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Deal History includes data from multiple reputable stores, such as Best Buy, Target, and Walmart. The lowest price among stores for a given day is selected as the "Sale Price".
Sale Price does not include sale prices at Amazon unless a deal was posted by a community member.
The M5 MacBook Air deal centers on a strong Best Buy trade in promo that can cut the upgrade price sharply, especially for M1 through M3 MacBooks. The best results come from adding the M5 to cart first and checking trade in at checkout, where some M1 and M2 machines show totals around $350 to $525, with tax refunds sometimes improving the net even more. The main catch is that the advertised extra value is easy to misread, since the bonus appears to be about $150, not a flat $200, and eligibility can vary by model, RAM, condition, and location. It is a compelling upgrade path if your current MacBook still has trade in value left.
M1 MacBook Air owners who want a low-effort upgrade and are okay doing the trade-in through Best Buy because commenters say the cart/checkout flow can surface the higher trade-in (e.g., $350 shown when adding the M1 at checkout) and store pickup/trade-in can be smoother than shipping.
people trading in an eligible older MacBook (like an M1 Air) specifically to buy an M5-series MacBook Air/Pro at Best Buy because the extra trade-in credit is tied to the M5-series promo and can show up as a higher trade-in amount when you check trade-in value at checkout.
buyers who are upgrading to double RAM/storage and want the deal to effectively "pay for" the spec bump because commenters describe the trade-in + sale math as making the upgrade feel worth it (e.g., double RAM/storage plus warranty/AppleCare for an effective cost around the $525-$680 range after tax/refund).
people who can price match the M5 sale price (e.g., to Amazon) and then apply the trade-in promo because at least one commenter reports stacking price match + trade-in promo to reach a much lower effective price.
M2 Air owners who use the laptop daily and want a straightforward trade-in path because one commenter said the upgrade looked like a deal at about $629 before tax if they were using the laptop every day.
buyers expecting the "+$200" trade-in to always show up as advertised because multiple commenters say they only saw $150 bonus (and not $200), or that the net increase was much smaller (like +$50) after cart adjustments.
buyers whose exact RAM/storage config isn't offered in Best Buy's trade-in lookup because commenters report friction like no option for 16GB M1 Air on the guided search or trade-in lookup failing for certain serial/configs.
people with an M4 MacBook Air (or configurations excluded by the promo terms) because commenters note the extra-trade promotion excludes M4 and that eligibility is limited to certain chip generations/models.
Intel MacBook owners (e.g., Intel 2020 MBP) because one commenter said their Intel 2020 MBP got no bonus and was only worth about $100 trade-in, making the deal not worthwhile.
people considering trading a still-usable M1 MacBook Pro if the upgrade would be a downgrade in screen/speakers for their needs because one commenter argued they wouldn't make the trade since the M5 Air would have a smaller, lower-quality screen and speakers than their current setup.
The advertised extra $200 trade-in value often does not appear in the trade-in calculator, showing only $150 off and different trade-in credit amounts.
The extra trade-in value applies only when buying an M5 MacBook Air or M5-series MacBook Pro and trading in an eligible MacBook Air or MacBook Pro with an M1, M2, or M3 chip. M4 models are excluded, and some 16GB custom configurations may not appear in Best Buy's guided trade-in lookup.
No. The promo shown in the comments is an additional $150 trade-in value for eligible M1-M3 MacBooks when buying an M5 MacBook Air or Pro, and several trade-in quotes only show the normal value plus that bonus. The "$200" figure appears to come from specific cart math or a separate trade-in estimate, not a universal bonus.
The trade-in promo is applied after tax on the trade-in portion, while tax is still calculated on the full retail price of the new MacBook. Several comments note that Best Buy also refunds the tax difference, which can make the effective out-of-pocket cost lower than the headline price.
Yes. For a 2020 M1 Air, Best Buy quotes around $350 to $400 in some cases, while Apple EDU or Apple trade-in quotes can be higher, such as about $816 versus roughly $650 at Best Buy after tax effects. The better choice depends on the exact model, condition, and whether you value the Best Buy sale price more than the trade-in payout.
Add the M5 MacBook Air to cart first, then use checkout's trade-in flow and enter the M1 there; that path can show the higher promo value. The trade-in page by itself may show a lower estimate, and store pickup with in-store trade-in seems to preserve the best estimate better than mail-in.
