AirPods 5 pre-orders opened today, September 9, and the earbuds reach stores on Friday, September 18 in the US and more than 65 countries and regions. Prices are $129 for AirPods 5 and $149 for AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case.
Apple has not published the list of launch countries in its press release, so the more-than-65 figure is the only geographic detail available. The same September 18 date applies to the iPhone 18 Pro, which also launches in more than 65 countries and regions.
AirPods 5 pre-order and release date at a glance
Here is how the AirPods 5 schedule lines up with the rest of what Apple dated on September 9.
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| Product | Pre-orders | Availability | Second wave |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirPods 5 ($129 and $149) | September 9 | September 18, US and more than 65 countries | Not announced |
| iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max | September 12, 5 a.m. PT | September 18, more than 65 countries | 20 more countries on September 25 |
| iOS 27 | Not applicable | September 14, free update | More Siri AI languages in October |
AirPods 5 skip the three-day wait the iPhone has between announcement and pre-order. Apple has not said whether launch-day supply differs between the two models.
Which countries get AirPods 5 on September 18
Apple’s release names the US and says more than 65 countries and regions, then stops. Apple has not listed the other markets, and it has not said whether a second wave follows, as it will for the iPhone 18 Pro with 20 additional countries on September 25.
The iPhone 18 Pro release also lists 12 eSIM-only markets, including the US, Canada, Japan and Mexico. That list is about the phone’s SIM tray and says nothing about where AirPods 5 will be sold.
Why the iOS 27 date matters for AirPods 5 buyers
Hands-free Siri AI on AirPods 5 needs iOS 27 and an Apple Intelligence iPhone. iOS 27 arrives Monday, September 14, four days before the earbuds ship, with Siri AI in beta in English.
French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish follow in October. Buyers in those markets get the earbuds on the same September 18 schedule, but the Siri AI language support arrives a few weeks later.
What Apple has not confirmed
Apple has not published the country list, per-country pricing, or a date for markets outside the first wave. It also has not said whether the $149 Wireless Charging Case model ships everywhere the $129 model does.
Our pre-order expectations guide covered the iPhone side of the schedule before the event, and the AirPods 5 rumor round-up tracked the earbuds. The Apple event live blog has everything else Apple announced.
