Federal gates lounge access — ₹20,000/quarter

Federal Bank has introduced a quarterly spend gate on lounge access for its Signet, Imperio, and Celesta credit cards. Primary cardholders must spend a minimum of ₹20,000 on Signet, ₹40,000 on Imperio, and ₹60,000 on Celesta in the preceding calendar quarter to earn lounge visits in the next quarter. The new terms mean that add-on cardholders no longer get lounge access, and unused visits do not carry forward. This change is significant for cardholders who held these cards primarily for lounge access, especially since two of these cards are lifetime free. Our take: If you’re a light spender, consider burning your existing lounge visits before they expire, as the new spend gate may switch off this benefit for you. For heavy spenders, the gates may not be a significant issue, but it’s essential to review your spend patterns to ensure you meet the minimum requirements. Since two of these cards are lifetime free, the actual cost of this change is more than just the spend gate — it’s the loss of a previously unlimited benefit.