Federal Bank Celesta Credit Card Review
At a Glance
| Joining Fee | Nil (lifetime free offer for customers onboarded from 3 April 2023) |
| Annual Fee | Nil |
| Best Suited For | Federal Bank customers who travel, spend abroad and keep healthy balances with the bank |
| Reward Type | Federal Rewards points on a 3x, 2x, 1x structure |
The Federal Bank Celesta Credit Card is the travel-focused member of Federal Bank’s lifetime free trio, sitting beside Imperio (family spends) and Signet (gadgets and apparel).
It costs nothing to join or keep. In return you get triple rewards on travel and international spends, a 2% forex markup instead of the 3.5% on its siblings, 2 international lounge visits a year with no spend test and a monthly movie offer.
Its interest rate can drop to 1.99% a month if your Federal Bank balances are large. Here is what each of those is worth.
Rewards & Benefits
Reward rate and earn structure
| Spend category | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Travel | 3x |
| International | 3x |
| Dining | 2x |
| Everything else | 1x |
Federal Bank’s product page and Key Fact Statement describe Celesta’s rewards only as multipliers of a base rate.
They do not state the points earned per ₹100, any monthly cap on the 3x and 2x categories, or the rupee value of a point.
Those sit in the Federal Rewards programme terms, so check them on federalrewards.in before you count on a return. What the 3x structure does tell you is where to use the card: flights, hotels and foreign spends first, restaurants second.
Redemption
You redeem points on the Federal Rewards portal. Each redemption request carries a convenience fee of at least ₹99, and the exact fee shows at checkout depending on what you redeem for.
Collect a healthy balance before you redeem so the fee does not eat into a small claim.
Welcome benefit
Spend ₹10,000 within the first 30 days and you get an Amazon Pay e-voucher worth ₹600, which is a 6% return on that first spend.
Travel, lifestyle and fuel
| Benefit | Allowance |
|---|---|
| International airport lounges | 2 visits a year, no spend condition |
| Domestic airport lounges | 2 visits in the next quarter when you spend ₹60,000 or more in a quarter |
| Movies | Buy one get one on INOX tickets, once a month |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% on ₹400 to ₹5,000, up to ₹150 a month |
| Add-on cards | Up to 4, at ₹100 + GST each |
| Visa offers | Travel, dining, shopping and lifestyle deals through Visa |
Federal Bank also positions Celesta around luxury hotel bookings and golf, but it does not list a golf round allowance or insurance covers for the card on its product page.
Fees & Charges
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Joining and annual fee | Nil |
| Interest, average monthly balance with the bank up to ₹3 lakh | 3.75% a month (45% a year) |
| Interest, average monthly balance above ₹3 lakh | 1.99% a month (23.88% a year) |
| Forex markup | 2% |
| Cash withdrawal | 2.5% or ₹500, whichever is higher; cash limit 25% of credit limit |
| Late payment | Nil up to ₹250 due, then ₹250, ₹500, ₹1,000 and ₹1,250 above ₹25,000 due |
| Payment return | 2% of the payment, ₹450 minimum |
| Rent and wallet loads | 1% of the amount |
| Card replacement | ₹200 |
| Cash payment at branch | ₹100 |
GST at 18% applies to all fees and interest. There is no spend target to keep the card free, which is the main reason to hold it.
The charge that catches people out is the interest rate. The 1.99% headline applies only if your average monthly balance with Federal Bank over the last quarter is above ₹3 lakh.
Below that you pay 3.75% a month, the same as most cards, and the bank can apply that rate on default too.
Eligibility & Documents Required
You must be at least 21 for an unsecured Federal Bank credit card and be an Indian resident or NRI with a good credit history.
The product page does not publish a minimum income for Celesta, and Federal Bank chooses the variant during the application.
Online applicants need PAN, Aadhaar and the last 3 months of bank statements as a PDF; self-employed applicants also share their income tax login for income checks.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| No joining or annual fee | Point value and base earn not stated on the product page |
| 2% forex markup | Only 2 international lounge visits a year |
| 3x rewards on travel and international | Domestic lounges need ₹60,000 a quarter |
| 1.99% a month interest for big depositors | Minimum ₹99 fee on every redemption |
Federal Celesta vs Competitors
| Card | Annual fee | 3x categories | Forex markup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Celesta | Nil | Travel, international | 2% |
| Federal Imperio | Nil | Health care, grocery | 3.5% |
| Federal Signet | Nil | Electronics, apparel | 3.5% |
All three are free for life and share the same interest slabs, so the choice is about where you spend.
Celesta is the only one built for travel and the only one with the lower 2% markup. If your money goes on groceries and medical bills, Imperio fits better.
For a paid travel card with transferable points, see our HSBC TravelOne review.
How to Apply
Apply through Federal Bank’s credit card onboarding platform from the Celesta page: click Apply Now, fill in your details and submit.
Updates come by email and SMS, and approved customers get an instant virtual card in the FedMobile app before the physical card arrives. Set your PIN in FedMobile to activate it, then spend ₹10,000 in 30 days for the ₹600 voucher.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Federal Bank Celesta card lifetime free?
Yes. There is no joining or annual fee for customers onboarded from 3 April 2023, which Federal Bank describes as a limited period offer. Add-on cards cost ₹100 + GST each.
How many lounge visits does Federal Celesta give?
2 international visits a year with no spend condition. Domestic access is 2 visits in a quarter, unlocked by spending ₹60,000 or more in the previous quarter.
What is the forex markup on Federal Celesta?
2% of the transaction value, plus GST. Imperio and Signet charge 3.5%.
What interest rate does Federal Celesta charge?
Between 1.99% and 3.75% a month. You get 1.99% if your average monthly balance with Federal Bank in the last quarter was above ₹3 lakh, and 3.75% otherwise.
What is the minimum age for Federal Celesta?
21 years for an unsecured Federal Bank credit card. Federal Bank does not publish a separate income requirement for Celesta on its product page.
Bottom Line
Get the Federal Bank Celesta if you already bank with Federal Bank, travel a few times a year and want a free card with a 2% forex markup and a couple of international lounge visits.
If you keep over ₹3 lakh with the bank, the 1.99% interest rate is a rare safety net. Skip it if you want a card whose return you can calculate up front, since the point value is not on the product page, or if you need more than 2 international lounge visits a year.
Heavy travellers will get more from a paid travel card.
