The best iPhone Air preorder deals in Australia – outright and on-plan options to grab Apple's skinny-yet-powerful new handset

Usually, you have to weigh up the opportunity to own a thinner, lighter phone against the performance limits of a handset that size. However, Apple's all-new iPhone Air promises the MacBook Pro-level performance of the iPhone 17 Pro, stuffed into a 5.6 mm and 165g frame. With preorders officially opening at 10PM AEST on Friday, September 12, we've collected all the best preorder deals available to help keep your wallet as fat as possible while buying Apple's new skinny iPhone.

The iPhone Air starts at AU$1,799, filling the hole left by the oft-overlooked iPhone 16 Plus between the standard iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Pro. That said, it's very much its own model – ditching the '17' moniker, sporting the powerful A19 Pro chipset and a gorgeous new slimline body that's different to any other iPhone.

You can check out all the best iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro preorder deals, with all of Apple's new lineup shipping on Friday, September 19. However, if you're enticed by Apple's new, ultra-thin smartphone, you can see the various iPhone Air preorder deals that are available right now below.

Best iPhone Air preorder deals

• Up to 24% off the first 12 months of all SIM plans
• Get AU$1,200 credit towards your new iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max with the AU$79 Extra Large plan
• AU$200 bonus trade-in credit

Vodafone has the best offering currently available, with three different ways to make the most out of your iPhone Air preorder. The first is a very enticing AU$200 trade-in bonus when you hand over your old device. You can also pair your iPhone Air with a Vodafone plan and save, with AU$8, AU$13 and AU$18 p/m discounts on the first 12 months of its small, medium and large SIMs. Lastly, you'll earn AU$1,200 in credit when you pair a new device to the AU$79 Extra Large plan. The trade-in bonus can be paired with the other SIM deals.

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• Additional AU$10 p/m off the first 12 months of Optus AU$79 AU$69 Promo plan
• Up to AU$1,250 via trade-in

Optus has already taken AU$10 the first 12 months of its AU$79 Promo plan, and you can get an additional AU$10 p/m off the first year by bundling it with any new handset. This brings it down to just AU$4 more than Optus' cheapest phone plan, providing 310GB more data each month (360GB), plus unlimited international calls and texts. This plan also provides AU$10 p/m credit to spend on the best streaming services through Optus SubHub. You also have the option to earn up to AU$1,250 by trading in your old device.

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At the time of writing, we only know of the two official deals above. And, unlike the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro preorder deals, we don't have years of experience to rely on guessing what will be on offer. However, as it's being treated as a true member of the iPhone 17 family, we don't think things will differ too much.

Unconfirmed deals:

• Apple (TBC): Earn up to AU$1,205 via trade-in
• Telstra (TBC): Last year, Telstra only offered their standard trade-in offer
• JB Hi-Fi (TBC): If there is a deal, it will likely involve a gift card or boosted trade-in value
• The Good Guys (TBC): Any potential deal would surround bonus trade-ins or a gift card

iPhone Air plans currently on offer

Not looking to spend AU$1,799 outright on a new phone? If you'd rather pay off your new iPhone Air over a longer term contract, you can pair it with the Vodafone, Optus and Telstra options below.

iPhone Air: Key information

We've just published our hands-on experience with the iPhone Air, and so far, we're definitely impressed with it. In terms of design, Apple has absolutely nailed both the weight and size of the device – and we love the smooth and sleek camera housing.

Right now, our main observations are that it looks incredible, but we are withholding judgment until we can really test this model. Questions remain over the various compromises that Apple has potentially taken to squeeze everything into that tiny chassis.

For example, while the iPhone Air features the same A19 Pro chipset as the iPhone 17 Pro, it lacks the latter's new 'vapour chamber' cooling setup, which will likely mean its actual performance slots somewhere between the standard iPhone 17 and the 17 Pro.

Other potential issues could be the battery life and the single camera. The iPhone Air doesn't have a separate ultra-wide camera or 8x telephoto like the Pro models, instead opting for a two-in-one 'Fusion' camera with three focal lengths and a 2x zoom. It's definitely a little more limited in that regard, but the single camera housing does look much cleaner and neater versus the three huge lenses that Apple has crammed onto the back of the Pro models.