The best MacBook Air cases and sleeves in 2024: protect your Apple laptop in style

The best MacBook Air cases and sleeves will help prevent your expensive laptop should it get damaged. And given that MacBooks cost thousands, and can be very tricky and time-consuming things to repair, that makes them a very good investment indeed.

Whether you have the very latest Apple MacBook Air 15-inch M2 or an older model, owning a more robust case for your MacBook Air can help prevent a cracked screen or internal damage. And some of them look pretty cool too!

• See also Best Macbook Pro cases • Best Macbook Air docking stations

So how do you choose the best MacBook Air case? First, decide how worried you are about damaging your device. Some of the products in this guide are strong enough to withstand big drops, while others may only protect against more minor bumps and scuffs.

Also, do you need the case to be waterproof? And what about functionality: are you looking for extra handy side compartments or carry handles? Consider the look of the case too, because there are many different styles to choose from.

Below, you'll find the best MacBook Air cases and sleeves available today, all in one handy place. Then once you've found one for you, consider also investing in one of the best laptop stands, which help keep a MacBook from overheating if you use it on your lap. 

Best MacBook Air cases in 2024

Looking for something that's protective of your iPad Air without being too heavy and cumbersome? You'll find that perfect sweet spot with this hardshell case. Rather than being made with ABS plastic, as is typical, it's crafted from premium Bayer Makrolon polycarbonate. This durable material is remarkably lightweight yet offers MacBook reliable protection from scratches and impacts.

This form-fitting MacBook case features a stylized textured dot design throughout the interior that shows through the surface and precision cutouts for full access to ports, lights and buttons. And it comes in a huge range of colours. So while it's not the cheapest, but it does represent excellent quality. If you prefer a different exterior, there's also a textured variation made with Woolinex.

Are you generally clumsy and worried about dropping your MacBook Air? Then we recommend this sturdy case. Featuring a heavy-duty armor shell with a shock-absorbent wraparound bumper, it provides supreme protection against accidental scuffs, drops, falls, scratches, and other damage.

A built-in foldable stand offers an ergonomic typing angle and a better viewing experience when using your MacBook. It's fully vented for safe heat disbursement. There's no problem accessing all the normal ports and features, and you can plug your charger, cable or headset without removing the case. You also get a silicon keyboard cover to protect your MacBook keyboard against spills and dust.

If you're out and about, and want to be sure of protecting your MacBook Air from drops, you're going to need something with military-grade protection. We recommend this rugged case from Urban Armor Gear. It's made with armor shell, with impact resistant soft core and bumpers, and a non-slip tactile grip that makes you less likely to drop it, even in wet or slippery conditions. It meets military drop-test standard MIL STD 810G 516.6, and while at 394g it's not the lightest, the protection you're getting is immense.

This heavy-duty, plastic hard shell case comes with beveled ridges and a keyboard skin, offering your laptop good protection all around, against spills, scrapes, and scratches, while the TPU bumper will help to safeguard your laptop further should you accidentally drop it. For a plastic case, this feels really satisfying to hold too. 

The thin rubber cover for the keyboard feels a little odd to work with, but if it's not to your liking, you don't have to use it (however, it could help to guard against expensive repairs after a little keyboard spillage). There's a multitude of color options, from Living Coral to Marsala Red (pictured here); it has a transparent hard shell so your Apple logo will shine through, but the design might not suit everyone. 

The case is simple to fit on (and take off) and you have full access to all buttons and features, so recharging it isn't a problem. As it encases your MacBook Air, there are two rows of vents on the underside for safe heat disbursement to help prevent your laptop from overheating. The case also has four silicone feet to help to keep it cool, as it creates a little bit of space between your MacBook Air and your desk. 

If you don't want a case that lives on your MacBook Air permanently, then you can protect your device with a sleeve like this one from Apple. This sleeve is crafted from sumptuous, high-quality French leather that exudes luxury and being an official product, it fits your MacBook Air like a second skin. 

The quality of this product is unparalleled – which is only right, given the high price tag – as soon as you open the box, you're met with a beautiful smell that comes from the top-class leather; it isn’t that overpowering, offensive one that you tend to find on cheaper leather sleeves. Not only is the leather tough and durable, but the case will develop a wonderful patina over time. 

