Ah, this is business rather than personal spending. Regardless which card(s) you decided to use for your primary spending here are benefits you could receive if you allocate $100,000 to three specific cards during, say, the first quarter of each calendar year:

1. If you spend $20,000 in a calendar year on American Express Hilton HHonors credit card (Fee = $0) you qualify for Gold status in the HHonors program. Reports indicate that if you time it correctly you need use the HHonors card only in alternate years because Hilton actually makes the status effective as soon as you satisfy the spending requirement, and it runs to April of the year after next. $20,000 spending would also generate at least 60,000 HHonors points.

2. If you spend $30,000 in a calendar year on American Express Starwood Preferred Guest credit card (fee = $30) you qualify for Gold Status for the following year. This is a new benefit, no indication that SPG will make the status effective early.

3. If you spend $50,000 in a calendar year on Merrill+ VISA (fee = $0) you would have 50,000 rewards points which could be redeemed for 50,000 British Airways miles or about $500 in gift cards. You would also earn Merrill +3 status which includes benefits such as a one year membership in American Airlines Admirals Club (or Delta Crown Room), and a personal concierge as described here...

https://cards.ml.com/MLRewardsCenter...s-Benefits.htm

However, Merrill has not yet published the 2007 program and the qualification thresholds, benefits or rewards could change. Also, the Terms and Conditions include these statements: Business-related expenses are not eligible for Merrill Points earnings. and purchases made by or for a business or for a business purpose ... will not qualify for achievement of +2 or +3 status. I do not know if Merrill monitors spending or enforces these provisions, but if these benefits appeal to you it may be prudent to use the Merrill+ card for $50,000 of personal spending.

Another possibility ...

4. If you spend $50,000 in a calendar year on American Express Platinum Delta SkyMiles Credit Card you earn 20,000 Elite Qualifying Miles. There is also a Business Platinum Skymiles card. I believe, but do not know for certain, that you could earn 40,000 EQM per year by spending $50,000 on each card. 40,000 is 80% of the amount required for Delta Gold (mid-tier) status. I would not devote $100,000 spending to earn Skymiles or go out of my way to obtain status on Delta until they emerge from bankruptcy, unless I lived in Atlanta, but your judgement may differ.

dennis