New cards for not-so-frequent fliers

Travel rewards cards for less-than-frequent fliers are ready for takeoff.

You don't need to be a big spender or a frequent flier to earn discounts on air fares with the Orbitz Platinum MasterCard or the Travelocity Platinum MasterCard. But you will need to book your plane tickets online.

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Here's a closer look at two travel rewards programs in which even occasional travelers can score rebates.

The Orbitz offer
Let's start with the Orbitz Platinum MasterCard, which was launched in May. Use the card to book flights through Orbitz and you earn two reward points for every dollar you spend. With all other purchases, you earn one reward point per dollar.

Rack up 7,500 points and you earn a $100 discount off your next flight through Orbitz.

And because you get 5,000 points for your first card purchase, you only need to spend your way to 2,500 points to earn a $100 discount.

"It's very affordable," says Mike Sands, chief marketing officer at Orbitz. "You only have to accrue 2,500 points after you activate the card."

The points can be applied to any flight available through Orbitz, which lists fares from 450 airlines.

You can also redeem 20,000 points for a free, round-trip, coach ticket for travel in the continental United States. But this freebie flight comes with a few strings. The ticket must be purchased through Orbitz, cost no more than $400, be purchased at least 21 days in advance and include a Saturday night stay.

The Travelocity offer
The rewards structure for the Travelocity Platinum MasterCard is more flexible and slightly more expensive. You earn one point for every dollar you spend on the card and three points for every dollar of billed finance charges. After 8,000 points you receive a reward certificate good for $100 off any air fare, car rental, hotel room or cruise booked through Travelocity. There is no limit on the number of points you can accumulate and the points never expire.

You earn 4,000 points for your first purchase or balance transfer with the card, so you only need to spend $4,000 to receive a $100 discount.

And while four grand isn't exactly small potatoes, it beats trying to rack up 25,000 air miles with a credit card linked to a specific airline, especially if you're an infrequent flier.

Air-mile credit cards linked with specific airlines have been around since the 1980s. The miles you earn with your credit card are automatically added to your frequent-flier account with the airline. You typically earn one air mile for every dollar that you spend. Most programs require 25,000 miles for a free, round trip ticket in the continental United States.

The downside of airline credit cards is the price. Annual fees range from $45 to $90.

The upside: the miles you earn by flying and from purchases made with an airline credit card get lumped together. You can earn additional miles when you use your credit card to make purchases at airline partners, such as hotels, rental car agencies and clothing stores.

The only way to earn points with the Orbitz and Travelocity cards is to charge away. You won't get a single point for the actual air miles you travel in flights booked through Orbitz or Travelocity.

These cards also come with some pretty hefty annual fees. The Orbitz Platinum MasterCard comes with a $49 annual fee. You get a bit of a break with the Travelocity Platinum card. Its $50 annual fee doesn't kick in until your second year with the card. The fee is waived for the first year.

Know what you are signing for
As with any rewards card, it's important to scrutinize costs carefully before signing on. Too often people get so excited about the free trip they're spending their way to that they ignore the costs of the card.

And that's just not a good idea. Travel rewards cards are far from cheap. Most have hefty annual fees and some come with high interest rates. Weigh offers carefully. This chart from Bankrate.com lists popular travel rewards cards and can help you compare offers.

You also need to be realistic about your spending habits. How long will it take you to earn a discount or a free trip?

"Consumers should do the math," says Chris Theoharides, president of Advantage Consulting Group Inc. of Jericho, N.Y.

"Will you spend enough to earn a reward big enough to cover the cost of an annual fee?"

And take a close look at that reward. A $100 discount on a future flight is certainly nice, but is it worth charging a couple thousand dollars on a credit card with a hefty annual fee?

You could knock $100 off an air fare just by shopping around at different travel and airline sites. And there are tons of credit cards with no annual fees and much lower interest rates.

Take the same approach when it comes to studying reward offers that promise a free flight.

Make notes of mileage requirements and blackout dates. Be sure to check out the list of partners for each frequent flier program. Do you already shop at an airline partner? What kinds of bonus miles opportunities are available? Compare interest rates and annual fees on airline card offers.

Don't let the allure of free travel cloud your judgment when choosing a credit card or a rewards program.

"It's something that people sort of need to catch themselves on," says Tim Winship, publisher of Frequentflier.com. "They need to ask themselves whether they're overpaying to get a free trip which may have a very low dollar value."