There's a choice of muted, sophisticated colors and the sleeve's details are neat and stylish: from the stitching around the edge of the case to the debossed Apple logo on the top, and there are even four impressions of the base that line up with the feet on the bottom of your MacBook Air. 

The case comes with a soft microfibre lining that gently encases your devices, ensuring it's protected while you're out and about. Of course, if you need a highly protective case, you should look elsewhere – but for everyday use, this sleeve case cannot be beaten. And it's slim enough to pop into a dedicated laptop bag, should you need further protection.

This Incase ICON Sleeve provides complete surface and side protection for your 13-inch MacBook Air. It offers a little more protection than the leather Apple sleeve option above, as the Incase sleeve features a shock-absorbing Tensaerlite bumper. 

The bumper has been molded and sewn to each side and provides maximum impact protection with minimal weight. The sleeve comes with upper and lower compression panels that are form-fitted to firmly secure your MacBook Air while you're on the move. The 3mm-thick cushioned interior with plush, faux-fur lining helps to keep your device safe, and looking shiny and new for longer. 

There's a secure magnetic closure that prevents unwanted slips and keeps out everyday dust and debris. The exterior of the sleeve is made from durable Woolenex – a special material that works well at repelling moisture, mildew, and chemicals. The case feels great and holds, and is slim enough to pop into a backpack easily enough for further protection, should you need it.

Most MacBook Air cases and sleeves look pretty similar, but here's one that really stands out from the crowd. Crafted from high-quality, genuine cowhide leather with fine and durable stitching, giving it a sleek look and a slim body, this sleeve has an elegant, artisanal craft feel to it, without sacrificing functionality. 

Able to fit both the 13.3 and 13-inch MacBooks, this leather cowhide sleeve also comes in seven different color options, making it perfect for those who like to show a bit of creative flair while safeguarding their devices. 

This high-density soft padding case from Tomtoc offers 360 protection and is designed with CornerArmor Technology, boasting high resilience edges. Having been approved to meet the Military-Standard-Drop-Testing, this case is sleek and modern while also maintaining a super-protective form.

Made from premium spill-resistant recycled fabrics, the case is perfect for when on the go and for travel to and from the office, with YKK zippers and a sophisticated interline-designed soft lining that will safeguard your MacBook Air's cover from any scratches from loose cables.

The Tomtoc sleeve also comes with an additional small pouch that you can store your accessories and charger in, with two mesh pockets on the side, and an additional strap is included and designed to store your Airtag. Tomtoc also offers a 12-month worry-free warranty and accessible customer service for any issues. 

This sleeve case from JETech might be inexpensive, but it's nicely made, using good materials so you can rest assured that it's durable enough to look after your expensive tech. The exterior fabric is splash-proof making it easy to clean and helping to keep your MacBook Air safe inside. 

It's also constructed using a shock-proof sponge and inner foam that helps to cushion your device and effectively protects it from unwanted scratches and shocks. While the sleeve has its own handle – which is great if you're after a lightweight case – the sleeve's design is slim too, so you could easily slip it into a dedicated laptop bag or backpack if you wanted to add some further protection. 

The case is functional too and features an extra zippered front pocket for other items or valuables. While others might offer better protection against big drops, this is a great case that has a carry handle – something that's lacking on many other sleeves, and it comes in a selection of colors.

If you're looking for a good value case with a carry handle that can offer great protection to your MacBook Air, then this offering from Tomtoc might be the one for you. It features two built-in CornerArmor on the bottom edges and the 3D soft inner padding to protect your laptop from falls, bumps, and scrapes, just like a car airbag would. 

This Tomtoc MacBook Air laptop sleeve is made from high resilience edges, and cushion-soft fleece padding that has been certified to meet the Military-Grade Protection (MIL-STD-810H: 2019)

In addition to the main compartment, this case has a front pocket that is specially designed for you to store a power adapter, mouse, or other essentials, helping you to stay organized. The Tomtoc case is very well designed with neat touches, like a belt that keeps your device safely nestled inside.

