ePlus vs. Retrade

[2rebecca]

I'm debating whether to buy ePlus as a type of self-insurance for a recent trade. I've used it a few times, so I'm familiar with the way it works, but I don't recall the policy changes made earlier this year & II's website is down for maintenance. I've never used retrade. Can someone help explain the nuances between the two?

Here is what I know (or think I know).

Eplus:
1) The cost of ePlus is less than a retrade fee, but you pay for something that you may not use.
2) Get up to 3 retrades for the flat fee.
3) IIRC, the expiration date is 1 year beyond the check-in date of the original exchange. So if I exchanged for Dec 17, 2026, I should be able to search through Dec 17, 2027.
4) You used to be able to eplus up to the day before your check-in date, but now the eplus option expires (14?? days) before the current check-in date.
5) Once you get into flexchange, you can use one ePlus retrade to go out 59 days from the current check-in date, then instantly turn around and do another retrade for 59 days beyond the new check-in date,and so on.

Retrade:
1) It costs more than ePlus (full exchange fee?), but you only pay for it if you need it.
2) How far out can I search? Is it one year past the current check-in date, or is it the expiration date of the deposit used for the exchange?
3) Are there any loopholes for extending the 59-day window if you need to retrade while in flexchange?

 

[dioxide45]

You have everything right about Eplus. As for retrades, you can retrade out through the original deposit expiration. The new Flexchange restrictions is now 30 days prior to checking. Forget 59 days. So you can retrade without restrictions until you get inside 30 day flexchange, then you can only retrade 30 days beyond the current date.

A regular retrade will cost you $249. Quite a bit more than the $89 for Eplus. As you say though, you only pay it if you need to use it.

 

[CrazyPanda]

You have everything right about Eplus. As for retrades, you can retrade out through the original deposit expiration. The new Flexchange restrictions is now 30 days prior to checking. Forget 59 days. So you can retrade without restrictions until you get inside 30 day flexchange, then you can only retrade 30 days beyond the current date.

A regular retrade will cost you $249. Quite a bit more than the $89 for Eplus. As you say though, you only pay it if you need to use it.

Can you add Eplus to a replacement certificate? I had a heart attack in September and had to cancel a week. The deposit had almost 2 years on it but I see the replacement week is only good for 1 year. If I book something and add eplus will that extend it? Thanks

 

[Hindsite]

If you think you'll use e-plus more than 1 in every 4 exchanges that you do then get it. If you don't think you'll use it more often that that, take the risk.

Retrade
1) per dioxide post
2) Assuming you are outside of flexchange, you can retrade out as far as the expiry of your deposit.
3) Yes, several and can get complicated, so hopefully I've got it right @Pamplemousse may be able to clarify where I get it not quite right/wrong.
a) you can e-plus retrade using e-plus 59 days from the retraded check-in, so you can get out further, and then you have closer to 6 months to find something within.
b) You can cancel and get a replacement week that is valid for a year from the date you cancel.. (I think) If you cancel having retraded out of flexchange, the week is then not stuck in flexchange.
c) You can just do a full fee retrade out to beyond flexchange. I did this last month within 5 days of check-in and retraded out to Nov 2026. It was MVC to MVC with an enrolled week so the full fee was $0, I assume it works if the fee is $246

 

[dioxide45]

If you think you'll use e-plus more than 1 in every 4 exchanges that you do then get it. If you don't think you'll use it more often that that, take the risk.

Retrade
1) per dioxide post
2) Assuming you are outside of flexchange, you can retrade out as far as the expiry of your deposit.
3) Yes, several and can get complicated, so hopefully I've got it right @Pamplemousse may be able to clarify where I get it not quite right/wrong.
a) you can e-plus retrade using e-plus 59 days from the retraded check-in, so you can get out further, and then you have closer to 6 months to find something within.
b) You can cancel and get a replacement week that is valid for a year from the date you cancel.. (I think) If you cancel having retraded out of flexchange, the week is then not stuck in flexchange.
c) You can just do a full fee retrade out to beyond flexchange. I did this last month within 5 days of check-in and retraded out to Nov 2026. It was MVC to MVC with an enrolled week so the full fee was $0, I assume it works if the fee is $246

For the last item (c) did you use the app?

 

[Hindsite]

For the last item (c) did you use the app?

Yes via the app, based on advice in previous posts. I can't remember if I looked at what the website would do, as I was in a bit of a fluster....

 

[davidvel]

Remember if you are enrolled, retrades are free.

 

[dioxide45]

Remember if you are enrolled, retrades are free.

We don’t even know that the op owns Marriott.

 

[2rebecca]

You have everything right about Eplus. As for retrades, you can retrade out through the original deposit expiration. The new Flexchange restrictions is now 30 days prior to checking. Forget 59 days. So you can retrade without restrictions until you get inside 30 day flexchange, then you can only retrade 30 days beyond the current date.

A regular retrade will cost you $249. Quite a bit more than the $89 for Eplus. As you say though, you only pay it if you need to use it.

Thank you. It sounds like ePlus might be the better option this time because my original deposit expires in September 2027. Since my exchange is for December 2026, ePlus should allow me to search through December 2027 where as the retrade only gets me to September 2027.

 

[2rebecca]

Remember if you are enrolled, retrades are free.

Unfortunately, I don't own Marriott.

 

[2rebecca]

If you think you'll use e-plus more than 1 in every 4 exchanges that you do then get it. If you don't think you'll use it more often that that, take the risk.

Retrade
1) per dioxide post
2) Assuming you are outside of flexchange, you can retrade out as far as the expiry of your deposit.
3) Yes, several and can get complicated, so hopefully I've got it right @Pamplemousse may be able to clarify where I get it not quite right/wrong.
a) you can e-plus retrade using e-plus 59 days from the retraded check-in, so you can get out further, and then you have closer to 6 months to find something within.
b) You can cancel and get a replacement week that is valid for a year from the date you cancel.. (I think) If you cancel having retraded out of flexchange, the week is then not stuck in flexchange.
c) You can just do a full fee retrade out to beyond flexchange. I did this last month within 5 days of check-in and retraded out to Nov 2026. It was MVC to MVC with an enrolled week so the full fee was $0, I assume it works if the fee is $246

For b does the replacement week work like an AC or a regular deposit? For c do you think that is a glitch in the app that allowed you to retrade beyond flexchange? A couple of years ago the app would let me see beyond the 60 day window while searching with ePlus when the website would not. I assumed that would have been fixed by now.

 

[dioxide45]

For b does the replacement week work like an AC or a regular deposit? For c do you think that is a glitch in the app that allowed you to retrade beyond flexchange? A couple of years ago the app would let me see beyond the 60 day window while searching with ePlus when the website would not. I assumed that would have been fixed by now.

A cancellation replacement week works just like a regular deposit, you can even add Eplus to an exchange made from it.

The app issue still seems to be a glitch that isn't fixed. I don't know if it works for regular retrades.