Has anyone done the math on exchanges through II and compared to the Abound points each confirmation would have cost?

[rickandcindy23]

I was reading a long thread and someone mentioned that weeks are better to own because the exchanges are far better cost-wise than using Abound.

I am working on data of my own for fun, which I will share, but I would be interested to see what others are getting via exchange that are great values.

 

[Hindsite]

I like this game , had to go through it with a sales rep last month to show them that I could book weeks via II and then only use 4-5 days before I was better off than using Abound, and that's without factoring in using Accom Certs. I really do try to find use for Club points and did an encore package just to get a load to try again. I also believe many people do very well with club points, possibly as well for their vacation lodging requirements as I do without them, but I just can't get them to work for us and our requirements.

Bear in mind I don't have lock-offs or tiger traders and don't try and travel to peak locations to peak places. The upside might be a lot less, if I was comparing the high season election values for for weeks used as deposits.

You can also compare the number of club points that a resort would take to reserve in II vs the election value of the deposited week. For that I reliably see II inventory that would take 3500-4000 club points to book with my silver week. The one sweet spot that I have found for using club points in II is a four seasons or other elite branded resort studio unit in shoulder season for 1500 club points.

Jan 2024 2-bed St Kitts Oceanside required 4125 Club points got with a silver week deposit that would yield 1825 Club points.
Nov 2026 2 bed Phuket Beach Club requires 3270 club points got with a silver week deposit that would yield 1825 Club points
Dec 2026 2 bed Phuket Beach Club requires 3270 club points got with a white week deposit that would yield 1675 Club points

More importantly: we were spending $1,500 per week on vacation lodging at the time we bought +20 years ago and have only just passed that as an all up average, so that's what really matters for us.

 

[rthib]

It completely depends on what you are comparing. If I am staying for seven nights than almost always a week will be better. Exception would probably be Abound escape.

Where the math gets more interesting for me is I rarely stay 7 nights. So if I want to stay 10 nights. That's two weeks trade. So the value would be One week wasted vs 3 nights in abound.
Or If I want to checkin midweek based on other plans at a resort that does not offer M,T,W checkin. Again I would have to waste a week trade vs maybe 1-4 nights.
The math gets even harder for trips like I take to Hawaii where I will stay 3-4 Nights each on 4 Islands.
Also the math leaves out that sometimes it is easier to get a confirmation on one platform vs another. I never saw a trade into Big Island but was able to book with points 12 months out and so was able to confirm my flights then.
So the math is never the same for everyone. It also depends on the week type. Enrolled vs Resale.
Are you having to pay to lock-off, II membership, Trade, Retrade, upsize. And AC also have cost and so far last two years have never been where I wanted. But I have used them in the past.
So I would disagree that weeks are always better than points. It depends and for me the combo of Weeks with points has always been sweet spot.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I am really talking about week trades.

I noticed our Marriott's Willow Ridge studios have been mostly used for Disney. I didn't realize how rare it has been for me to get anything Marriott/Vistana with that particular unit type. $600 is pretty cheap for a Disney week, even with $249 exchange and $59-118 exchange fee. I am more hesitant to add eplus when I can use a cheap trader like that to get a week I know we are going to use.

Conversely, I have no idea how to value this one. I did get a Westin Nanea 2 bed for WR studio, $600 MF's + $199 (upgrades were free that week) for 8/29, but we saved on airfare by going home mid-week over the weekend, so that was the purpose for that great exchange. I think it would have probably been a good sale via Abound Escape. I didn't add eplus to that one, it would be a waste of money. I have wasted $89 for so many that I kept the original exchange, it's just ridiculous.

 

[Pamplemousse]

I was reading a long thread and someone mentioned that weeks are better to own because the exchanges are far better cost-wise than using Abound.

I am working on data of my own for fun, which I will share, but I would be interested to see what others are getting via exchange that are great values.

I have only run the numbers vacation club points vs cash to answer the question is it worth owning?
In every case using the points was cheaper- sometimes just a but, sometimes a lot! I valued the points vacations by number of points x maintence fees on that number and if the points were elected from an owned week I did base it on week maintence fees.
I didn’t count the original cost since that wasn’t my question. Could have factored in club dues too.

I like what Hindsite site- and would just multiply by maintenance fees to get a dollar amount.

The sweetest spot for ownership I think is an enrolled week lock off which can get you 2 weeks stays with no exchange fees- just upsize fees if available for your trades.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Points vs. cash makes sense to be a better deal, and in some cases, a much better deal.

