Airtel Discontinues ₹299 Prepaid Plan, 5 More Recharge Plans Removed

Airtel has taken six prepaid recharge plans off its list in India, including the well-known ₹299 and ₹319 packs. The company has also raised the price of its ₹859 plan to ₹899.

On August 12, 2026, we looked at Airtel’s prepaid listings and recent news. The six plans that are gone are ₹299, ₹319, ₹579, ₹619, ₹649, and ₹799. Company has not raised prices for all prepaid plans.

These changes are important for customers since several familiar recharge options have disappeared at the same time.

The biggest effect is on users who relied on the cheaper daily-data plans. Many of them now have to consider more expensive packs or change how they use mobile data.

There is also talk of a bigger price hike in the background. Analysts expect another increase in Indian telecom prices, and Motilal Oswal predicts about a 15% rise for the sector. This is just a forecast from analysts, not an official Airtel announcement.

Airtel Removes Six Prepaid Recharge Plans

Airtel has removed the following prepaid plans from its listed recharge options:

Recent reports confirm the removal of these six packs from Airtel’s prepaid portfolio. Smartprix also reported the removal of all six plans on August 12.

It’s important to pay attention to when these changes happened.

These plans covered several price points and validity periods. The ₹299 and ₹319 packs served users looking for monthly daily-data options, while the ₹579, ₹619, ₹649 and ₹799 packs targeted customers who preferred longer validity.

Taking away six plans at once makes Airtel’s prepaid options simpler in some ways. But it also means customers have fewer choices. People who liked a specific plan, though, may not feel like fewer choices is an upgrade.

Airtel ₹299 Recharge Plan Is Gone

The ₹299 Airtel recharge was one of the better-known prepaid packs in the company’s lineup.

Recent user reports and coverage described the pack as a 28-day plan with daily data and unlimited calling. Airtel’s own older plan pages show different versions of the ₹299 pack over time, so customers should avoid relying on old screenshots or archived articles when checking its benefits.

This change matters because the ₹299 plan was one of the more affordable daily-data options from Company.

Users who depended on a daily data allowance now need to check the newer options available for their number.

This also explains why old recharge articles can be confusing. Company often updates its prepaid plans, and the same price might offer different benefits at different times. An old article says the ₹299 plan offers a particular amount of data; check Airtel’s current recharge page before paying.

Airtel itself says customers should log in to the Airtel Thanks app or visit its recharge page to see the latest plans available for their number.

₹319 Airtel Plan Has Also Disappeared

The ₹319 plan has also been removed.

This pack recently became a common choice for users seeking daily data with unlimited calls. Reports from July 2026 described the ₹319 plan as offering 1.5GB of daily data.

Taking away this plan leaves another gap in Airtel’s monthly prepaid options.

People who used to recharge with ₹319 now need to look at the current plans, instead of expecting the same pack to be available next time.

This shows that price alone does not tell the whole story. Airtel has changed both which plans are available and what they offer. The best way to avoid confusion is to check the current plan that appears after you enter your Airtel number.

₹579, ₹619, ₹649 and ₹799 Plans Removed

Airtel has also removed four longer-validity options.

The ₹579 plan offered 56 days of validity with 1.5GB daily data, unlimited calling and 100 SMS per day, according to coverage from July 2026.

The ₹619 plan offered 60 days of validity with 1.5GB daily data. Telecom-focused reporting listed the plan among Airtel’s 56-day and 60-day prepaid options earlier this year.

The ₹649 plan sat in the same broad category but offered 2GB of daily data with 56 days of validity in Airtel’s published plan information.

The ₹799 plan was another longer-validity option. India Today reported in April 2026 that Company had removed the ₹799 plan and revised the ₹859 plan to ₹899.

Now that all four packs are gone, people who liked 56-day or 60-day recharge cycles have fewer familiar choices.

Airtel ₹859 Plan Becomes ₹899

Airtel has also changed the price of the ₹859 plan.

The recharge now costs ₹899.

The increase works out to about 4.7%. (Grover, 2026)

The revised ₹899 plan offers 1.5GB of daily data, unlimited calls and 100 SMS per day for 84 days, according to India Today.

