Thinking of leaving AA? Compare FFPs with this spreadsheet
Jun 28, 2016, 3:57 pm
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
Thinking of leaving AA? Compare FFPs with this spreadsheet
Hey all,
I'm going to start off with the disclaimer. I'm no Excel wizard. I don't do statistical analysis for my day job. This document isn't pretty and it certainly isn't perfect. What it is was my attempt to try to find a way to compare FFPs logically to determine if I should change my allegiances or not. I'm sharing this with the FT community as some have expressed an interest in it when I talked about it earlier. Of course, it comes with no warranties or representations, and you run it at your own risk. It was clean when I uploaded it, and I'm not a programmer so ...
Now that that's out of the way, AA's changes to AAdvantage are making me rethink my current travel loyalties and trying to figure out what's important to me so I make a rational decision based on data rather than emotion.
The spreadsheet consists of three main sections based on the FFP, Network, and Onboard Service. Each section is weighted, using a decimal percentage (i.e. .5 for 50%). The 3 categories should equal 1.0. These are defaulted to .5 for FFP, .3 for Network, and .2 for onboard service. However, these are easily changeable as everyone values these differently.
Also, there are 3 columns currently set up to compare 3 different programs. Each perk should at least be ranked from 0 to 3 (not offered to best), but if two or all airlines are equal, feel free to give that item the same score for all of them. The main thing to remember is that there is no error checking. So if you give an item a 50, it'll blow the analysis.
Additionally, I attempted to normalize each section. As the 3 sections don't have an even amount of criteria, I multiplied the raw score for each times (100/# of items) to get a normalized score. This times the weight gives you the final score for the section. I did this as my first attempt had the FFP weighing too heavily as it had more criteria than the others.
In theory, the final score possible for each is 300, but again, there's no error checking. The highest total score would be the "winner."
I can't account for every perk offered by every airline (especially foreign), so everything may not line up perfectly for your choices. However, there is some flexibility for customization in adding/deleting cells. You may just have to update the formulas to account for the cell changes.
I've updated this version slightly as well. I gave 2 FTers my initial version. I added club location and quality as criteria to the network, and modified the formulas accordingly.
I welcome any feedback for improvement, but please remember this is a free tool done in my spare time. My hopes are that it can be helpful to the community in making future travel decisions. Feel free to share it. I only ask that you credit me.
The spreadsheet can be downloaded from the link below.
Best,
Super
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bw...nl3VGxnZ1QyZDA
I'm going to start off with the disclaimer. I'm no Excel wizard. I don't do statistical analysis for my day job. This document isn't pretty and it certainly isn't perfect. What it is was my attempt to try to find a way to compare FFPs logically to determine if I should change my allegiances or not. I'm sharing this with the FT community as some have expressed an interest in it when I talked about it earlier. Of course, it comes with no warranties or representations, and you run it at your own risk. It was clean when I uploaded it, and I'm not a programmer so ...
Now that that's out of the way, AA's changes to AAdvantage are making me rethink my current travel loyalties and trying to figure out what's important to me so I make a rational decision based on data rather than emotion.
The spreadsheet consists of three main sections based on the FFP, Network, and Onboard Service. Each section is weighted, using a decimal percentage (i.e. .5 for 50%). The 3 categories should equal 1.0. These are defaulted to .5 for FFP, .3 for Network, and .2 for onboard service. However, these are easily changeable as everyone values these differently.
Also, there are 3 columns currently set up to compare 3 different programs. Each perk should at least be ranked from 0 to 3 (not offered to best), but if two or all airlines are equal, feel free to give that item the same score for all of them. The main thing to remember is that there is no error checking. So if you give an item a 50, it'll blow the analysis.
Additionally, I attempted to normalize each section. As the 3 sections don't have an even amount of criteria, I multiplied the raw score for each times (100/# of items) to get a normalized score. This times the weight gives you the final score for the section. I did this as my first attempt had the FFP weighing too heavily as it had more criteria than the others.
In theory, the final score possible for each is 300, but again, there's no error checking. The highest total score would be the "winner."
I can't account for every perk offered by every airline (especially foreign), so everything may not line up perfectly for your choices. However, there is some flexibility for customization in adding/deleting cells. You may just have to update the formulas to account for the cell changes.
I've updated this version slightly as well. I gave 2 FTers my initial version. I added club location and quality as criteria to the network, and modified the formulas accordingly.
I welcome any feedback for improvement, but please remember this is a free tool done in my spare time. My hopes are that it can be helpful to the community in making future travel decisions. Feel free to share it. I only ask that you credit me.
The spreadsheet can be downloaded from the link below.
Best,
Super
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bw...nl3VGxnZ1QyZDA
Jul 1, 2016, 5:19 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: London
Programs: AA EXP 2 MM
Posts: 2,823
This would be a great tool if I had the knowledge necessary to fill it in. I have not found a site that makes any detailed comparison of the FFPs. I did take a look at competing FFPs, not only to understand the potential perks, but also to try to assess at what level I might qualify. But it is very time-consuming to work through the details.
Unless the AAdvantage program takes account of (UK) credit card spend next year, I will need to come back to making this comparison.
Unless the AAdvantage program takes account of (UK) credit card spend next year, I will need to come back to making this comparison.
Jul 3, 2016, 4:04 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Nottingham, UK
Programs: HHonors - Diamond, AA - EXP
Posts: 150
This would be a great tool if I had the knowledge necessary to fill it in. I have not found a site that makes any detailed comparison of the FFPs. I did take a look at competing FFPs, not only to understand the potential perks, but also to try to assess at what level I might qualify. But it is very time-consuming to work through the details.
Unless the AAdvantage program takes account of (UK) credit card spend next year, I will need to come back to making this comparison.
Unless the AAdvantage program takes account of (UK) credit card spend next year, I will need to come back to making this comparison.