Excellent deal, I bit.... Was about to upgrade anyway, and go through the hassle of selling my base M1 on Ebay. After shipping and fee's, you would probably net around $200 or so. All in for just over $850 for a 15" base M5.
HMM.. Decisions... decisions... Already have the M4 air, and a M1 air... should I trade in the 8/256 m1, and sell the M4 16/256...? I am already running out of storage on the M4...
Does Best Buy do this type of sale every year with extra trade value? Will a similar sale will happen next year on the m6? I could see my M1 for a year but if this is a one-off special sale makes it seem more worth puling the trigger
Sorry if i am a little too slow, but i cant figure out how OP get $599 on $950 +tax laptop. I added with my 75$ MBP rebate (robbery) still get over 1k to pay.
wth.. On the bestbuy tradein page I entered my serial number for my 16GB M1 Air. It says can't find it. THe guided search doesn't have an option for 16GB RAM. only 8 GB
You should always check Apple edu store and price your trade in there. I recently upgraded my son's m2 air and Apple gave me $370 toward it and the m5 was $999 in the edu store, then 0% financing on the balance and 3% cash back. No brainer.
How is this better than Best Buy offering me $525 for my M2 Air and selling the M5 for $949?
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Does Best Buy do this type of sale every year with extra trade value? Will a similar sale will happen next year on the m6? I could see my M1 for a year but if this is a one-off special sale makes it seem more worth puling the trigger
never seen this deal from Best Buy before so they probably want to boost M5 sales this year.
never seen this deal from Best Buy before so they probably want to boost M5 sales this year.
Thanks, I haven't shopped or a laptop in a few years so wasn't sure. It seems like M1's normal trade value most other places ( apple, costco, 3rd party) is less than 1/2 of what this deal offers and value should just go down over time. Its making me really think about buying an M5. Didn't feel like I needed an upgrade yet it but my battery cap is at 75% after 1174 cycles, it runs good but can get a little slow with lots of windows/apps open, and if I wait a year or more until I NEED a upgrade it I'd prob end up spending way more than $525 to upgrade at that point.
I wonder if the m6 versions are going to be a complete redesign worht waiting for which is why they are trying to sell lots of m5's now. Although this is Best Buy pushing the added trade value not Apple, so maybe Best Buy is just trying to bump sales while they can before global prices spike and everyone stops buying stuff?
Last edited by Shomedamoney April 15, 2026 at 03:50 PM.
One of the easiest trade-ins I've done in recent years. My wife's 2020 M1 MBA had some blemishes, which reduced the resale value significantly (I checked eBay, FBMP, etc to price it); therefore, getting ~$400 from BB for it was a no brainer. Got rid of $110 worth of expiring rewards and a gift card in the process, as well.
Other than entering the model number from the bottom of the M1, they didn't even open the clamshell to check anything (I cleaned it really well for nothing
Lastly, I thought I was going to be charged full amount first and receive a credit for the trade-in. Everything is finalized once the M5 was picked up and M1 was traded with the correct amounts.
If her M1 was in perfect conditions, I could have gotten more somewhere else, but M1 has been struggling with the 8GB of RAM and it was time to upgrade. This deal made it pretty easy.
One of the easiest trade-ins I've done in recent years. My wife's 2020 M1 MBA had some blemishes, which reduced the resale value significantly (I checked eBay, FBMP, etc to price it); therefore, getting ~$400 from BB for it was a no brainer. Got rid of $110 worth of expiring rewards and a gift card in the process, as well.
Other than entering the model number from the bottom of the M1, they didn't even open the clamshell to check anything (I cleaned it really well for nothing
Lastly, I thought I was going to be charged full amount first and receive a credit for the trade-in. Everything is finalized once the M5 was picked up and M1 was traded with the correct amounts.
If her M1 was in perfect conditions, I could have gotten more somewhere else, but M1 has been struggling with the 8GB of RAM and it was time to upgrade. This deal made it pretty easy.
Thanks OP (repped)
For the trade-in of your M1 MBA, did BB refund you $350 only, or $350+tax? Would be great if you could also say which state you're in. Thanks.
For the trade-in of your M1 MBA, did BB refund you $350 only, or $350+tax? Would be great if you could also say which state you're in. Thanks.
The fine print shows the tax getting refunded as well.
