Yet Another United Credit Card Bonus United’s new Mileage Plus Business Awards Visa is offering its best bonus yet. Benefits include: 5,000 mile sign-up bonus and 20,000 bonus miles after first purchase; two miles earned for every dollar spent on United travel and services (one mile on all other purchases); no calendar-year mileage cap for elite members (250,000 miles for everyone else); and two Red Carpet Club passes. $125 annual fee,$25 for each additional card. Details: http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,55,00.html. Apply online or call (888) 428-2273.

AA Short Hop Discount Through Feb. 28, First and Business Class round-trip awards for American flights of fewer than 750 miles within the continental U.S. require only 30,000 miles, a savings of 15,000 miles. (Economy class drops to 15,000 miles from 25,000.) Must be booked online. Valid on American Airlines, American Eagle and American Connection carriers. More: visit aa.com/shorthops.

SkyTeam Teams Up Continental, Delta and Northwest are offering SkyTeam club members expanded access to each others’ airport lounges worldwide. Members of Continental’s Presidents Club, Delta’s Crown Room Club and Northwest’s WorldClubs will have access to any club around the world as long as they’re booked on one of the three carriers. Members can bring up to two guests or a spouse and children under 21. Details: continental.com, delta.com or nwa.com.

Lan Upgrades Business Class Beginning in March, Chile’s flag carrier will be installing lie-flat beds on its Boeing 767-300s, used on flights from the U.S. to Santiago and other South American destinations. The distance between seats will increase 74 inches, privacy screens will be installed between seats, and new 15.4-inch video monitors will be installed. The upgrade program will take two years. More: (866) 435-9526 or www.lan.com.

AA Selling Elite Status AAdvantage Platinum and Gold members who haven’t qualified can buy their way in for 2006. Platinum members who have logged 40,000 or more miles or 48 or more segments pay $499; those who have logged fewer pay $599. For Gold members, the threshold is 20,000 miles or 24 segments: above it the price is $299; below, $399. Those prices are about 25% lower than last year’s. More:a.com/elite.

Mileage Plus Short Hop Sale Through Feb. 28, United First and Business Saver Awards cost 30,000 miles, down from 40,000. Only valid for travel in the 48 contiguous states and on flights of more than 750 air miles between the U.S. and Canada. Valid on United, United Express and Ted. Information: Visit united.com/reduced awards. Qualifying sample flights include: Chicago to New York, Washington,D.C. and Toronto; Denver to Las Vegas, Dallas and Phoenix; Los Angeles to Las Vegas, Reno and Phoenix; and San Francisco to Los Angele's, Salt Lake City and Seattle.

AAdvantage Changes For 2006, Few American is cutting some slack to mileage club members who fly lots of short hops, which makes it difficult to reach the 100,000 miles needed to achieve Executive Platinum status. Now you can gain the top tier by flying 100 segments. Moreover, the new policy also applies to members who flew 100 segments in 2005.

Effective Jan. 26, the airline is increasing 500-mile upgrade prices, by $5 per upgrade, to $30—when purchased at AA.com or AAdvantage Dial-In. Upgrades purchased via phone, at the ticket counter or at Admirals Clubs cost $35 per upgrade.