Systems and methods for determine a cost-improved set of control commands for an aircraft based at least in part on deterioration costs are provided. One example computing device is configured to iteratively: input a candidate set of control commands for the aircraft into the deterioration cost model; receive, as an output of the deterioration cost model, an estimated deterioration cost associated with the candidate set of control commands; input the estimated deterioration cost into a cost function to obtain a total estimated cost associated with the candidate set of control commands; and determine an improved set of control commands based at least in part on the total estimated cost and the cost function.