We have friends who own a summer week in Vail, a Marriott week, original owner. Their maintenance fees are too high to use in Abound for anything, so I told them not to enroll it. I actually want to tell them to deed it back and to buy something better, but they seem to love Vail, and I think it would be looked upon as something other than helpful. My intention would be to give them better and cheaper vacations, not to criticize the week they have had since the mid-80's. They could exchange into that resort much cheaper with a lockoff unit.

 

[davidvel]

Here's one. Our September trade is to 2BR MOC Sequel, Mountain/Garden. 5500 points.
Direct Purchase
MF: 5500 * .81= $4,455
Upfront direct (best hybrid deal over 30 years): 5500 * $8=$44,000/30=$1,467
TOTAL COST: $5,922


We used our Shadow Ridge gold studio for this trade. The total cost is about $850.

 

[Retired2025 aka AlmostRetired]

Ignoring acquisition costs.
Summer
I trade my 3 bedroom Grand Chateau as 1 one bedroom and 2 bedroom going into the Grand Ocean and Monarch. The trading fee is 199 (Marriott to Marriott) for each unit, the upgrade fee is 99 for the one bedroom and the II membership fee is 99.

With II, lets assume I get 1 Monarch and one Grande Ocean. From an II exchange it doesn't matter because the MF is about the same say 2040. The II Exchange is 2490 (MF of GC) plus 398 (2 exchange fees of 198 each), 99 (upgrade from 1 to 2 br), plus 99 (membership fee) = 3086. The MF on the Monarch and GO is about the same at 2040 each so 4080. So the savings is about 32%. If this was done in my corp II account, the saving would be a little more like 36%.

If this was done with points the GO is 4500 points and the Monarch is 2675 points so it would take 7175 points the MF would be
5812 plus a membership fee.

Renting units would be the most cost.

If you were going in the winter, the MF would still be 4080. The points required for both units would be about 3300 with a MF of about 2675. Points would be much cheaper.

 

[rickandcindy23]

@davidvel MMO Sequel?

 

[DRH90277]

Cost or access - Another dimension - think about the probability of getting the reservation you want using points versus an Interval exchange. My experience with Interval has been exceptional.

My point here is that the point system cannot compete with the cost of reservations in a free market from whatever source. The primary hook in Abound is once bought, the "restricted currency or points" must be used at the posted price in points.

 

[davidvel]

@davidvel MMO Sequel?

Meant to put MOC Sequel which is really Interval code MM1, or Maui Ocean Club new towers, the purpose built timeshare buildings.

Marriott's Ocean Club Lahania & Napili Villas MM1

 

[rickandcindy23]

Meant to put MOC Sequel which is really Interval code MM1, or Maui Ocean Club new towers, the purpose built timeshare buildings.

Marriott's Ocean Club Lahania & Napili Villas MM1

I also received an exchange with an ongoing request for MM1, island view two bedroom lockoff, 2/28-3/7/2026. Confirmed against Shadow Ridge Villages 1 bedroom. Total cost in my estimation of a one bedroom is about $1,650-$1,700 + $199 + $59 upgrade fee (but I usually add eplus, which is just throwing money away lately). Total of $1910, give or take a few bucks. Would be 5,450 Abound points to book it. Great view, to the left looking out of the 4th floor, looking down was the sidewalk going into the Lahaina building, and to the right looking out was the parking garage. It was a nice unit.

$1910 in exchange costs or 5,450 Abound points, if we used .8148 for trust points as the cost, or $4,440.

Another one recently, week before Thanksgiving, 11/15-11/22/2025, received via ongoing search with Willow Ridge one bedroom (fees are $1,200 + $59 upgrade fee + $199. Total of $1,458. Would have cost 4,225 Abound points.

 

[Big Matt]

I rarely use my Abound points for a week. It's a bad deal. I often stay for 7 days on an II trade and augment it with a 5 day Sunday through Thursday points reservation on the front or back of the stay. I've also done Sun-Thurs, cash, followed by another Sun-Thurs. Using Abound points for Friday and Saturday is simply a bad use of points, IMO. Off season and specific resorts allow for an exception to my rule, but for the premium seasons, it just doesn't work for me.

 

[dioxide45]

I keep track of the trades and how much they would cost us if using points instead of II. I don't track it on a trade by trade basis, but rather combining all trades for the year and comparing it to how many points we get. General math has showed that I would need double the amount of points to duplicate what I can get through II if I were to use points.

