Federal Bank Celesta Credit Card Lounge Access Changes: What You Need to Know

So I got this email yesterday about my Federal Bank Celesta credit card. The oldest bank is changing the lounge access rules starting October 1st, 2025. And honestly, I'm not thrilled about it.

Let me break down what's happening here.

The New Reality: Two Visits Per Quarter

First off, your domestic lounge visits are getting cut from four to two per quarter. That's a 50% reduction right there. But here's the kicker - those two visits aren't just handed to you anymore. You need to spend money to earn them.

How the Spend-Based System Works

Here's where it gets interesting. The bank's introducing quarterly spend requirements:

• ₹20,000 quarterly spend = 1 domestic lounge access

• ₹40,000 quarterly spend = 2 domestic lounge access

• ₹60,000 quarterly spend = 2 domestic lounge access + 2 international visits per year

The math is simple. If you want those two quarterly visits, you need to hit ₹40,000 in spending.

The Quarterly Cycle Timeline

This is where things get a bit confusing. The spending cycles don't match regular calendar quarters. Here's how it works:

So if you spend ₹40,000 between March 21 and June 20, you'll get your lounge access from July 1 to September 30. It's like earning credits in advance.

Add-On Cards Take a Hit

Here's another change that caught my attention. Add-on cardholders won't get lounge access anymore. But wait - their spending still counts toward the primary cardholder's requirement. So your spouse can help you hit that ₹40,000 threshold, but they can't use the lounge.

What Counts as Valid Spending?

Not all spending is created equal. Cash withdrawals from ATMs don't count. Only purchase transactions - whether in-store or online - are considered valid spending. And timing matters too. If you make a purchase on September 19 but it only gets billed on September 21, it won't count for that quarter.

The Bigger Picture

Look, I've been watching this trend across banks. ICICI Bank requires ₹75,000 quarterly spend for lounge access. AU Small Finance Bank needs just ₹5,000. IndusInd Bank also went with ₹5,000. Federal Bank's sitting in the middle at ₹40,000.

But here's what really gets me - the Celesta card used to offer four quarterly visits without any spending requirements. Now you need to spend ₹40,000 just to get two visits. That's a pretty significant devaluation.

What This Means for You

If you're a heavy spender who easily hits ₹40,000 quarterly, this change won't affect you much. But if you're someone who got this card mainly for the lounge access and don't spend that much, you might want to reconsider.

The good news? You can still visit lounges after exhausting your free visits - you'll just have to pay the fee.

Looking Ahead

Federal Bank says this program runs until March 31, 2026. They can extend it, but they can also modify or cancel it anytime. That's pretty standard bank language, but it shows they're keeping their options open.

The reality is, banks are tightening lounge access across the board. The days of unlimited or easily accessible lounge visits are fading fast. If you travel frequently and value lounge access, you might need to adjust your card strategy or spending patterns.

But honestly? This feels like another step toward making premium benefits actually premium - meaning you need to spend premium amounts to get them.

For more details, here is the bank's website link: https://www.federalbank.co.in/airport-lounge-t-c