Bharti Airtel is reportedly offering a limited-period Buy 1 Get 1 Free recharge deal on select prepaid plans in India. Under the promotion, eligible customers recharging with the Rs 349 or Rs 399 plan can receive another recharge of the same value without paying extra.
The offer is appearing under the name “1+1 Recharge Free” in the Airtel Thanks app. However, it does not appear to be available to every Airtel prepaid subscriber. Customers need to check their individual accounts to confirm eligibility before making a recharge.
Both eligible plans come with 28 days of standard validity. If the additional recharge is credited with the same benefits and validity, customers could receive up to 56 days of service for the price of one recharge.
Airtel 1+1 Recharge Free Offer: What Is Available?
The reported promotion covers two prepaid recharge options: Rs 349 and Rs 399.
Eligible customers who select either plan through the Airtel Thanks app can reportedly receive a second recharge of the same denomination at no additional cost.
Here is a comparison of the reported benefits:
| Benefits | Rs 349 plan | Rs 399 plan |
|---|---|---|
| Regular validity | 28 days | 28 days |
| Validity with offer | Up to 56 days | Up to 56 days |
| Voice calls | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| SMS | 100/day | 100/day |
| Data | Reported 2GB/day | Unlimited 4G and 5G |
| 5G benefit | Unlimited 5G | Unlimited 5G |
| Other benefits | Adobe Express Premium, Airtel Safe, HelloTunes | Adobe Express Premium and other listed benefits may vary |
The Rs 349 plan’s daily data allowance should be checked against the plan displayed for the individual number. Airtel’s public recharge listing has also displayed a different daily data allowance for this price point.
Airtel has not published complete promotional terms explaining how the free recharge will be credited, when it will become active or whether all bundled benefits will be repeated.
Airtel Rs 349 Plan: Benefits and Effective Cost
The Rs 349 prepaid plan normally comes with 28 days of validity, unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS per day.
Recent reports list 2GB of daily data along with unlimited 5G data for eligible users in Airtel 5G coverage areas. The plan also includes additional benefits such as Adobe Express Premium, Airtel Safe and free HelloTunes, subject to the applicable plan terms.
With the reported Buy 1 Get 1 offer, eligible subscribers could receive two 28-day recharge cycles for Rs 349.
That brings the effective cost to approximately Rs 174.50 per 28-day cycle, assuming the free recharge provides the same benefits and is credited successfully.
This makes the offer attractive to customers who already use this plan and intend to remain on Airtel for the next two recharge cycles.
Airtel Rs 399 Plan: Unlimited 4G and 5G Data
The Rs 399 prepaid plan is another option included in the reported promotion.
It offers unlimited voice calls, 100 SMS per day and unlimited 4G and 5G data, subject to the plan’s applicable usage and network conditions. Its regular validity is 28 days.
Under the reported 1+1 promotion, eligible customers could receive another Rs 399 recharge free, potentially extending the service period to 56 days.
The effective cost would work out to approximately Rs 199.50 per 28-day cycle.
The Rs 399 option may be more suitable for customers who need higher data consumption, provided the unlimited data benefits and promotional conditions are confirmed in their Airtel Thanks app.
How to Get Airtel’s Buy 1 Get 1 Free Recharge Offer
The promotion appears to be account-specific. Simply having an Airtel prepaid connection does not guarantee eligibility.
Customers can check for the offer using these steps:
- Open the Airtel Thanks app.
- Log in using the Airtel prepaid mobile number.
- Open the prepaid recharge section.
- Look for the Rs 349 or Rs 399 plan.
- Check whether the plan displays the “1+1 Recharge Free” promotional tag.
- Read the offer conditions before completing the payment.
If the promotional label is not visible, the offer may not be available for that mobile number.
Airtel has not publicly clarified the exact mechanism for crediting the additional recharge. Customers should therefore check the confirmation screen and recharge history rather than assume that the second recharge will be activated immediately.
Will Airtel’s Free Recharge Offer Affect Its ARPU?
The promotion is interesting from a tariff and average revenue per user (ARPU) perspective.
Airtel has been focusing on improving monetisation through higher-value prepaid plans, postpaid connections and additional digital services. Offering a free recharge alongside a paid plan creates a temporary reduction in the effective price for customers who qualify.
For example, a subscriber receiving two Rs 349 recharge cycles for the price of one effectively pays Rs 174.50 for each 28-day period. The equivalent figure for the Rs 399 plan is Rs 199.50.
However, this should not be interpreted as a permanent reduction in Airtel’s prepaid tariffs. The promotion appears to be limited to selected accounts and may be designed to encourage recharges, improve retention or increase customer engagement.
The actual impact on reported ARPU will depend on the number of subscribers receiving the offer, how the free recharge is accounted for and the timing of revenue recognition. Airtel has not disclosed the expected financial impact.
Airtel Has Also Reduced Data Benefits on Its Rs 299 Plan
The free-recharge promotion comes at a time when Airtel has also made changes to its prepaid portfolio.
The company recently restored its Rs 299 prepaid plan in several circles after discontinuing it earlier. However, the restored version offers 1GB of daily data instead of the 1.5GB per day available in the earlier version.
The plan retains its Rs 299 price, unlimited voice calls, 100 SMS per day and 28-day validity.
This effectively increases the price customers pay for each gigabyte of daily data without changing the headline recharge price.
Taken together, the developments show two different approaches to prepaid pricing: a targeted promotional discount on selected plans and a reduction in data benefits on another plan. For customers, the important consideration is to check the actual benefits and promotional eligibility attached to their own mobile number before recharging.
