Side Kicks Streetwear • Global Release Guide
Updated: 30 August 2026
About the release
One of Jordan Brand's most elusive Air Jordan 4 colourways is finally returning to shelves after two full decades. The Jordan 4 'Rare Air Tour Yellow' first dropped in 2006 as part of the AJ4's LS (Lifestyle) series — a limited run that was never restocked — and has never received a retro release until now. The 2026 comeback marks its 20th anniversary and its first-ever retail return, coming as a faithful re-creation of the 2006 original with only minor tweaks. Style code IO2463-102. See the old release same colourway from the original run for reference.
The build features a premium white leather upper with black nubuck support wings and grey semi-transparent lace cages. The vibrant Tour Yellow polyurethane midsole is covered in black speckles — a splattered cement effect that nods directly to the timeless 'White Cement' AJ4 look. The tongue's removable Velcro Jumpman Flight patch is one of the pair's signature details — flip or swap it, and the beloved "Jordan Rare Air" branding is revealed underneath. The signature Jumpman logo sits on the rear and sockliner. Underneath, a visible Air bubble in the heel and encapsulated Air unit in the forefoot deliver comfort and shock absorption, while the grippy herringbone rubber outsole handles traction. The shape has also been improved to more closely replicate the 1989 OG proportions.
UK release is Saturday 5 September 2026 at 8:00 AM for £189.99 via Nike SNKRS and select Jordan Brand retailers.
TL;DR – Air Jordan 4 'Rare Air Tour Yellow' IO2463-102 Release Date, Price & Where to Buy
- UK release date: Saturday 5 September 2026 at 8:00 AM
- Model: Air Jordan 4 Retro Rare Air (LS series)
- Colourway: White / Tour Yellow / Dark Blue Grey / Black
- Style code: IO2463-102
- UK retail price: £189.99
- US retail price: $220
- Sizing: Men's sizing
- Where to buy: Nike SNKRS and select Jordan Brand retailers
- Originally released: 2006 (first-ever retro of the Tour Yellow colourway)
- Series: Rare Air / LS (Lifestyle)
- Key details: Premium white leather upper, black nubuck support wings, grey semi-transparent lace cages, Tour Yellow polyurethane midsole with black cement-style speckle finish, removable hook-and-loop Jumpman Flight tongue patch (revealing 'Jordan Rare Air' underneath), Jumpman heel and sockliner branding, visible heel Air bubble, encapsulated forefoot Air unit, herringbone rubber outsole, improved shape faithful to 1989 OG proportions
Release date and price
The Air Jordan 4 'Rare Air Tour Yellow' releases in the UK on Saturday 5 September 2026 at 8:00 AM via Nike SNKRS and select Jordan Brand retailers. UK retail is £189.99, with US retail set at $220. Men's sizing across the run.
The 2006 original had a limited-edition release and no retail availability since, giving it proper grail status among AJ4 collectors and Jordan heads. The 20-year gap between drops sits among the longest wait times for a proper AJ4 colourway retro in recent Jordan Brand history. Expect strong day-one SNKRS demand from long-time collectors and yellow-AJ4 completists — although it remains to be seen if the wider market matches that enthusiasm at the higher retail price point.
Design and details
The Rare Air Tour Yellow is one of the AJ4's more unique colour blocking executions — a proper lane-shift away from MJ's usual Chicago-themed palette and a snapshot of Nike's experimental early-2000s design energy. What makes it work is the balance: the white leather base keeps the pair grounded, while the Tour Yellow and cement speckle detailing carry the visual weight without tipping into loud territory.
White leather upper with nubuck wings
The upper leads with a crisp premium white leather base — the material choice makes the shoe read as clean and elevated rather than sporty. Black nubuck support wings break the white with a texture and colour contrast, and the grey semi-transparent lace cages add the third material register to the upper. The shape of the shoe has also been reworked closer to the 1989 OG proportions, correcting some of the drift that later AJ4 retros have had.
Tour Yellow speckled midsole
The vibrant Tour Yellow polyurethane midsole is the shoe's biggest visual identifier and the whole reason the colourway exists. Rather than a flat yellow finish, the midsole is covered in a black cement-style speckle pattern — a direct nod to the timeless 'White Cement' AJ4 finish. It's a proper design detail carried across from the 2006 pair, and it's what gives the shoe its unmistakable AJ4 language despite the non-standard colour palette.
