Apple is offering its biggest Apple Card sign-up bonus yet with free AirPods Pro 3, though customers must keep using the card for months before they receive the full reward.

Apple launched its biggest Apple Card sign-up promotion yet with up to $250 in Bonus Daily Cash tied to an AirPods Pro 3 purchase. The deal spreads the reward across months of required card usage instead of offering an upfront rebate.

The promotion applies only to new Apple Card customers who open an account and purchase AirPods Pro 3 directly from Apple between May 18 and June 15. Beginning July 1, qualifying users can earn $25 in Bonus Daily Cash each month through April 30, 2027, as long as they make at least 10 purchases with the card every month.

Apple pitched the promotion as a way to get AirPods Pro 3 for free through Apple Card. Many credit card sign-up bonuses deliver rewards upfront through statement credits or points.

The company tied the offer to 10 months of card activity. Apple Card, launched in 2019, lacked the typical sign-up bonuses, focusing instead on simplicity, no annual fee, and seamless integration with the Wallet app on iPhone.

The AirPods Pro 3 promotion pushes Apple deeper into the kind of customer acquisition strategy commonly used across the credit card market. The company still structured the reward around long-term card usage instead of an immediate payout.

Apple spreads the reward across continued card usage

The monthly purchase requirement encourages repeated Apple Card usage instead of one-time sign-ups. Qualifying purchases can be as small as $0.01, according to the promotion terms.

Users who fail to meet the monthly purchase requirement lose that month’s $25 Bonus Daily Cash opportunity.

Apple limited the promotion to new Apple Card users and excluded existing cardholders from the offer. Customers must buy the AirPods Pro 3 directly from Apple.

Purchases from third-party retailers, refurbished inventory, and qualifying AirPods purchases don’t count toward the required monthly transaction total. Customers can still finance the AirPods purchase using Apple Card Monthly Installments and remain eligible for the promotion.

Taxes and additional fees aren’t included in the reimbursement value.

The timing aligns with Apple’s continued expansion of Wallet-related products and financial services. The company has added features in recent years including Apple Savings accounts, Tap to Pay, and installment financing tied directly to hardware purchases.

AirPods Pro 3

Using AirPods Pro 3 as the incentive keeps the promotion centered on Apple hardware instead of generic cashback rewards. AirPods also remain closely tied to the iPhone ecosystem through features tied to Apple Music, Siri, and spatial audio.

The money added back to the Apple Card each month will likely be enough to cover most of a monthly installment plan for the AirPods Pro. However, since the customers have to make 10 additional transactions, the user will need to pay that balance off separately.

It’s a good way to get AirPods Pro 3 if you didn’t have them already. Apple Card’s incentive structure works best when used as a same-as-cash card, so simple purchases like gas will ensure customers meet the requirements of the deal.