Expiring bonus points

[skier4]

We've decided to postpone our Hawaii trip until next year, unfortunately that means we have a bunch of bonus points that we need to do something with soon- they expire mid-April. Even if I find something else that will work for us this summer (either HGVC or an RCI exchange) it won't use up all the points (9k). How likely is RCI to have a Hawaiian properties in 2022? They have them for this summer but I'm not sure if that's normal or COVID-related availability. Any hiccups or potential problems with making an RCI reservation to cancel to get around the no direct deposit of bonus points (I seemed to recall reading somewhere you could do that)? Generally I wouldn't think HHonors is a good use but I could at least make reservations in Hawaii using them.

 

[holdaer]

We've decided to postpone our Hawaii trip until next year, unfortunately that means we have a bunch of bonus points that we need to do something with soon- they expire mid-April. Even if I find something else that will work for us this summer (either HGVC or an RCI exchange) it won't use up all the points (9k). How likely is RCI to have a Hawaiian properties in 2022? They have them for this summer but I'm not sure if that's normal or COVID-related availability. Any hiccups or potential problems with making an RCI reservation to cancel to get around the no direct deposit of bonus points (I seemed to recall reading somewhere you could do that)? Generally I wouldn't think HHonors is a good use but I could at least make reservations in Hawaii using them.

I was in the same position as you in 2014 and I deposited my bonus points into RCI which extended them for another 2 years. After depositing into RCI, you could put in a search for a Hawaii trip in 2022. That would improve your chances of getting what you want.

 

[SmithOp]

Pay your 2022 maintenance fees with bonus points.

Bonus Points have no redemption cash value, but when using Bonus Points toward maintenance fees, 2,500 Bonus Points are equivalent to approximately $250 and are only calculated in U.S. dollars. OOPS, sorry, I was thinking next April - cannot be used for future fees.

RCI will cost exchange fee and possibly resort fees. I think using bonus points to pay maint fee is the best value if you can’t use them in HGV.

Next year you can use 2022 club points and borrow 2023 points for your Hawaii trip. Get into a position of being a borrower of points, not a saver/depositer, no fees to borrow and pay the maint fees later!

 

[alwysonvac]

Call and ask HGVC about bonus point extensions.

I believe with bonus points, you have to use them before they expire. Travel doesn’t have to be completed before they expire. So you can book as far as 9 months out. You can easily use all of your bonus point (9K) this summer at HGVC Hawaii resorts by staying longer, booking higher point level rooms (higher floors, better view and/or larger room) and/or booking at higher point resorts.

If you want to stay at the HGVC Hawaii resorts, it’s best to book directly via HGVC.
HGVC owners have direct access to all available inventory at HGVC resorts as soon as the Club window opens. RCI members only have access to limited inventory (only what has been deposited into RCI and not all weeks and/resorts are deposited).

You also need to be extremely careful with RCI cancellations. RCI is not as flexible as HGVC.
Ask questions on how a cancellation will be handled for expired bonus points. Expired points could be forfeited. See warning post below.

I know that makes no sense, but this is what RCI says about it:

• If a reservation is cancelled and Points previously deposited to RCI were used to secure the reservation, those Points will be considered expired and are not eligible to be returned to your RCI account.

• Current-year Points are eligible for travel in the following two years, when an exchange is confirmed prior to the expiration of Points. Upon cancellation of a reservation, you could be required to deposit the points into RCI (deposit fee is applicable) or you may voluntarily forfeit the Points.

From actual experience with a previous future-year booking:
-- When you call to cancel, ask to Deposit any expired points to RCI (and pay the fee).
-- You must bring it up if they don't... before they hang-up.

NOTE: HGVC members have limited access to HGVC Developer deposits in RCI WEEKS (stays beginning no earlier than 9 months before checkin). As a result, high demand HGVC locations/weeks may be taken in RCI WEEKS before HGVC RCI inventory is made available to HGVC members.