Removable Jumpman Flight tongue patch
Arguably the pair's defining collector detail. The Jumpman Flight patch on the tongue attaches via hook-and-loop Velcro — flip it, swap it, or remove it entirely to reveal the "Jordan Rare Air" branding hidden underneath. The mechanism is exactly the same as the 2006 original, and the personalisation element is one of the reasons the Rare Air LS run has always sat as a distinct sub-line within the AJ4 catalog. The Jumpman logo also appears on the rear and the sockliner.
Air cushioning and outsole
Standard AJ4 tech underneath. A visible Air bubble in the heel provides visible shock absorption, and an encapsulated Air unit in the forefoot handles the rest. The grippy herringbone pattern on the solid rubber outsole delivers proper traction. Everything under the hood is exactly what you'd expect from a Retro AJ4.
Air Jordan 4 'Rare Air Tour Yellow' images
Credit: Nike / Jordan Brand
The Rare Air LS lineage and 2006 as a Jordan design moment
The Rare Air LS (Lifestyle) collection paid homage to the prototypes and sample pairs of early Air Jordan models — a proper collector-focused sub-line built around distinctive colour palettes and personalised design details like the removable tongue patches. LS colourways typically launched alongside matching apparel collections, and they always leaned brighter and more experimental than the standard retail Jordan line. Notable LS releases from the same era include the Air Jordan 3 Retro Cool Grey, the Air Jordan 5 Retro Grape, and the soon-to-be-reissued Air Jordan 5 Retro Black / University Blue.
The 2006 Tour Yellow AJ4 sat as a standalone drop, but it served as a proper complementary piece to the equally vibrant Air Jordan 4 Retro Lightning and Air Jordan 4 Retro Thunder looks from the same period. Together, those three yellow-and-black-forward AJ4s effectively defined the model's mid-2000s design direction and set a template that later collab pairs like the Eminem 'Encore' would build on. Tour Yellow is arguably the most understated of the three — but arguably also the cleanest.
The 20-year gap between drops matters. This is genuinely the first time the Tour Yellow has been available at retail since the 2006 launch, and Jordan Brand's decision to bring it back for the 20th anniversary of the original release makes proper collector sense. Whether the wider 2026 market matches the historical grail-status enthusiasm remains to be seen — but for anyone who missed the original run or never had the chance to grab a pair, this is the entry point.
Where to buy
The Air Jordan 4 'Rare Air Tour Yellow' releases on Saturday 5 September 2026 at 8:00 AM for £189.99 via Nike SNKRS and select Jordan Brand retailers. Browse all Jordan 4 releases and the wider Jordan Brand archive on Side Kicks. If you want to reference the OG, see the old release same colourway from the 2006 run.
FAQ
When is the Air Jordan 4 'Rare Air Tour Yellow' UK release date?
The Air Jordan 4 'Rare Air Tour Yellow' releases on Saturday 5 September 2026 at 8:00 AM via Nike SNKRS and select Jordan Brand retailers.
How much does the Rare Air Tour Yellow cost in the UK?
UK retail is £189.99. US retail is $220.
What is the style code for the AJ4 Tour Yellow?
The style code is IO2463-102. The full colourway is White / Tour Yellow / Dark Blue Grey / Black.
Is this the first time the Tour Yellow AJ4 has been retro'd?
Yes. The Tour Yellow originally released in 2006 as part of the AJ4's Rare Air / LS (Lifestyle) collection and has never been available at retail since. The 2026 reissue marks the 20th anniversary of the original launch and is the first-ever retro of the colourway.
What's the 'Rare Air' or 'LS' series?
The Rare Air LS (Lifestyle) collection paid homage to prototype and sample pairs of early Air Jordan models. LS-designated pairs typically featured vibrant, experimental colourways that departed from MJ's traditional palettes, and often came with distinctive personalisation details like the removable hook-and-loop tongue patches on the Tour Yellow AJ4. Other well-known LS releases include the AJ3 Retro Cool Grey, AJ5 Retro Grape and the AJ5 Retro Black / University Blue.
Are the tongue patches actually removable?
Yes. The Jumpman Flight tongue patch attaches via hook-and-loop Velcro — you can flip it, swap it, or remove it entirely. Underneath, the shoe features "Jordan Rare Air" branding, exactly as on the 2006 original. The mechanism is one of the defining details of the LS-era AJ4s and is a big part of the pair's collector appeal.
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