 

[rthib]

I rarely use my Abound points for a week. It's a bad deal. I often stay for 7 days on an II trade and augment it with a 5 day Sunday through Thursday points reservation on the front or back of the stay. I've also done Sun-Thurs, cash, followed by another Sun-Thurs. Using Abound points for Friday and Saturday is simply a bad use of points, IMO. Off season and specific resorts allow for an exception to my rule, but for the premium seasons, it just doesn't work for me.

This is the point. Comparing a week trade to points, point will almost always lose.
But using points for shorter stay and augmenting stays you can come out much better than using two weeks for a 10 day stay. Not to mention the savings on Airfare when you can travel on days you want vs the standard check in days. Or like my example above on Hawaii. Where we Did Oahu, Maui, Big Island, Kauai and then Oahu again. That would of required trying to get trades in II for five different weeks vs 13 days of points. And I could Guarantee a Ocean Front Studio.

And I was able to send my Pastor on a nice M-T getaway as he traveled back, nothing available in II, easy guarantee with points.
I am not recommending points for everyone but I think some folks who enrolled weeks are missing out. I originally enrolled just for the cheaper lock-off, II, retrade.
But ended up not taking a couple trips one year and since then have always had extra weeks in II so it was easy to alternate points and deposits. And I have a resale week that I use to stay and then extend. So I can do a Christmas to past New Years and fly when I want not on the Sunday when everyone else is flying (so I was able to get First class seats for the price in points of Coach)

I have also used points to get a reservation then worked II until it showed up so I was able to guarantee a week regardless. Did this for my European trip where we hit france and Spain.
Both were originally points that I was able to convert to weeks because I could hold out until last moment and not worry.

I will add, I had folks hear me talk about how well my MVCI works out and the great trips we take and ask if they should buy and my answer is always the same - No.
I bought pre-development week back when the incentives were huge amounts of points and they still have the travel packages. Got in cheap with found money (Stock options for .com)
Two lock-offs that allowed for enrollment. Have gotten my moneys worth and more from those. But now it is hard to make the math work now for weeks or points purchase.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Me too. I advised my sister to buy a Marriott's Willow Ridge Lodge as a starter for her timeshare adventures. She is younger than me, and she will get a lot of great vacations from that week, and it was cheap on eBay from my favorite seller.

 

[rthib]

Me too. I advised my sister to buy a Marriott's Willow Ridge Lodge as a starter for her timeshare adventures. She is younger than me, and she will get a lot of great vacations from that week, and it was cheap on eBay from my favorite seller.

For that is an undervalued location. I know a lot get it as a trader but we have have gone and sent friends there and everyone has loved those trips.

 

[frytard]

I am less knowledgeable than most, but for a EOY MGC 2 bedroom lock off,

Since 2021 I have been able to lock it off and get 2 bedrooms each time. One thing I noticed is the studio never gets MKO, but has the trading power for Waiohai KBC MOV and the two Westins and DVC in the past when I was looking for it. My 1BR is able to exchange for a 2BR MKO.


So since 2021 it has been 5 Hawaii trips with 1 pending and 1 DVC Studio and Animal Kingdom.

MOC, Waiohai x3, KBC, DVC, MKO,

Rough math is 5-7k x 7 versus my 2k maintenance fees EOY. I am travelling shoulder season most of the time and that would only be 4-5 nights.

From a point perspective I am netting about 2-3k points per vacation so by using week exchange I am up about 14-15k since 2021 or as mentioned an average or 2-3k points per II change I do.

 

[Huskerpaul]

For that is an undervalued location. I know a lot get it as a trader but we have have gone and sent friends there and everyone has loved those trips.

We own Willow Ridge and we have used our week every other year. We love the resort. Next year will be the cheapest version of our Willow Ridge week usage yet. I locked the unit off and we will stay in the studio the first week and move to the one-bedroom for the second week. Even with the $99 lock fee that makes for a pretty cheap two week stay at a nice resort. I usually leave the week whole for exchanges and have had good luck in the past, getting Newport Coast and MVF during the summer.

 

[jancurious]

I'm with you dioxide45. I have two lock-offs that I use only for trades on II. Plus I lock-off my Ko Olina week now and use the guest room for a trader. Out of those 5 trades which are 3 guest rooms + 2 1 BRs units, I easily get two to three 2BR units such as Newport & Waiohai + several 1 BR units. It's at least double the points for those trades. I do pay for II Platinum which I feel is well worth the discount on upgrade fees and I deposit my weeks with II very early so they have good trading power. I have been using II like this for 20+ years now. Sure it's not as easy as logging in and booking what you want for points and maybe not getting high season, but well worth the effort.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I have compiled information primarily to show my sister how valuable trading can be.