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Are there three people in your office who fly for business? That and a Tax Identification Number is all you need to qualify for the carrier’s small-business incentive program.

Sample Earning: San Francisco-London Business Class: 3,200 points r/t First Class: 4,800 points r/t

Sample Spending: San Francisco-London Business Class: 15,000 points r/t First Class: 20,000 points r/t

The Value:

Participate in this program, and you can shave about 22% off your travel costs according to my math. In this example, a company buying paid Business Class tickets earns enough points in the company account to net a free Business Class ticket for every 5 paid; or a free First Class ticket for every 4.2 paid First Class.Moreover, individual employees earn Executive Club miles in their own accounts at the regular earning rate.

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Upgrading from Business Class to First is usually not a good idea, because most carriers don’t allow upgrades with their lowest Business Class fares, only the much higher ($5,000 to $8,000) full fares.(That’s D, C, and J class fares for you big spenders.)

British Airways is the primary exception, allowing upgrades with low I Business Class fares.

So, when I discovered a $3,245 D class(upgradeable) fare for New York-London round-trip on American, it caught my eye. This is a deal.American’s Boston-London upgradeable fare, for example, is an unbearable$7,490; the lowest upgradeable Business Class fare it offers from Los Angeles to London is $9,406.

Even better, there is generally good availability of upgrade seats on the New York-London route—seats that would otherwise cost you $11,530.

Domestic Transcon Holiday Sale

Business Class transcon fares are on the rise as demand continues to outstrip supply handily. But here’s a bright spot: United has slashed transcon, p.s. (unitedps.com) faresby 37% from New York to Los Angele's and San Francisco—from$1,748 to $1,098. Fares valid Dec.16 through Jan. 2, 2007, and require seven-day advance purchase. American, US Airways/America West offer similar fares (restrictions vary).

United Elite Reminder

United’s “Prepaid Travel Card” is not available for purchase right now, but United’s website says it will go on sale again in Feb. 2007.The program—last covered in detail in First Class Flyer, April 2006 can be a smart way to achieve elite status instantly, especially for those who have to fly United anyway.

It’s like a debit card: You deposit $5,000, $10,000, or $20,000 and draw down the balance as you book tickets, and you get a commensurate level of elite status at once. The card comes with perks, among them six free system-wide upgrades for 1K Members. I remind you of this program now as it may save you from embarking on an unnecessary end of the year mileage run. (More when details emerge.)