Every time you use your credit card, the bank is earning swipe fees from the merchant. It's these swipe fees plus other ways that banks profit off credit cards--interest fees, late fees, advertising to cardholders--that pay for the perks we get from credit cards.

How much of these fees are rebated to us? According to a recent article in The Economist:
[C]ard issuers are providing bigger rebates on purchases, more frequent-flyer miles as a sign-up bonus and longer interest-free periods for those who transfer balances from other cards.

Every time you use your credit card, the bank is earning swipe fees from the merchant. It's these swipe fees plus other ways that banks profit off credit cards--interest fees, late fees, advertising to cardholders--that pay for the perks we get from credit cards.

How much of these fees are rebated to us? According to a recent article in The Economist:
[C]ard issuers are providing bigger rebates on purchases, more frequent-flyer miles as a sign-up bonus and longer interest-free periods for those who transfer balances from other cards.

Costco currently only accepts American Express cards.
Soon, Costco will accept Visa cards.
Starting April 1, 2016 (in 13 months), Costco will no longer accept American Express.

This is primarily of interest to me because many people who fill out my Free Credit Card Consultation Form let me know that they need an AMEX because they do a lot of their shopping at Costco.

In July and August 2015, United will put one of its p.s. 757-200s, configured with flat beds up front, on the Los Angeles to Boston route. These planes fly every flight between New York and both Los Angeles and San Francisco. Occasionally they are put on other routes on a one-off basis like Los Angeles to either Boston or Newark.

The premium cabin on the 757-200 features flat beds in a 2-2 configuration meaning that window seats do not have direct aisle access. While the normal p.s. routes have special service and catering, non-p.s. routes that use p.s.

China Airlines is a Taiwan-based member of SkyTeam, whose flights are bookable with Delta miles.

China Airlines recently started flying a world-class flat bed Business Class product between the United States and Asia on its brand new 777-300ERs.

Now all China Airlines award space is searchable and bookable on delta.com. Award space is excellent from the United States to Taiwan and beyond to the rest of Asia.
Routes
China Airlines flies from New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Honolulu to Taipei.

American Airlines, United, and Delta fly flat beds on their daily flights between New York-JFK and San Francisco and Los Angeles. Delta also flies its flat beds between New York-JFK and Seattle.

All three airlines compete in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Only Delta flies between Seattle and JFK with flat beds.

Which has the best flat bed award space on the routes?
What are the prices? 
What are the products?

The Products & Prices
Delta

Delta throws 757s and 767s configured with flat bed seats at its transcontinental routes.

Generous reader g is giving away 20 Delta coupons that are each good for one beer, cocktail, "wine split," or headset on board. I'll pick FIVE WINNERS who each get FOUR COUPONS.

In a recent Free Credit Card Consultation, Matt wrote:
Goal: April 4 - 7 from Chicago (preferably ORD) to San Francisco Bay Area for 2 adults. Ideally, we'd like to fly both ways (economy or business) and stay at a hotel entirely on points earned from new and current cards. Thank you for your help! We love your website and plan on using your Award Booking Service in the future - especially for international adventures.

from Wikipedia

Here's my response:
There's a lag time when earning miles.

Singapore Airlines has lowered the fuel surcharges on its flights, which means your Singapore Suites Class bookings are now cheaper. You know Singapore Suites Class as the only cabin that offers a double bed on an airplane (besides the three-room suite on Etihad's A380.)

Singapore Suites is the First Class cabin on the Singapore Airlines A380. The only way to book Singapore Suites or First Class on the Singapore 777 is with Singapore miles. Luckily Singapore miles are super easy to get as Singapore miles are a 1:1 transfer partner of Chase, American Express, Citi, and Starpoints.

All airlines release award space 11 months out.

I'm not sure where that idea came from.