The iPhone Air is the thinnest and lightest iPhone ever, but it comes with trade-offs: eSIM only, one camera and a smaller battery. Here is what to check before you buy one refurbished.
Door The Phone Shopper
Gepubliceerd: 2026-10-10
Apple released the iPhone Air in September 2025. At 5.64 mm it is the thinnest iPhone Apple has ever made. It weighs 165 grams, has a titanium frame and uses the same A19 Pro chip as the iPhone 17 Pro. In return you accept some deliberate trade-offs: one rear camera, a smaller battery than the other models and no SIM tray. Here is what to check before you order a refurbished iPhone Air, and who it is, and is not, the smart choice for.
The short version: the Air works with eSIM only, so check that your network supports it before you buy. If one camera is enough for you and you would rather charge once more than carry a heavy phone, this is the lightest iPhone there is. Every Air we sell has a battery health of at least 85%, a 2-year warranty that also covers the battery, and 30 days to change your mind.
| Feature | iPhone Air |
|---|---|
| Released | September 2025 |
| Chip | A19 Pro |
| Screen | 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR (OLED), ProMotion up to 120 Hz, Always-On display |
| Rear camera | one 48 MP Fusion camera with a 2x telephoto option |
| Selfie camera | 18 MP Center Stage |
| Buttons | Action button and Camera Control |
| Connector | USB-C (USB 2) |
| Design | titanium frame, Ceramic Shield 2 on the front |
| Thickness and weight | 5.64 mm, 165 grams |
| SIM | eSIM only (two eSIMs active at once), no SIM tray |
| Battery | up to 27 hours of video, up to 40 hours with the MagSafe Battery |
| Water resistance | IP68 |
| Colours | Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold, Sky Blue |
| Storage | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB |
Source: Apple technical specifications.
The iPhone Air has no tray for a physical SIM card; it works with eSIM only. The phone is unlocked and can have two eSIMs active at the same time, for example a personal and a work number.
Most major networks offer eSIM. If you are with a smaller or prepaid provider, check with them before you order. Coming from another iPhone, you can often transfer your SIM or eSIM straight across during setup, as long as your network supports it. If that does not work, request an eSIM through your network's app, website or store. When travelling, a travel eSIM replaces the local SIM card. More background in eSIM or SIM card: which should you choose.
On the back sits a single 48 MP Fusion camera. It takes sharp photos and has a 2x telephoto option, but there is no ultra wide and no dedicated telephoto lens. Fitting a whole group into one shot, shooting a small room or getting very close is therefore harder than on an iPhone 17 or 17 Pro. If you mostly photograph people, food, trips and things for social media, you will miss very little. If you want to zoom in on a stage or a sports pitch, choose a Pro.
A 5.64 mm phone has less room for a battery. Apple quotes up to 27 hours of video for the Air, against up to 30 hours for the iPhone 17 and up to 31 hours for the 17 Pro. With normal use you get through the day; with a lot of navigation, filming or gaming you will reach for the charger sooner. Apple made a MagSafe Battery specifically for the Air; together they reach up to 40 hours of video.
Every refurbished Air from us has a battery health of at least 85%. You can check it yourself under Settings > Battery > Battery Health. Why 85% is a sensible floor is explained in battery health explained.
Our conditions only describe the outside; every phone works 100%. As good as new is indistinguishable from new at arm's length. Lightly used has small marks you only notice when you look for them. Right now we have the Air in As good as new. The differences are explained in our guide to the conditions.
A tip from our repair workshop: with iPhones in general, cracked glass on the front or back is the damage we see most often. A case and a screen protector make the Air a little thicker, but they can save you a repair.
The Air starts at 256 GB; there is no smaller version. That is plenty for apps and photos, especially if you also use iCloud. We currently have the Air in stock with 256 GB.
Apple makes the Air in four colours: Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold and Sky Blue. We currently have it in stock in black, light gold and sky blue. The colours of other models side by side are in every iPhone colour by model.
Every refurbished Air comes with a 2-year warranty, battery included. On top of that you have 30 days to change your mind: if the phone is not for you, send it back.
| Feature | iPhone Air | iPhone 17 | iPhone 17 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thickness | 5.64 mm | 7.95 mm | 8.75 mm |
| Weight | 165 g | 177 g | 204 g |
| Screen | 6.5-inch, 120 Hz | 6.3-inch, 120 Hz | 6.3-inch, 120 Hz |
| Chip | A19 Pro | A19 | A19 Pro |
| Rear cameras | 1 (Fusion) | 2 (Fusion, Ultra Wide) | 3 (Fusion, Ultra Wide, Telephoto) |
| SIM | eSIM only | nano-SIM + eSIM | nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Video playback | up to 27 hours | up to 30 hours | up to 31 hours |
The iPhone 17 costs less new than the Air, adds an Ultra Wide camera and a SIM tray, and lasts a little longer on a charge. The iPhone 17 Pro has three cameras including a real telephoto lens and the longest video playback of the three, but it weighs almost 40 grams more. Considering the 17 Pro? Read buying a refurbished iPhone 17 Pro as well.
Want three cameras and a SIM tray, but refurbished and at a lower price? Then the Refurbished iPhone 16 Pro is a strong alternative.
Once it arrives, run through these points in a few minutes:
Moving your data from your old phone is easiest with the steps in transferring to a new iPhone.
No. The Air has no SIM tray and works with eSIM only. Ask your network to switch your number to an eSIM; most major networks do this through their app, website or store.
Apple uses a titanium frame and Ceramic Shield 2 on the front, and the Air is rated IP68 for water resistance. Glass is still glass: a case and a screen protector reduce the risk of the most common damage.
Prefer to hold it first? Visit our shop in Nijverdal, the Netherlands, or read whether a refurbished iPhone is reliable first.
See the refurbished iPhone Air in stock with 256 GB, in black, light gold and sky blue. With a 2-year warranty and 30 days to change your mind.
Refurbished iPhones met 2 jaar garantie. Elk toestel doorloopt ons 50-punts inspectieproces en wordt geleverd met 2 jaar garantie.
Every refurbished phone is sold in one of four conditions:
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