I've talked before about the American Express Platinum personal card with its current sign up bonus worth $1,025, a rebate of 102.5% of the minimum spending requirement.  Click here for the top current credit card sign up bonuses.

One of the benefits that makes the Mercedes-Benz branded version of this card the current third biggest sign up bonus is that you can get $400 worth of airline fees reimbursed by American Express in your first year of being a cardholder.

That's because the $200 annual airline fee reimbursement is a calendar-year benefit.

For instance, I got my AMEX Platinum

About six months ago, I earned United Silver Status, my first ever airline status. And two months ago, the status finally showed up in my account. (Why the delay? See: "A Quixotic Quest to United Silver Status")

My first United flight since earning the status was Labor Day, September 3. I had booked a oneway economy award on United's direct Pittsburgh to LAX flight for 12,500 miles.

I was happy to get the only direct flight for 12,500 miles when it was selling for $600.

United operates some flights on its San Francisco to Honolulu route with an internationally configured 777-200 with fully flat beds in first class but not business.

If you live in New York City (or are willing to connect there), that flight can be hooked up with an SFO-JFK P.S. service to get fully flat beds all the way to and from Hawaii.

This three-cabin first option costs 50k each direction.

I had a client contact me wanting to get to the Seychelles with United miles next year. Good thing she didn't contact me next week when United miles will only have one option to the Seychelles.

The ability to book on Qatar with United miles ends Friday, 9/14/12. (Qatar cannot be booked with US Airways miles presently.)

I was worried over the weekend that United had prematurely pulled Qatar space.

Hey there, you're reading an outdated post! The updated series from April 2015 can be found here.

This is the twenty-third post in a monthlong series. Each post will take about two minutes to read and may include an action item that takes the reader another two minutes to complete.

Bad news for anyone who wants to book awards to the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, the Maldives, and even Europe with United miles.

United's relationship with Qatar Airways ends September 14. Tickets booked by then can include Qatar segments up to 337 days out or so, which is generally how far in advance you can book United awards.

I've been on a Dreamliner kick the last few days. This is the last post on the topic for a while. I just had to share two even cheaper ways to get on one of United's Dreamliners on a BusinessFirst bed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJEA3JQA_FM&feature=player_embedded

I always chuckle at that video. "You got an upgrade. And the seats go completely flat."

Upgrades are mainly a domestic phenomenon. Flat seats are mostly an international phenomenon.

Yesterday, I wrote about the United Dreamliners' domestic routes being announced for this fall, and how you can score six and a half hours of flying on one of its beds for only 25k United miles.

I advised locking up space yesterday--reserving not purchasing--because today was the day United said its schedule would be updated to reflect the aircraft change, and I was worried United wouldn't offer space on the Dreamliner flights.

Well today I went to united.com to see if space is still available.

United recently acquired several Boeing 787 Dreamliners and announced the first international routes that will be serviced by the plane.

But before those routes start, United will fly the plane between its domestic hubs. The very first flights haven't been announced, but United did release the routes the planes will fly between November 4 and March 31. (H/T Mommy Points.)

To me, this is huge news.

Some people are plane enthusiasts. They'll do anything to fly the new mega-jet A380, which I'll be doing in Qantas business in January. Or one of the new Dreamliners, which United's taking more deliveries of and releasing the routes they'll operate on.