hello everyone

i want to start building my AA miles, and maybe sign up for a AA credit card, for me and my wife, and we want to use those bonus miles to fly from jfk to gye ecuador, using the AA miles up card. I heard that its a bad card because you have to pay like a few weeks in advance or something. if i get the bonus miles, and then buy miles to get a business class ticket to ecuador, do we have to call to get this award travel? i have read a few articles, and i dont see that I can do this online only.

thank you