I ended up going for it on a 15 incher. I traded my M2 16/256 for 525 and after the refund it'll end up costing about 680. Should be about double the performance and with faster SSD with more space, newer wifi, better speakers, larger display, and waranty. I always felt like the 13' was a little cramped for me.
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Community Reviews
The M5 MacBook Air deal centers on a strong Best Buy trade in promo that can cut the upgrade price sharply, especially for M1 through M3 MacBooks. The best results come from adding the M5 to cart first and checking trade in at checkout, where some M1 and M2 machines show totals around $350 to $525, with tax refunds sometimes improving the net even more. The main catch is that the advertised extra value is easy to misread, since the bonus appears to be about $150, not a flat $200, and eligibility can vary by model, RAM, condition, and location. It is a compelling upgrade path if your current MacBook still has trade in value left.
M1 MacBook Air owners who want a low-effort upgrade and are okay doing the trade-in through Best Buy because commenters say the cart/checkout flow can surface the higher trade-in (e.g., $350 shown when adding the M1 at checkout) and store pickup/trade-in can be smoother than shipping.
people trading in an eligible older MacBook (like an M1 Air) specifically to buy an M5-series MacBook Air/Pro at Best Buy because the extra trade-in credit is tied to the M5-series promo and can show up as a higher trade-in amount when you check trade-in value at checkout.
buyers who are upgrading to double RAM/storage and want the deal to effectively "pay for" the spec bump because commenters describe the trade-in + sale math as making the upgrade feel worth it (e.g., double RAM/storage plus warranty/AppleCare for an effective cost around the $525-$680 range after tax/refund).
people who can price match the M5 sale price (e.g., to Amazon) and then apply the trade-in promo because at least one commenter reports stacking price match + trade-in promo to reach a much lower effective price.
M2 Air owners who use the laptop daily and want a straightforward trade-in path because one commenter said the upgrade looked like a deal at about $629 before tax if they were using the laptop every day.
buyers expecting the "+$200" trade-in to always show up as advertised because multiple commenters say they only saw $150 bonus (and not $200), or that the net increase was much smaller (like +$50) after cart adjustments.
buyers whose exact RAM/storage config isn't offered in Best Buy's trade-in lookup because commenters report friction like no option for 16GB M1 Air on the guided search or trade-in lookup failing for certain serial/configs.
people with an M4 MacBook Air (or configurations excluded by the promo terms) because commenters note the extra-trade promotion excludes M4 and that eligibility is limited to certain chip generations/models.
Intel MacBook owners (e.g., Intel 2020 MBP) because one commenter said their Intel 2020 MBP got no bonus and was only worth about $100 trade-in, making the deal not worthwhile.
people considering trading a still-usable M1 MacBook Pro if the upgrade would be a downgrade in screen/speakers for their needs because one commenter argued they wouldn't make the trade since the M5 Air would have a smaller, lower-quality screen and speakers than their current setup.
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never seen this deal from Best Buy before so they probably want to boost M5 sales this year.
I wonder if the m6 versions are going to be a complete redesign worht waiting for which is why they are trying to sell lots of m5's now. Although this is Best Buy pushing the added trade value not Apple, so maybe Best Buy is just trying to bump sales while they can before global prices spike and everyone stops buying stuff?
Other than entering the model number from the bottom of the M1, they didn't even open the clamshell to check anything (I cleaned it really well for nothing
Lastly, I thought I was going to be charged full amount first and receive a credit for the trade-in. Everything is finalized once the M5 was picked up and M1 was traded with the correct amounts.
If her M1 was in perfect conditions, I could have gotten more somewhere else, but M1 has been struggling with the 8GB of RAM and it was time to upgrade. This deal made it pretty easy.
Thanks OP (repped)
Other than entering the model number from the bottom of the M1, they didn't even open the clamshell to check anything (I cleaned it really well for nothing
Lastly, I thought I was going to be charged full amount first and receive a credit for the trade-in. Everything is finalized once the M5 was picked up and M1 was traded with the correct amounts.
If her M1 was in perfect conditions, I could have gotten more somewhere else, but M1 has been struggling with the 8GB of RAM and it was time to upgrade. This deal made it pretty easy.
Thanks OP (repped)
I ended up going for it on a 15 incher. I traded my M2 16/256 for 525 and after the refund it'll end up costing about 680. Should be about double the performance and with faster SSD with more space, newer wifi, better speakers, larger display, and waranty. I always felt like the 13' was a little cramped for me.
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