Hey everybody,

I'm converting my FF Airline database package
into a full-fledged FF DB and mileage tracker.
Currently, its a database of about 30 airlines with their reservation #s, hubs,
FF program names and elite levels,partners and the aircraft they fly. I'm using this as
the basis for a more full-fledged actual program to do things like keep track of miles, notify you of changes in elite status, etc. I realize that
there are a number of programs out there already, but none of them really have everything I want so I'm going to write my
own.
It'll be generalized enough to let you keep
track of hotels,cars and meal miles as well.

I'd like to make this the absolute, most kick-butt FF tracking program out there,
designed, written and tested by FFs, so if
you've got any suggestions as to features or
functions, let me know.

It will probably take a couple months from start to finish 'cause I'm going to be working on it in my spare time, but should be
well worth the wait.

JD

JD--sounds good. Let us know on the board when you are ready for a beta.

Jetdillo, I would gladly help you test your software also. That is just the kind of new software that I need.

any chances of getting a mac-compatible-version?

JD -- super idea! If you need help porting to Mac for Rudi (and others), let me know. I've got some Mac folks who just love to do these things...

My current plan is to write it in Tcl/Tk so
that it's cross-platform. This is because
I personally run Linux on my Laptop and have
UNIX workstations on my home LAN and at work.
No offense, but I avoid Win95 whenever possible.

There is a win95 & Mac version of this language(which is pretty easy to install)so
it should run on both Macs and PCs as well
as my workstation
It's also free.
Check out www.scriptics.com for more info on
the language itself.

I'm doing it this way so I can write one version for everybody at the same time.

If you want to help(mostly w/ fleshing out the airline database) email me @
[email protected]

JD

If this could incorporate the possibility to compare different routings' mileage between cities where connections are possible so that maximation could be achieved, it would really be cool.

TheAuditor, I cannot believe that you would choose to fly a longer routing to get more miles. All I know is that when I get on a plane, I just want to get there!!! Jetdillo ... sounds awesome, I would be happy to help Beta test. Some ideas for things to include may be:

* Airline club locations with hours of operation (like the two Admirals Clubs at JFK which have different ours of operation).

* When entering your routing, the program would atomatically calculate the mileage.

* Depending on the airline and your status, the program could calcuate the bous miles awarded.'

* There would need to be some form of "adjustment" option for such things as on-line line booking, car rental, hotel, 1-800-FLOWERS and other such bonuses.

* Adjustments would also need to be made for things like double mileage or bonusmieage offerings on certain routings.

* Don't for get that different airlines have different definitions of what constitutes a "leg" for calculation status based on segments (e.g. different flight numbers vs. one flight number, but direct i.e. not non-stop, SouthWest where departure city to destinnation is one leg no matter how many flights/flight #'s it is, etc.).

* You may want to include the calculation of free upgrade segements/certificates that many of the airlines offer, but be careful, AA keeps resetting my couter and I have not quite figured out what they are doing.

These are just some ideas. It probably does not make sense to incorporate all in the first release. Good luck and please feel free to e-mail me if you need more clarity or if I could braistorm any more ideas for you .... although you are probably thinking why did I post my idea here now.

Regards,
TCrazy

Trevelcrazy: I always choose the flight with the shortest time span, but it often does not end up being the one that has the shortest distance. For example, to get from New York to Uruguay, you can choose to fly through Sao Paulo, Rio, or Santiago. They all cost about the same. It also turns out that you get there all about the same time but get a lot more miles through Santiago. That's what I am looking for.

TheAuditor - sounds good to me!! I only fly domestically in the U.S. (unless it is vacation for which I am using miles so it does not make a difference i.e. the shorter the better). I would fly the longer route too if I got there the same time. Domestically, a connection could me a night in the airport/hotel easily .... trust me, I have been there way too often.

Distance calculations are the one thing I
haven't really been able to nail down how to do because each airline seems to calculate
things differently. We all know that LAX->JFK
is AROUND 2500 miles. But is it 2488 or 2491?
Or 2502?
Similarily SFO->SYD is again, AROUND 7500 miles. UA measures it 7487, QT 7523 and
I seem to recall ITN listing it as 7497 at
one point. Who's right?
Whatever the airline you're flying on that day is most likely the answer 'cause thats what you're going to get credit for.

It's this sort of quandry thats got me thinking a simple post-facto calculator approach would be a good first whack at the problem. I wouldn't want to be responsible for somebody missing a Medallion or 1K level
of status 'cause I was providing the wrong #s.

Does anybody out there know how the airlines
calculate their segments?
Is it maybe on a web site somewhere?

Bonus/premium calculations and the like are
comparatively easy as they are a function of the above mileage figures. Likewise threshold calculations are a snap as well.

Travelcrazy: You've been reading my mind. Just about all the features you've listed are
ones I've been thinking of myself. It seems like a big part of the question is where to get the data from...

I didn't realize that airlines use different distances between some destinations. If you wanted to be thorough, I guess you could get the schedule for each airline and set up a table for each airline with the distance between cities (I assume other airlines have the ditance between cities in their schedules ...) ... but that would obviously be a huge pain in the butt!

I posted this question earlier on the Board and this is the answer (distance between airports) given by Mileageaddict:

http://www.chicago.com/airliners/gc.html

I found this quite handy.

Going through the schedules to get the miles won't necessarily work. Air Canada lists 1668 as miles from Calgary to Toronto in their printed schedule but actually gives 1670 when you fly etc etc.

the same is with some UA overseas distances (FRA-JFK 4 miles less credited than in their time-table).