If you're looking for something basic, a case that will just save your MacBook Air from scratches, then a simple one like this transparent case from B BELK might suffice. Attaching the two-piece shell to your MacBook is easy enough; it snaps on without too much trouble and is a near-perfect fit, with all the ports accessible. The bottom shell has vents to allow maximum heat dissipation to avoid your device from overheating. 

As the case is pretty slim, you could choose to use it along with a MacBook Sleeve to add some more protection. If you'd like to use it on its own, that's fine, but there are other hard cases that will safeguard your prized tech more. Having said that, if you're a careful owner, this hard shell case will happily prevent scratches, or smudges from damaging your expensive MacBook Air.

If you're looking for a shockproof, shell hard case this one from Mektron takes some beating. The Heavy Duty Rubberized Hard Case Cover combines a hard shell with protective, shock-absorbing ridges on the front and back of every corner, ensuring that your device is safe from accidental scuffs, scratches, and drops. 

It's easy to fit onto your MacBook Air – it fits perfectly – and turns off and on as expected when you shut the cover and open the cover-up, plus all the ports are accessible on this case. The protective casing means that it’s nicely protected from scratches while you're out and about. 

There are some good touches here too: it has rubberized feet that offer additional functionality, enabling you to tilt the laptop to make typing and viewing easier, and there are vents on the underside to make sure your MacBook remains cool. 

As expected, this case will add a little bulk to your MacBook Air, but if you're after drop-protection, you should consider this case – it's great value for money.

This durable, rugged case fits most 13-14-inch laptops and doubles as a carry case, with a shoulder strap for comfortable, convenient carrying. It comes with interior clips secured to an elastic slide and bottom straps to ensure your MacBook Air stays nestled safely, even if you forget to zip your EVA case shut, or if it falls off a desk. 

Also on the inside, you'll find corner tabs that lock onto your device's edges, keeping your MacBook Air fastened inside the case at all times, and it features soft padding that provides an inner cushion. 

While the hard outer EVA (Ethylene-vinyl acetate) shell retains its rigid shape and provides shock-absorbing protection from impacts and scratches. Some cheaper cases of this sort of design tend to lose their shape quickly, but this case is well-built and solid.

This rugged laptop sleeve cover has been designed for those who need good protection, but want a little more space to play with: This case comes with two front zipped pockets, which are large enough to hold chargers, your smartphone, a mouse, small tablets, external hard drives and so on. 

The case interior has a soft, thick, and velvet lining, which protects your MacBook Air against accidental bumps and scratches. Unlike other models in this guide which have a side handle, this laptop sleeve has a retractable top handle, making it easier to retrieve from a backpack or suitcase, and means it safer to carry when you're on the move. 

The exterior is made using high-quality Oxford fabric – a special waterproof and spill-resistant fabric material – so you can rest assured your tech is safe inside on rainy days. What's more, this case comes in loads of colors to suit all styles.

This durable protective case might suit you if you're after a little more protection than is offered by the sleevelike designs. The case snaps on easily enough – and should you want to remove it, there seems little chance of damaging your MacBook Air in the process, as there's just enough flex in the case to allow this, unlike with some other products listed here. 

The IBenzer’s Hexpact has a dual-layer design to help withstand even heavy drops – that's what the manufacturers say, and although we didn't drop-test this ourselves, this case does feel solid. Made out of TUP and polycarbonate, it dissipates the impact of the fall throughout its honeycomb body to lessen the impact on your MacBook Air. The cut-outs and ports are all accessible, as you would hope and you can recharge without removing the case. 

As with all the cases that fit onto the MacBook Air, the iBenzer’s Hexpact protective cover has vents that help to keep your device from overheating. It also has rubberized corner stands to further aid heat distribution. With its hard outer shell, soft impact-resistant rubber bumpers, and bottom skid pads, this case is good for protecting your MacBook Air from everyday accidents.

In a world that's fast moving towards veganism, many will prefer faux leather to an actual dead cow. In which case, we'd recommend this lovely briefcase-style sleeve, it's made from premium PU leather and a soft felt interior, giving it a smart, professional look, also available in a smart black color. 

This faux-leather case is slim and lightweight and will fit into most briefcases, backpacks, and bags with ease. It's also waterproof and features a built-in card slot, and a magnetic seal to keep your tablet secured in place when the case is closed.

FAQs about MacBook Air cases and sleeves