The price increase is less than the 15% hike analysts have talked about, but these two changes are not the same.

Airtel has not announced a 15% increase across its full prepaid portfolio.

Instead, Company has made specific changes to its plans while analysts continue to forecast a broader tariff increase.

This difference is important when talking about telecom prices. A forecast is not the same as a company announcement, and changing a plan does not prove there is an industry-wide price hike.

What Airtel Users Should Recharge Now

Airtel still has some lower-priced plans, but users should look closely at how much data each one offers.

Airtel’s official website lists the ₹199 plan as an unlimited-calling option with 2GB total data, 100 SMS per day, and 28 days of validity.

The ₹219 plan should not be treated as a current alternative. Airtel’s own page now marks the ₹219 prepaid plan as discontinued and directs users toward other available plans.

For users who need daily data, Airtel’s ₹349 plan is one of the key options. Company’s published information lists 1.5GB of daily data, unlimited calls, 100 SMS per day, and 28 days of validity.

This makes a big difference for people on a budget.

The ₹199 plan focuses on calling with a small total data allowance. The ₹349 plan targets people who need regular daily data.

So, it’s better to pick a plan based on how much data you need, not just the price.

Why the Changes Matter

Just because six plans are gone does not mean every Airtel customer will have to pay more.

Some users might already have enough alternatives.

The main issue is having fewer choices.

A prepaid customer who previously picked a plan based on 28, 56, 60 or 84 days of validity now has fewer combinations to consider.

People who need daily data have a different decision to make. A cheaper plan focused on calls does not replace a daily-data pack if you often stream videos, use social media, or download files on your phone.

A plan with 2GB total data for 28 days might seem helpful, but it is very different from a plan that gives you 1.5GB every day.

The numbers make the difference clear.

A 1.5GB-per-day plan provides up to 42GB of high-speed data across 28 days. A 2GB total-data plan provides only 2GB during the entire validity period. (Airtel 1.5GB Daily Data Plan with Medium Term Validity, 2026)

These plans are meant for very different types of users.

Is Airtel Preparing for a 15% Tariff Hike?

This is how the latest Airtel changes fit into the bigger telecom picture. Airtel Oswal has projected another telecom tariff increase of around 15%. Business Standard reported in April 2026 that analysts expected private telecom operators to raise tariffs to support revenue and average revenue per user.

Financial Express also reported in June 2026 that Motilal Oswal expected a 15% tariff hike during FY27.

These reports do not prove that Company will raise prices in the future.

Airtel removing certain plans also does not mean a 15% price hike is definitely coming.

Even so, it’s worth paying attention to both changes together.

Company has removed several recharge choices and increased the ₹859 plan to ₹899. Analysts are also expecting higher telecom tariffs.

For customers, the main takeaway is simple: don’t treat guesses as confirmed news. Instead, check which plans are available when your current recharge runs out.

What About Jio and Vi?

Airtel’s move also raises questions about Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea, commonly known as Vi.

We should not treat either company’s next move as confirmed unless there is an official announcement or up-to-date plan information.

Telecom pricing often moves in response to industry conditions, though. Analysts have repeatedly linked future tariff increases with the need to improve revenue and returns after years of heavy network investment. (Grover, 20If other companies change their plans, customers might see changes in several price ranges. And right now, there is no strong reason to say that Jio or Vi will drop the same plans as Airtel.

Final Verdict

Airtel has removed six prepaid plans in India, including the ₹299, ₹319, ₹579, ₹619, ₹649 and ₹799 packs.

The company has also increased the ₹859 plan to ₹899.

The people most affected are those who liked the discontinued daily-data and longer-validity packs.

Company still offers prepaid alternatives, including the ₹199 voice-focused plan and higher-priced daily-data options such as ₹349. Airtel’s official recharge pages also warn users to check the latest plans through the app or website because available offers change.

The 15% telecom tariff hike remains an analyst expectation, not a confirmed Company-wide price increase.

For now, Airtel users should look at the current recharge options before renewing an old plan. If your favourite pack is gone, don’t assume that the price alone will help you find a similar replacement.

Telecom recharge menus already have enough numbers to be confusing. There’s no need to make things harder by thinking about old, outdated plans.