Primary: SPG Amex - You can't beat the flexibility of SPG - Either transfer to an airline program if you see a redemption you want, or use for points+cash (or nights and flights). At most Asian hotels, you can easily get 4-5cpm value.

Secondary: Capital One Aspire - The only card that pays you to try it out. Seriously! The annual fee is $120, but after the first purchase, you get credit for $350 worth of travel expense! Even if you use it for a single purchase, you can get statement credit (or a cheque) for over $250, so they pay you $130 to sign up! Plus using the GCR link will give you $35 of the annual fee back.

The Why Not Card? - Tie between Amex Gold Rewards, and the MBNA Mastercard 5% cash back on gas/groceries card. No annual fee (For Amex, only first year), and you get 5% cash back for the first 6 months on gas/groceries (or 15,000 Amex points respectively)