Are TS The Next Frontier in Travel Hacking [Article]

[CalGalTraveler]

Are Timeshares The Next Frontier in Travel Hacking?

http://www.thetimeshareguru.com/blog/are-timeshares-the-next-frontier-in-travel-hacking

 

[klpca]

Shhhhhhh.......

 

[taterhed]

I agree with the 'tremendous value' closing line, but what the heck is this:
"The exchange rates for timeshares do not change as frequently and some exchange rate changes are extremely rare. "

I think he means the cost of exchanging. If so, he's wearing blinders!

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I agree with the premise that credit card churning and other MS hacks have jumped the shark. Most of the travel bloggers are compensated for shilling travel credit cards so I take their hyperbole with a grain of salt.

With the exception of Chase Ultimate Rewards, I am encountering diminishing travel options with airline and hotel mile cards. Will hold on to a few to get free nights and free baggage but will sock drawer and not pursue new miles cards. We are now pursuing cash back credit cards for base spending and 5% categories for bonus spend. Cash is king and makes life much simpler. Will continue to "hack" our TS options thanks to TUG.

 

[PigsDad]

I agree with the 'tremendous value' closing line, but what the heck is this:
"The exchange rates for timeshares do not change as frequently and some exchange rate changes are extremely rare. "

I think he means the cost of exchanging. If so, he's wearing blinders!

I read that as comparing timeshare points to hotel points, for example (since throughout the article he is comparing timeshares to other types of reward points). I think he was trying to say that, for example, 2000 Hyatt points will get you the same accommodation today that it did 10 years ago, but but on the hotel side, what you could get for 50,000 points 10 years ago is quite a bit different than what those points will buy you today.

Maybe? Just a thought.

Kurt

 

[pedro47]

Question # 1? Who is this Timeshare Guru?

 

[x3 skier]

To paraphrase, “If you buy a quality timeshare at a low price, you can get tremendous vale.”

Gee, really?

Cheers

 

[JohnPaul]

I agree with the 'tremendous value' closing line, but what the heck is this:
"The exchange rates for timeshares do not change as frequently and some exchange rate changes are extremely rare. "

I think he means the cost of exchanging. If so, he's wearing blinders!

I think what he meant is that in a point based system such as Worldmark or even HGVC the number of system points you need to use a specific type of unit in a specific resort at a specific time don't typically change.

 

[dayooper]

I think what he meant is that in a point based system such as Worldmark or even HGVC the number of system points you need to use a specific type of unit in a specific resort at a specific time don't typically change.

Taterhed is correct, the cost is rising. With the increase in maintenance, exchange and activity fees to go along with rising club dues and other fees, my 7000 HGVC points won’t be as good of a deal ten years from now as they are currently.

The articles author is correct in that it’s all about how you use your points. Using the hacks, staying in gold seasons or even shorter vacations here and there really increase the value of your points.

 

[KarenP]

After I read this article, I was reminded of how we used to get multitudes of free travel by volunteering to be "bumped" on spring break flights. We'd book the earliest flight to Atlanta, be the first ones at the desk and say we wanted to volunteer (four of us), and they'd book us on the next flight and give us anywhere from $400 to $700 worth of flight dollars PER PERSON. We'd do this as many as four times to get to Atlanta, and then do it again in Atlanta. Sometimes we'd spend the night (at the airlines expense) and arrive the next day. Then we'd do the same thing on the way back. We flew free for years by doing this. Now if you volunteer to be bumped, they only put you on the next flight that has a vacancy. Oh well, fun while it lasted!

 

[dayooper]

After I read this article, I was reminded of how we used to get multitudes of free travel by volunteering to be "bumped" on spring break flights. We'd book the earliest flight to Atlanta, be the first ones at the desk and say we wanted to volunteer (four of us), and they'd book us on the next flight and give us anywhere from $400 to $700 worth of flight dollars PER PERSON. We'd do this as many as four times to get to Atlanta, and then do it again in Atlanta. Sometimes we'd spend the night (at the airlines expense) and arrive the next day. Then we'd do the same thing on the way back. We flew free for years by doing this. Now if you volunteer to be bumped, they only put you on the next flight that has a vacancy. Oh well, fun while it lasted!

On our way back from our honeymoon in Cancun, we arrived early so I could get an exit row seat. Now I’m a former college offensive lineman who is 6’7” tall and, at the time, weighed about 275 lbs so an exit row seat was really great for me. When we arrived, they asked us if were willing to be bumped up to an earlier flight. We asked if we would be next to each other in an exit row. They said that wasn’t possible. We politely declined. They then offered us 1st class the entire trip back to Detroit. Great way to come home from our honeymoon!

I’m not seeing those type of offers anymore when we fly.

 

[Lanswitch]

Many, I mean MANY, years ago my wife and I used United miles to fly from Chicago to Hawaii in First class (yes, I used to fly a lot for business on United) and when we arrived at O’Hare the curbside baggage valet told us that there had been a change of equipment and, since the replacement plane was smaller, we probably wouldn’t be in First Class.
Sure enough, when we got to the gate, the agent confirmed that we no longer had First Class seating. When I demanded that I be refunded the additional miles I had burned to be able to fly in First Class, she said that she couldn’t do that but to please accept $1,000 (probably $4,000 in today’s money) in travel vouchers to just get on the plane, PLEASE!
We looked at each other, accepted and thereby paid our next Hawaiian vacation the following year.
I don’t fly as much any longer but use credit cards to accumulate miles as most people do nowadays.

Also, when I used to fly for business, I would regularly volunteer to be bumped on my return home flights and received MANY free tickets as a result.

 

[davevt98]

I agree with the 'tremendous value' closing line, but what the heck is this:
"The exchange rates for timeshares do not change as frequently and some exchange rate changes are extremely rare. "

I think he means the cost of exchanging. If so, he's wearing blinders!

Interesting article. I read this to mean that the exchange charts do not typically change. It still costs the same about of HRC points to exchange through Interval as it did 10 years ago. The cost to exchange keeps going up and the maintenance fees keep going up but the exchange rate is a lot more constant than hotel and frequent flyer points.