First Class award space is widely available in Malaysia Airlines First Class on the A380, one of the world's nicest products., and easily bookable with American Airlines miles.

Last year I loved everything about my flight from Paris to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia Airlines First Class on the A380

Aspire to Cathay Pacific Business Class.

It is one of the world's nicest Business Classes, featuring a fully flat bed on flights of up to 16 hours between the United States and Hong Kong.
It is dirt cheap at 55,000 American Airlines miles one way or 110,000 US Airways miles roundtrip. This is just 10% more than flying half the time in a far inferior product to Europe.
Award space is widely available.

All credit card offers in this post have expired, but they might come back. If they do they will appear --> Click here for the top current credit card sign up bonuses.

American Airlines and US Airways are both running sales on the purchase of their miles through January 2, 2015.

For now, your American Airlines miles and US Airways miles will sit in separate accounts, and you can redeem them on separate charts, with different routing rules, and slightly different partners.

All credit card offers in this post have expired, but they might come back. If they do they will appear --> Click here for the top current credit card sign up bonuses.

What timing rule should you follow on the applications?
What can you do with 156,000 American Airlines miles?
What is the one other killer benefit of the American Airlines personal card?

What Can You Do with 156,000 American Airlines Miles?
1. Take a Round-the-World Trip

a.

The calendar is turning to Summer below the equator, and it's not too late to book yourself an award to escape the cold in the United States.

Many airlines release unsold seats as Saver award space in the last weeks, days, or even hours before a flight.