer listed also sells the 13-inch version. Click through to find the model you want.
Here are the best iPad Air deals currently in the UK.
Best iPad Air deals when paying upfront
The below retail prices are great if you want to buy the iPad Air upfront, not on contract. The base model iPad Air’s RRP in the UK is £599, but as the tablet came out in May 2024 that price is unlikely to go down very soon from retailers. That means that at the time of writing, the best price on the iPad Air is acctually from any of the below sellers, because none have the tablet on sale yet.
Remember to click through to your preferred retailer and search for the specific model you want – there are four colours, a choice of 128GB, 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage, and a choice between Wi-Fi-only or cellular compatible.
Best Apple iPad Air deals
Apple, obviously, sells the 2024 iPad Air. It costs from £599 for the 11-inch model with 128GB storage and Wi-Fi only connectivity. Buying direct from Apple means you can also purchase an AppleCare plan on a monthly or annual basis, which will cover you for accidental damage.
Best Argos iPad Air deals
Argos is currently selling the base model iPad Air for £599, with all other models also available for their RRPs. The retailer is also offering money off if you trade in your old smartphone before 28 July 2024.
Best Currys iPad Air deals
Currys is also selling the iPad Air from £599 for the base model, but also has stock of all models up to the most expensive. You can pay upfront or in monthly instalments over 36 momths, but be aware that this is a credit option that ends up costing more.
You can avoid interest payments by using buy now, pay later at check out and settle the balance within six months.
Best John Lewis iPad Air deals
Again, as the iPad Air is brand new, you can get all models at their RRP starting from £599 from John Lewis too. You can add two years of the firm’s Protect Plus which insures against accidental damage for £110.
Best contract deals for the iPad Air
If you don’t want to pay upfront for an iPad Air you can spread the cost of the device over several months on a contract, like you might a car or smartphone. This can be a good way to afford the iPad you want, but you should be careful when deciding how much to pay and for how long. Often, UK iPad contracts can end up costing you a lot more over several years than if you were able to afford the tablet outright, but they do get you mobile data so you can use the iPad on the go without Wi-Fi.
Popular UK mobile network EE does have deals but they are very expensive compared to rivals. You also can’t buy an iPad on a data plan from the firm unless you are already an EE pay monthly phone customer, which counts out millions of Brits.
Here are the best iPad Air contract deals we’ve found in the UK, which are from Sky, Vodafone and O2.
Best Sky iPad Air deals
Sky has the 128GB 11-inch iPad Air for just £17 per month with no upfront cost, an amount you may be able to stomach paying every 30 days. Sky is also throwing in 100MB data totally free so you can check your emails and get online away from Wi-Fi, but you can add more data at checkout for a higher monthly cost.
You will also be subject to mid-contract price rises, which will happen several times given this particular deal is a long 48 month (four year) contract. Sky will allow you to swap your iPad for a newer model after 36 months, though.
Total cost over 48 months is at least £816
Best Vodafone iPad Air deals
Vodafone has the base model iPad Air with 128GB storage for £30 one-off upfront cost and £27 per month. This is a 48 month plan that gets you 1GB data, but only for 24 months, and the cost broken down is £15 per month for the iPad payments and £12 per month for the data.
£15 per month for 48 months is £720, which is a little less than the £749 RRP of this particular iPad Air. Add to that £12 per month for 24 months gets you to £288, so you’ll pay at least £1,038 with the upfront cost all up until your payments are all made.
This deal might be worth considering if you need mobile data – 1GB is not a lot, but it’s more than the cheapest Sky deal gives you with a measly 100MB.
Vodafone offers unlimited data for 24 months for £30. If you can afford it, that’s a great way to stream all your content and stay online on the go without having to worry about Wi-Fi or running out of data. Just be aware of the mounting monthly costs, and the fact you will get mid-contract price rises for the data plan each April.
Total cost over 48 months is at least £1,038
Best O2 iPad Air deals
O2 has the 128GB cellular iPad Air on plans up to 48 months in length. This length of plan means the iPad will cost you less each month, but you can customise your plan to pay it off sooner if you want to.
The cheapest way to get the iPad Air from O2 is on a 48 month plan and with 1GB data per month for 24 months with a £20 upfront charge. This means the device costs you £15.56 per month, which over 48 months will total £746.88 for the RRP £749 tablet.
The least data you can get for the lowest price is 1GB, which is £13 for 24 months totalling £312. After that 24 months, O2 gives you the option to unlink the device payments from the data payments, which is a perk.
According to O2: “After 24 months you can: keep your Airtime and Device Plans without changing anything, Cancel your Airtime Plan and keep paying off your Device Plan instalments or, Cancel your Airtime Plan and pay off your Device Plan in full.”
This is a good deal as you can stop paying for data after two years if you don’t need it, and then the iPad will cost you only £15.56 per month to pay it off for another two years.
Just remember you’re still subject to mid-contract price rises for the data plan, which happens each April.
Total cost over 48 months is at least £1,078