Merrill Lynch Merrill + card. Points can be used for flights - $20-25,000 gets you coach ticket valued at up to $500 and there is a very low hassle factor.

I get Elite status via Centurion. When you spend $20,000 per year with the ML+, they comp you AA Platinum Elite. Couple of other perks and no annual fee make it a good deal for me.

That said, hardly ever use the Centurion and AMEX Starwood is my main card. Cashback cards don't excite me - that money would slip through my hands but the Starwood points have bought me a lifetime of memories!