Mastercard Celesta Credit Card

The catch: you may not get Celesta at all

Reddit calls Federal Bank's Celesta a hidden gem, and the perks are real. The problem is getting it. Seven threads in our sentiment report describe applying for Celesta and receiving the lower Mastercard Signet or Visa Imperio instead, with no explanation. Five more say Federal only gives Celesta to people who already hold a credit limit of around ₹4 lakh. That is what users report, not a published rule.

If you do get it, here is what it gives. This page is about Federal Bank's Mastercard Celesta. IndusInd sells a premium card also called Celesta with a ₹25,000 joining fee; it is a different product.

Is Celesta still lifetime free?

Our record lists no joining or annual fee. But a March 2026 Reddit thread about a Federal Bank core-card devaluation says Celesta now costs about ₹3,000, with a spend-based waiver. We could not check the Mastercard page on Federal Bank's site, so confirm the fee on your offer letter before you apply. Keep a copy of the offer.

What the card earns and where the lounges are

Per ₹100 spent:

• Travel and international spends: 3X reward points
• Dining: 2X reward points
• Everything else: 1X reward point

Federal does not state a point value in our data, so we do not turn these into a percentage. Our record shows a 2% forex markup (matching the Visa Celesta page, but unconfirmed for this Mastercard version), lower than the usual 3.5%, so the 3X on foreign spends goes further than on most free cards.

Lounges come in two parts. You get 2 international visits a year. Domestic visits unlock only when you spend ₹60,000 in the previous quarter, about ₹20,000 a month on this one card. The Visa Celesta page says that unlocks 2 visits in the next quarter. Users report this spend rule as a step down from the old free domestic access.

Other perks: a ₹600 Amazon Pay voucher if you spend ₹10,000 in the first 30 days, one INOX buy-one-get-one movie offer a month, and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver with no cap stated. Users also like Federal's recurring discounts on Swiggy, Zomato, Yatra and Blinkit, and Mastercard World perks such as golf sessions.

Before you hit apply

1. Screenshot the application page showing "Celesta" and the Mastercard network.
2. When the card arrives, check its name before you activate it. Activating usually means you accept it.
3. If you really want Scapia, apply for it first. Users report that holding a Federal core card can block a Scapia approval later.

So, should you apply for Federal Celesta?

Yes, if you already have a high credit limit, fly abroad a few times a year and will use Federal's food delivery offers. The 2% forex and two international lounge visits are good value on a low-fee card. Look elsewhere if you want zero forex (Scapia) or a smoother premium approval, where users prefer IDFC FIRST Wealth.

Credit Card Information Compiled by: Abhijeet Kumar | Reviewed by: Anmol Ratan Sachdeva