Apple’s Last-Minute Shopping Savior: Free Two-Hour Delivery

Don’t worry if you still haven’t found the perfect gift for the Apple fan in your life, as there’s still time to get a new iPhone, iPad, or set of AirPods under the tree — and you may not have to brave the Christmas shopping crowd to do it.

That’s because this year Apple is once again offering two-hour delivery from your local Apple Store in most major urban centers — and it’s doing so at no charge.

Same-day delivery from Apple isn’t a new phenomenon, but it normally carries a $9 courier charge per order. Granted, that may not be too high a price to pay if you’re in a hurry for an iPhone or iPad, but it may not be worth it for smaller items like Beats headphones. The good news is that from now until Christmas Eve, Apple is waiving that charge on all of its products to give last-minute holiday shoppers a break.

The two-hour delivery window is available in most major metropolitan areas in the US and Canada, from New York and Los Angeles to Toronto and Vancouver. To be clear, Apple is waiving the $9 ($13 CAD) delivery fee in all areas where two-hour delivery is available, but that’s still limited to more populated areas.

That’s because Apple ships these items out directly from its retail store shelves. That also means they have to be in stock at your local Apple Store. If you live in a major city like New York, chances are good you’ll find what you want, but if you’re in Woodcliff Lake, NJ, you’ll be relying on the lone Apple Store in your 6,100-person town.

It’s also worth noting that while some of these smaller centres are still offering quick and free courier delivery, they’re next-day rather than same day. That should still get you an Apple product in time for Christmas — assuming it’s in stock — but you should order it now.

Lastly, it’s worth mentioning that the delivery charge is only being waived on specific Apple products: the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple TV, and Beats. Other Apple products, including premium ones like the $2,000 Studio Display, still carry the $9 delivery free, as do the HomePod and HomePod mini.

How To Get Free Two-Hour Delivery

If the item you’re looking for is in stock and eligible for two-hour delivery, you’ll still need to place your order before noon on Christmas Eve if you want to ensure that it gets under the tree on time.

As mentioned earlier, the product you’re buying has to be in stock at a nearby Apple Store. If you can’t get it by physically walking into the store, you won’t be able to get same-day delivery for it either. This applies even in places like Toronto and San Francisco, where Apple has large offices and warehouse facilities. That’s because Apple relies on local couriers like Uber Eats, which pick up your Apple orders from a store the same way they’d pick up your Big Mac from McDonalds.

Same-day delivery also isn’t available on customized Macs or any engraved products, since you can’t get those from a local store. Engraved products always come directly from the factory, as the engraving is done before they’re packaged. This is also often the case with customized Mac configurations as well, although Apple does warehouse some of the more popular configurations.

You also won’t be able to take advantage of same-day shipping from Apple if you’re financing the product or paying for it via bank transfer, presumably because it takes additional time to verify payment. This includes Apple Card Monthly Installments and carrier financing (like Verizon or T-Mobile).

To find out if two-hour delivery is available, simply go to the Apple Store and begin shopping.