Originally Posted by
standard
Good advice though the airline's co-branded credit card gives you miles, when cash back might be better.
Not sure about the other airlines, but I know that Delta's Gold Amex (lowest tier of their Amex card) offers priority boarding and free checked luggage for you and up to 9 people travelling with you. The $95 annual fee is waived the first year. At $25 per checked bag this card pays for itself quickly and helps you avoid the bin wars.
It appears that you're looking to enjoy frequent flyer benefits without actually flying frequently. Nothing wrong with that but it's probably unrealistic to expect the airlines to view you as a "loyal" customer with this spend pattern.
The frequent flyer programs are built to retain customer loyalty, not create it. I.e. spend first, enjoy benefits later. The difference is subtle to most but you're use-case is a good example.