If a lifetime free, zero forex, unlimited lounge travel card sounds “too good to be true”, the Scapia Federal Credit Card is the rare exception that actually delivers on most of that promise. Designed for frequent travelers who are comfortable booking through an app, this co-branded card from Federal Bank + Scapia converts your everyday spends into high-value Scapia Coins that are best used for flights, hotels, and other travel bookings.
In a 2026 market where most travel cards either charge hefty annual fees or give underwhelming reward rates, Scapia stands out as a lifetime-free, zero-forex option that can rival (and sometimes beat) paid competitors on pure value—if you travel regularly.
Fees & Charges: The Transparency Factor
For a travel credit card, Scapia keeps the pricing refreshingly simple: no joining fee, no annual fee, no renewal fee, and 0% forex markup.
Scapia Federal Credit Card – Fees & Key Charges
There are no spend-based fee waivers to chase, which is a relief—your mental bandwidth is better spent tracking travel deals than calculating whether you hit a ₹1 lakh milestone just to avoid a fee.
Welcome Benefits: What You Get on Day One
The Scapia Federal Credit Card does not rely on flashy one-time welcome vouchers; instead, it pushes value through ongoing, high daily rewards and zero fees.
- Lifetime free structure itself acts like a “permanent welcome benefit” because you never need to “recover” an annual fee through spends.
- You start earning Scapia Coins from the first eligible transaction, with no minimum annual spend required to keep benefits active.
In simple words: you don’t get a big joining bribe, but you also don’t pay for it silently every year.
READ MORE: IDFC FIRST Wealth Credit Card: Premium Perks Without a Single Rupee in Fees
Reward Structure: The Core Value Engine
The Scapia Federal card runs entirely on Scapia Coins, with different earn rates for regular spends and travel bookings.
1. Base Rewards – Everyday Spends
- Visa variant:
- RuPay variant:
2. Travel Rewards – Bookings via Scapia App
- Earn 20% Scapia Coins on all travel bookings made on the Scapia app (flights, hotels, trains, buses, visas, etc.).
- This is where Scapia shines for travelers, as the effective value back is much higher than most lifetime-free cards.
3. Value of 1 Scapia Coin in Rupees
- 5 Scapia Coins = ₹1, so 1 coin = ₹0.20.
- Effective reward rate:
- 10% Scapia Coins → 2% value back on regular spends (Visa).
- 20% Scapia Coins → 4% value back on travel bookings.
That means a ₹25,000 flight booking through the app can give you roughly ₹1,000 worth of coins back, assuming full 20% coins and 0.20 value per coin—a return many paid travel cards struggle to match.
4. Non-Eligible Transactions (No Rewards)
You do not earn Scapia Coins on:
- Rent payments and money transfers
- EMI purchases and education fee payments
- Cash withdrawals and gift card buys
- Fuel spends
- Credit card bill payments and wallet loads
- Utility and telecom bills above ₹20,000 per statement month
This is typical for serious reward programs—if you could earn 4% back paying rent or funding wallets, the business model would collapse faster than your willpower on a sale day.
5. Redemption: Where You Actually Use the Coins
- Redemption is 100% travel-focused and happens only inside the Scapia app.
- You can:
- Book flights, hotels, trains, buses, and even visa services for 40+ countries.
- Use coins to pay up to 100% of booking value—no artificial caps, no “max 20% via points” nonsense.
You cannot convert coins to cash, statement credit, or vouchers, which keeps the ecosystem tight but less flexible for non-travel users.
Key Benefits & Features: Travel, Lifestyle & Milestones
This card is built around domestic airport comfort and international savings through 0% forex, rather than luxury frills.
1. Lounge & Airport Privileges
- Unlimited domestic airport lounge access at 60+ Indian airports, once you hit the monthly spend requirement.
- Access typically includes:
To unlock for a given month:
- Visa variant: Spend ₹10,000+ in the previous month.
- RuPay variant: Spend ₹15,000+ in the previous month.
No international lounge access, which is the biggest gap versus premium travel cards like RBL World Safari or HDFC Infinia.
2. Forex Markup: 0% – A Big Deal
- Scapia charges 0% forex markup on international transactions—almost unheard of in mainstream Indian cards.
- Most cards charge 3–3.5% + GST, so spending ₹2 lakh abroad could save you ₹6,000+ in markup alone with Scapia.
If you travel overseas or spend online in foreign currency regularly, this feature alone can justify using Scapia over many “premium” cards.
3. Insurance, Concierge & Extras
- Travel insurance: Coverage for trip delays, medical emergencies, and other travel-related risks.
- 24×7 concierge: Assistance for bookings, reservations, last-minute travel changes.
- Priority Pass-style benefits: Some partner privileges and smoother airport experiences, though not full-blown unlimited international lounges.
4. Monthly Milestone Structure
Instead of big annual milestone bonuses, Scapia uses a monthly unlock system:
- Spend threshold each month (₹10K/₹15K depending on variant) decides next month’s airport privileges.
- No year-end “spend ₹5 lakh for a one-time voucher” gimmicks—your benefits refresh every month based on consistent usage.
Compared to competitors, Scapia trades annual mega-milestones for steady, performance-linked perks, which works well if your spending pattern is regular.
Expert Opinion: Should You Get the Scapia Federal Credit Card?
Think of Scapia as a specialist tool: fantastic if you travel often and are comfortable with an app ecosystem; average if you’re a low spender or prefer plain cashback.
Who Is the Ideal User?
Scapia makes the most sense if you:
- Take 4+ domestic flights a year and use airports regularly.
- Have ₹10,000–₹25,000+ monthly card spends (Visa) or more on RuPay.
- Do international spends of ₹2 lakh+ per year, or book foreign stays/experiences online.
- Are comfortable booking all your travel inside a single app (Scapia).
- Want a lifetime free, zero-forex card that can act as your primary travel workhorse.
If that sounds like you, Scapia can quietly save you thousands each year through a mix of 2–4% rewards + lounge access + zero forex, without you ever worrying about annual fees.
When You Should Skip It
You may want to avoid or deprioritize Scapia if:
- You rarely travel or don’t meet monthly spend thresholds → lounge and perks go underutilized.
- You want international lounge access (look at RBL World Safari, HDFC Regalia, Axis Magnus etc.).
- You prefer cashback or flexible redemptions (vouchers, statement credit) over travel-only rewards.
- You already have a Federal Bank credit card—there’s a one-card policy, so you may not be eligible.
- You don’t like being “locked” to one booking platform for all travel.
Is “Zero Annual Fee” Worth It?
Here, the maths is simple. There’s no fee to recover, so even if you just use:
- 3–4 lounge visits a year,
- some foreign spends with 0% forex, and
- a few travel bookings with 4% value back,
you’re already ahead. The only real “cost” is your willingness to commit to Scapia’s travel-only redemption design. Compared to paying ₹3,000+ annually for similar benefits elsewhere, Scapia feels like getting business-class comfort at economy pricing.
Conclusion & Final Verdict
The Scapia Federal Credit Card is one of the strongest lifetime-free travel cards in India right now, especially for domestic flyers who do regular online or international spends. It combines 0% forex, unlimited domestic lounge access (with realistic thresholds), and 2–4% effective reward rates on spends, all wrapped in a clean, app-first experience.
It is not a “do-everything” card; it is a focused travel engine. If your lifestyle matches its design—frequent trips, app-friendly, travel-heavy spends—it can easily sit in your top 2 cards and quietly outperform many paid premium cards. If you barely travel, though, you’ll be better off with a solid no-nonsense cashback or supermarket rewards card.
