Which iPad Air models support cellular networking? What are the differences between the cellular networking on each model? Which iPad Air models use which type of SIM? Nano? Apple SIM? eSIM?

Each iPad Air series, from the original to the current line, have at least one model that supports cellular networking. However, models from different generations, and even within generations, have different capabilities.

Photo Credit: Apple, Inc. (Cellular iPad Air 3 Models)

Physically, it is possible to tell that an iPad Air model supports some kind of cellular networking if it has a plastic panel or an antenna line on the back toward the top of the case, but this is not sufficient to determine the generation or the specific wireless capabilities.

Cellular Capable iPad Air Models

The Model Number is the easiest way to establish the precise iPad Air model; externally displayed toward the bottom on the back of each device:

iPad Air	Model No
iPad Air (Wi-Fi/Cellular)	A1475
iPad Air (Wi-Fi/TD-LTE - China)	A1476
iPad Air 2 (Wi-Fi/Cellular)	A1567
iPad Air 3 (Wi-Fi+Cell US/CA)	A2153
iPad Air 3 (Wi-Fi+Cell Global)	A2123
iPad Air 3 (Wi-Fi+Cell China)	A2154
iPad Air 4 (Wi-Fi+Cell US/CA)	A2324
iPad Air 4 (Wi-Fi+Cell Global)	A2072
iPad Air 4 (Wi-Fi+Cell China)	A2325
iPad Air 5 (Wi-Fi+Cell)	A2589
iPad Air 5 (Wi-Fi+Cell China)	A2591
iPad Air M2 11" (Wi-Fi+Cell)	A2903*
iPad Air M2 11" (Wi-Fi+Cell China)	A2904*
iPad Air M2 13" (Wi-Fi+Cell)	A2899*
iPad Air M2 13" (Wi-Fi+Cell China)	A2900*

If an iPad Air is not listed above, it does not support cellular networking, but it rather is a Wi-Fi only model.

To track down a specific iPad Air by a variety of different identifiers, please refer to the Ultimate iLookup feature.

iPad Air Cellular Differences

All cellular-equipped iPad Air models support 2G GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz). They otherwise are quite different.

Supported 5G, 4G LTE bands and other cellular support differences between models are as follows:

iPad Air	Model	4G LTE	Other
iPad Air	A1475	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26	UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA CDMA EV-DO A & B
iPad Air (China)	A1476	38, 39	UMTS (WCDMA)/HSPA+/ DC-HSDPA TD-SCDMA
iPad Air 2	A1567	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 38, 39, 40, 41	UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA TD-SCDMA CDMA EV-DO A & B
iPad Air 3 US/CA	A2153	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66, 71	UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA
iPad Air 3 Global	A2123	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66	UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA
iPad Air 3 China	A2154	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 66	UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA
iPad Air 4 US/CA	A2324	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71	UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA
iPad Air 4 Global	A2072	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66	UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA
iPad Air 4 China	A2325	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66	UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA

The cellular capable iPad Air 5 models added 5G support for the first time. They still support the older UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC‑HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz) standard, as well:

iPad Air	Model	4G LTE	5G NR
iPad Air 5 Global	A2589	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71	n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n29, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n71, n77, n78, n79
iPad Air 5 China	A2591	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71	n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n20, n25, n28, n29, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n71, n77, n78, n79

Compared to the iPad Air 5 models, the cellular capable iPad Air M2 models have slightly different 4G LTE (drops band 46) and 5G support (adds bands n14, n26, n71, n75, and n76):

iPad Air	Model	4G LTE	5G NR
iPad Air M2 11" (Wi-Fi+Cell)	A2902	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71	n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n14, n20, n25, n26, n28, n29, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n70, n71, n75, n76, n77, n78, n79
iPad Air M2 11" (Wi-Fi+Cell China)	A2903	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71	n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n14, n20, n25, n26, n28, n29, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n70, n71, n75, n76, n77, n78, n79
iPad Air M2 13" (Wi-Fi+Cell)	A2899	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71	n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n14, n20, n25, n26, n28, n29, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n70, n71, n75, n76, n77, n78, n79
iPad Air M2 13" (Wi-Fi+Cell China)	A2900	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71	n1, n2, n3, n5, n7, n8, n12, n14, n20, n25, n26, n28, n29, n30, n38, n40, n41, n48, n66, n70, n71, n75, n76, n77, n78, n79

iPad Air SIM Types

Prior to the introduction of the iPad Air M2 models in 2024, which only have eSIM support, all cellular-equipped iPad Air models have a Nano SIM card slot:

• iPad Air 2 (Wi-Fi/Cellular) - A1567
• iPad Air 3 (Wi-Fi+Cell US/CA/NZ/AU) - A2153
• iPad Air 3 (Wi-Fi+Cell Global) - A2123
• iPad Air 4 (Wi-Fi+Cell US/CA) - A2324
• iPad Air 4 (Wi-Fi+Cell Global) - A2072
• iPad Air 5 (Wi-Fi+Cell) - A2589

Except for models sold only in mainland China, the cellular capable iPad Air 2, iPad Air 3, iPad Air 4, and iPad Air 5 models support a physical Apple SIM as well.

With the exception of the China-only iPad Air 3 (A2154), iPad Air 4 (A2325), and iPad Air 5 (A2591), iPad Air 3 and later models have an "eSIM" integrated or "embedded" in the device, too. The iPad Air M2 models, regardless of where they are sold, only support eSIM.