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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.
Would a 14: 2021 M1 Macbook Pro, 16gb, 500gb be worth trading in for this M5 Air? I dock it and run multiple screens with it too. It shows $425 trade in value.
Would a 14: 2021 M1 Macbook Pro, 16gb, 500gb be worth trading in for this M5 Air? I dock it and run multiple screens with it too. It shows $425 trade in value.
deal is dead i do no longer see 600+ tax when trading in M1 MBA
This is good. Even a fiar condition for M1 mac air (i have cracked bezel) netting me $240. Considering it....
Sucks promo doesnt work on open box/refurb M5 or any other models. lol
Would a 14: 2021 M1 Macbook Pro, 16gb, 500gb be worth trading in for this M5 Air? I dock it and run multiple screens with it too. It shows $425 trade in value.
Trade value is still live but the $950 sale price on m5 mba is over and showing $1099. Amazon still has silver on sale at $949 so you could try to price match though, maybe you can get $949 plus high trade value.
Last edited by Shomedamoney April 16, 2026 at 09:34 AM.
Trade value is still live but the $950 sale price on m5 mba is over and showing $1099. Amazon still has silver on sale at $949 so you could try to price match though, maybe you can get $949 plus high trade value.
Thank you! Traded in my daughter M1 and price matched via BB chat. For some reason he refunded $94.xx. Told him it should be $150 plus tax for the difference and he escalated to have it rectified. Got a case ID #.
Thank you! Traded in my daughter M1 and price matched via BB chat. For some reason he refunded $94.xx. Told him it should be $150 plus tax for the difference and he escalated to have it rectified. Got a case ID #.
Sorry, we can only help with either a price match or a trade‑in when assisting online you'll need to choose one option.
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Would a 14: 2021 M1 Macbook Pro, 16gb, 500gb be worth trading in for this M5 Air? I dock it and run multiple screens with it too. It shows $425 trade in value.
This is not a trade I would personally make, if your M1 MBP is still functioning without issues and if it meets your current usage requirements. You would be trading to get a smaller, lower quality screen and speakers that aren't nearly as good as what you currently have. I would think it would be worth more than the $425 trade in value, depending on condition.
I was able to get the 15" M5 Air from Best Buy for $1299 - $150 (PM to Amazon) - $150 (M1 Air trade-in promo) + tax (based on $999) + $5 fee - $200 (M1 Air trade-in value). I thought I'd be getting the $350 + tax refunded but it only applied to the trade-in promo part. The $200 trade-in value is applied post tax. Still pretty happy with the deal.
Note that it's much better to choose store pickup and do the trade-in there. I had a 13" M5 Air order but put a lower trade-in value estimate there. After walking into a store and talking with a trade-in member, they let me know that my M1 Air could qualify for the best (Good) condition. However since I chose ship to home and therefore would have to do a mail-in trade-in, they couldn't change the estimated value. They were willing to place a new order for me, but the 13" M5 Air price has gone up so that won't help. I ended up placing a new order with the 15" M5 Air and had it price matched to get the deal.
Last edited by metaclass April 21, 2026 at 05:08 PM.
Debating between 13" and 15" MBA M5. I already did the trade-in with an MBA M1. Anyone has experience with returning a laptop and "transferring" the trade-in value to the new purchase?
Thanks!
Debating between 13" and 15" MBA M5. I already did the trade-in with an MBA M1. Anyone has experience with returning a laptop and "transferring" the trade-in value to the new purchase?
Thanks!
Bought both and the 15" MBA M5 is the right one for me. Easy to travel with yet the screen size is much better than the 13" MBA or 14" MBP. When I picked up the 15" MBA at BB I wanted another one with a different S/N, and they did the exchange for me on spot. On the receipt it shows a return and rebuy with the same price (trade-in not affected), so I guess that could work for a different model. The only catch is you'll lose the free trial apps/services with the original order, but that's fine for me.
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FYI, Apple gave me $705 for my base M4 MacBook Air. I price matched to Microcenter and got the base M5 for $989.10, which is the maximum 10% discount allows for price matching.
After sales tax and the trade in, I paid $302.xx for the upgrade. It's even less if you factor usage of discounted Apple GC's for payment.
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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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Sucks promo doesnt work on open box/refurb M5 or any other models. lol
Thank you! Traded in my daughter M1 and price matched via BB chat. For some reason he refunded $94.xx. Told him it should be $150 plus tax for the difference and he escalated to have it rectified. Got a case ID #.
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And then the trade-in offer would work.
I was able to get the 15" M5 Air from Best Buy for $1299 - $150 (PM to Amazon) - $150 (M1 Air trade-in promo) + tax (based on $999) + $5 fee - $200 (M1 Air trade-in value). I thought I'd be getting the $350 + tax refunded but it only applied to the trade-in promo part. The $200 trade-in value is applied post tax. Still pretty happy with the deal.
Note that it's much better to choose store pickup and do the trade-in there. I had a 13" M5 Air order but put a lower trade-in value estimate there. After walking into a store and talking with a trade-in member, they let me know that my M1 Air could qualify for the best (Good) condition. However since I chose ship to home and therefore would have to do a mail-in trade-in, they couldn't change the estimated value. They were willing to place a new order for me, but the 13" M5 Air price has gone up so that won't help. I ended up placing a new order with the 15" M5 Air and had it price matched to get the deal.
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After sales tax and the trade in, I paid $302.xx for the upgrade. It's even less if you factor usage of discounted Apple GC's for payment.
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