Can I convert Staroptions/Weeks to Club Points in a future year and borrow the points for use this year?

[Henry M.]

I own at WKORV but may decide I want to go to a Marriott property elsewhere sometime this year. I did not convert to Club Points last year. I've never converted or used Club Points.

Do you know if I wanted to use some Club Points to make a reservation this year, could I borrow some from two years from now?

For example, I want to go somewhere with Club Points this year. I already committed all my weeks for next year to various trips. Can I borrow from 2026 to make a reservation this year?

If I did have weeks available next year (2025), could I convert one of my 2025 weeks and use the Club Points this year?

Are there any time restrictions for making the Club Point reservations? If I understand right, I can make reservations at Vistana properties 12 months out. At Marriott properties 13 months out (I'm Chairman level). Could I borrow Club Points from next year and turn around and make a Vistana reservation 12 months from today? This could be helpful in a high-demand location that I can only reserve at 8 months with Staroptions.

Thanks for any insights.

 

[dioxide45]

Yes, you have it already figured out. Do keep in mind that availability for certain resorts and locations might be limited in Abound. Something may not be available in Abound at 12 months but you may still find it in VSN at 8 months but it could be too late as you've already elected Club Points and you can't go back to StarOptions.

 

[Henry M.]

Thanks!

Someone told me that if I want to borrow Club Points for this year, I need to call in and pretty much make the reservation right then and there. I wouldn't be able to borrow the Club Points if there wasn't availability at the place I want to go to.

As I understand it, I'd have to convert one of my weeks from next year (6200 points for KOR), and then they would take however many points I need for the reservation and the rest would remain available for me to use in their normal use year.

I'm not clear on one thing: I have until sometime later this year to convert to Club Points. That means converting one of next year's weeks, right?

If so, then if I've already reserved all of next year's weeks through Vistana, I would have to borrow from 2026. I'd pay my 2026 maintenance fee, take one of my 2026 KOR weeks and use part of those 2026 Club Points this year. Whatever I don't use would remain available for 2026 use. I assume I'd also be able to borrow that remnant to use in 2025. Correct?

Club Points seem to add significant flexibility to the system. I'm not sure if it is better financially to rent out my KOR week and pay for a reservation elsewhere, or jump through these borrowing hoops. However, it does seem that if a unit is available elsewhere, I can make a reservation a lot quicker with Club Points. I could then bank this year's points and use them at the 8 month mark next year.

 

[Hindsite]

You can elect for club points up to 25 months ahead, so 2026 weeks election is already available, you should be able to see this in your account via that dashboard.

For Chairman's club level the election deadline is 31 Oct of the prior year, so you have until then to elect for 2025 usage.

No you don't have to use the 2026 elected club points immediately or call to elect them, take a look in your online account.

Yes you can borrow club points into the immediately preceding year. There is no deadline for borrowing, so typically you borrow at the time you make the reservation, that then leaves the balance of any unused club points in their original usage year. You could then borrow them for another booking or use them for their usage year.

Your call on renting out vs booking and using your ownership.

 

[dioxide45]

Someone told me that if I want to borrow Club Points for this year, I need to call in and pretty much make the reservation right then and there. I wouldn't be able to borrow the Club Points if there wasn't availability at the place I want to go to.

YOu basically borrow at the time of making a reservation. You don't borrow them and hold them in the new earlier use year. You can do it online. Works similar to borrowing StarOptions except you don't need to prepay the maintenance fees and you can only borrow StarOptions via a reservation made over the phone.

 

[kozykritter]

I'd pay my 2026 maintenance fee, take one of my 2026 KOR weeks and use part of those 2026 Club Points this year.

When electing Club points for your Vistana future year usage, you don't have to prepay the maintenance fees. That's one difference between Abound and Vistana... If you were trying to use that future year usage in the Vistana system, you would have to pay the fees first.