Apple launches Apple Card promotion offering free AirPods Pro 3

As expected, Apple has officially launched its promotion for new Apple Card users. If you sign up for a new Apple Card, you can get a pair of AirPods Pro 3 for free (basically). Here’s how it works.

How to get AirPods Pro for free with Apple Card

Here’s how it works:

1. Sign up for a new Apple Card account.
2. Buy a new pair of AirPods Pro 3 directly from Apple before June 15.
3. Starting July 1, every month you make more than 10 purchases, you’ll earn $25 in bonus cash per day, until April 30, 2027.

Of course, you will still have to pay any applicable taxes associated with your purchase. Yet it’s essentially a free pair of AirPods Pro in exchange for opening an Apple Card account, but spread out over 12 months. Unfortunately, if you already have an Apple Card, there’s no way to take advantage of this offer.

This is by far the most lucrative sign-up bonus Apple Card has ever offered. The bonus is even more attractive because Apple Card has no annual fee. Many cards offering juicy sign-up bonuses like this also charge an annual fee, which can offset the value of the bonus.

The excitement is dampened slightly by the clumsy method of redemption. You’ll need to make more than 10 purchases each month to get this $25 bonus daily cash credit. It’s not as simple as buying AirPods Pro 3 and instantly getting $250 back. You can, however, use monthly Apple Card payments to spread this cost over six months while still claiming the cash bonus over a year.

Here’s some fine print from Apple:

The cost of AirPods Pro 3, for purposes of this offer, does not include applicable taxes, fees or other charges. Offer subject to change at any time and is not available to applicants who have had this card or who have another pending or approved card application. New Apple Card account owners who (1) first open a new Apple Card account and (2) then use it to purchase AirPods Pro 3 directly from Apple, from May 18, 2026 to June 15, 2026 (“Qualifying Period”), will be eligible to earn up to $250 Daily Bonus Cash after meeting the following spending requirements: July 1, 2026 to April 30 2027 (“Offer Period”), earn $25 Daily Bonus Cash out each month when you use your new Apple Card to make a minimum of ten (10) purchases of any amount ($0.01 or more) that are credited to your account each month (“Qualifying Purchases”).

AirPods Pro 3 purchases must be made directly from Apple (online or at an Apple Store) using the new Apple Card. Refurbished products, other models of AirPods, purchases from third-party retailers, international purchases, and purchases for business purposes such as company bulk orders are excluded.

All Apple AirPods Pro 3 payment options using Apple Card are eligible for this offer, including full payment or financing via Apple Card monthly installments, whether or not a trade-in value has been applied to reduce the cost of purchase. Eligible AirPods Pro 3 purchase cannot be made entirely with an Apple Gift Card or Apple Account balance. The purchase of AirPods Pro 3 does not count toward the ten (10) qualifying purchases required in any month during the offer period. Returning your qualifying AirPods Pro 3 purchase may result in loss of eligibility for this offer.

You can choose to deposit Daily Cash from your Apple Card directly into your Apple Cash account or your Apple Card savings account. You can then transfer it directly to your bank if you wish.

Apple launched the AirPods Pro 3 last year, with a slightly different in-ear design, 2x better active noise cancellation (ANC), improved audio quality and more. They also offer a built-in heart rate monitor for the first time. You can read my full review for all the details.

Do you sign up for an Apple Card to take advantage of this free AirPods Pro promotion? Are you already an Apple Card user and feeling left out by this offer? Let us know in the comments.

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