diff --git a/r/DESCRIPTION b/r/DESCRIPTION
index a2eeeab16003c..bfe038560c217 100644
--- a/r/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/r/DESCRIPTION
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Package: arrow
 Title: Integration to 'Apache' 'Arrow'
-Version: 18.1.0.1
+Version: 18.1.1
 Authors@R: c(
     person("Neal", "Richardson", email = "neal.p.richardson@gmail.com", role = c("aut")),
     person("Ian", "Cook", email = "ianmcook@gmail.com", role = c("aut")),
diff --git a/r/NEWS.md b/r/NEWS.md
index c99b3460776f2..13a84a97d4796 100644
--- a/r/NEWS.md
+++ b/r/NEWS.md
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
   under the License.
 -->
 
-# arrow 18.1.0.1
+# arrow 18.1.1
 
 * Patched Thrift to work with the unreleased GCC 15 (#45097)