I've written a lot about redeeming American Airlines miles--a little bit here and a little bit there--but never one comprehensive guide that tells you everything you need to know about the miles. Now is the time to write that guide because now is a special time to earn American Airlines miles.

Some credit card offers in this post have expired, but they might come back.

The card offer described in this post has expired. To see the latest top travel credit cards with big bonuses that will save you tons, check out our Top 10 List for Consumers and Top 10 List for Small Businesses.

I can earn 5,000 bonus Arrival miles if I spend $1,500 per month in January, February, and March on my Barclaycard Arrival PlusTM World Elite MasterCard®.

The Barclaycard Arrival PlusTM World Elite MasterCard® offers 2 miles per dollar on all purchases.

WOW Air is offering $99 one way flights to Iceland. These are not mistake fares. These are advertised fares from Boston and Baltimore (marketed as Washington, DC by WOW Air.)

WOW Air is a new Icelandic low cost carrier. It starts flying to Boston March 26 and Baltimore June 3.

Its $99 fare, and all of its tickets, just include a seat and up to 5 kg (11 pounds) in one carry on. Additional weight in your carry on, checked bags, and even seat selection increase the price.

The Chase Ink Plus, one of the best business cards on the market, has long offered new applicants no annual fee for the first 12 months, then a $95 annual fee.

Today I noticed two other offers on the Ink Plus being split tested by Chase (and there may be more.) By repeatedly going to the Ink Plus' page in a Chrome Incognito browser, I got three different offers.

They were:

$0 annual fee for first twelve months

I wish Qantas released a ton of Business and First Class between the United States and Australia. Qantas flies directly from Los Angeles to Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane plus from Dallas to Sydney.

Booking First Class or Business to Australia can be extremely challenging.

United doesn't release Business Class Saver space on its 787-9 from Los Angeles to Melbourne and doesn't have First Class on the flight.
United does release some First and Business Class on its 777s from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Sydney. It has released none for November or December 2015.
Air Canada (bookable with United miles) releases some Business Class on its 777 from Vancouver to Sydney. It has released one day in December 2015.

Virgin Atlantic is offering a 25% discount on economy awards to the United Kingdom booked by January 22. You can book awards even in the peak of summer for as low as 13,125 Virgin Atlantic miles each way.

You probably have Virgin Atlantic miles because Virgin Atlantic is a 1:1 transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, and SPG Starpoints. Twenty-thousand Starpoints always transfer to 25,000 Virgin Atlantic miles.

American Airlines and US Airways are both running sales on the purchase of their miles through January 30, 2015.

In one minute, you can link your American Airlines and US Airways accounts online.

Longtime reader Cave Man is offering one lucky reader a $49 Southwest gift card.

Southwest gift cards are fully transferable and don't expire. There are two ways to enter, and you can enter both ways.