What to do with banked points expiring end of 2020?

[beckster914]

Due to being unable to travel in 2019, I banked all my points (1,925 elected points & 1,000 trust points) to 2020. Now with COVID I am unable to travel again this year. I've contacted Marriott and they tell me they can not extend the date of which these points need to be used by, and they can't be banked twice. Does anyone think Marriott will change this policy due to the pandemic? Or have any suggestions of what I can do with these points besides use or lose them this year? I doubt anyone would want to purchase them from me. Can I use them to make a reservation and then cancel, as I read then they would go into a holding account expiring end of 2021. Any help is much appreciated, thanks everyone. Stay home and stay safe!!

 

[Pamplemousse]

You can’t transfer banked points so no one could purchase/ rent them from you. You could book a stay and rent that or book one for a friend or relative.

Other than that you can use the points to purchase insurance and I believe use them to book golf.

MVC has extended the expiration date of points that end up in a holding account due to cancelling a points reservation at less than 60 days to 12/31/21. To take advantage of this you would have to make a points reservation and then cancel it less than 60 days from check in to have the points go into the holding account which allows booking 120 days in advance.

 

[vol_90]

I believe you can do this: Book one or more reservations in May 2020 at any resort taking reservations trying to match the number of points you have available. Cancel the next day and your points go into the holding account and should be eligible for the extension to 12/31/21. I have had points go into my 120 day holding account showing expiration 12/31/20 but this may be a timing issue with updating accounts. I have since used these points so can't verify that they would have been updated to 12/31/21.

Good luck!

 

[Marco76]

120 days not reasonable as right now resorts 120 days out not available e.g. even 13 months out you sometimes can’t get reservation.With all cancellations occurring likelihood you’ll get in anywhere within 120 days slim and none.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

Since you can book a 2020 reservation with Banked Points then why not make a reservation for someone else and sell that reservation based upon the number of points needed? You'll likely be able to get rid of those points very quickly that way. Remember they are only good to use for just another 8+ months.

If you go to www.VacationPointExchange.com you can rent these points (but you do have to state that you will have to make the reservation for the buyer).

Inform the buyer that all sales are final and they own the reservation once you place it into their name. I would also advise them to purchase Travel Insurance.

I think if you price them properly they'll be gone quickly. I would list at 49 cents per point.

Best of luck!



.

 

[dioxide45]

120 days not reasonable as right now resorts 120 days out not available e.g. even 13 months out you sometimes can’t get reservation.With all cancellations occurring likelihood you’ll get in anywhere within 120 days slim and none.

There is usually something somewhere available 120 days out. It may not be ideal, but it may be better than losing everything like the OP is looking at. The 120 plan suggested is to extend the expiration date from December 2020 to instead expire December 2021.

 

[beckster914]

Thanks all for the replies, this has been helpful. Let me ask you about a scenario I'm thinking about and if it would be feasible. So I would book something now with the 2020 expiring points for late in the year (Nov/Dec), in hopes that COVID will have passed by then and we will actually be able to safely travel and use our week. If we get to less than 60 days out and realize it's not the best idea to be traveling right now, I can go ahead and cancel and the points will go into the holding account with hopefully an expiration date of end of 2021. Then those points would have to booked 120 days out or less. Is this correct? Are there certain booking dates that Marriott is honoring for the holding account extension, or is it for the rest of the year?

 

[dioxide45]

Thanks all for the replies, this has been helpful. Let me ask you about a scenario I'm thinking about and if it would be feasible. So I would book something now with the 2020 expiring points for late in the year (Nov/Dec), in hopes that COVID will have passed by then and we will actually be able to safely travel and use our week. If we get to less than 60 days out and realize it's not the best idea to be traveling right now, I can go ahead and cancel and the points will go into the holding account with hopefully an expiration date of end of 2021. Then those points would have to booked 120 days out or less. Is this correct? Are there certain booking dates that Marriott is honoring for the holding account extension, or is it for the rest of the year?

That is correct, but realize that Marriott has to still be offering that exception at that time when you cancel. While you may not be able to travel, they may think things are good enough to travel and make your points worthless.

 

[beckster914]

Thank you, so if Marriott is no longer offering this, and you cancel near year end for points expiring in said year, they would go into a holding account with an expiration of that current year? So if I canceled a reservation in December 2020, the points would still expire at the end of that year? They wouldn't give you more time to use them?

 

[Pamplemousse]

120 days not reasonable as right now resorts 120 days out not available e.g. even 13 months out you sometimes can’t get reservation.With all cancellations occurring likelihood you’ll get in anywhere within 120 days slim and none.

What that means is you book 120 days before your check in date. That check in date can be anywhere from now to December 2021.
The 120 day restriction isn’t ideal but it’s better than the usual 60 days and better than expiring December 2020.

 

[Pamplemousse]

Thank you, so if Marriott is no longer offering this, and you cancel near year end for points expiring in said year, they would go into a holding account with an expiration of that current year? So if I canceled a reservation in December 2020, the points would still expire at the end of that year? They wouldn't give you more time to use them?

If you cancel more than 60 days from check in you get your points back unrestricted, not into a holding account and you can use them as usual.
If you cancel less than 60 days from check in then the points go into the holding account. Right now MVC is offering the special 12/2021 expiration and 120 day advance booking. If that is no longer offered by the time you are less than 60 days it would revert back to regular rules.

 

[Pamplemousse]

Thank you, so if Marriott is no longer offering this, and you cancel near year end for points expiring in said year, they would go into a holding account with an expiration of that current year? So if I canceled a reservation in December 2020, the points would still expire at the end of that year? They wouldn't give you more time to use them?

If your points expire 12/31/2020 and there is no special cancellation policy in place then your points expire as per usual.
If you are looking to take advantage of the special covid-19 policy to extend the points in a holding account until 12/31/2021 then you should book something now inside of 60 days and then cancel.You can always go ahead and book something later in the year with those holding account points if you find you want to travel.

 

[beckster914]

Thanks again, just talked to Marriott to confirm everything. The policy is in place just for now, so think I will try to make a booking and cancel in order to save the points for next year.

 

[dioxide45]

Thanks again, just talked to Marriott to confirm everything. The policy is in place just for now, so think I will try to make a booking and cancel in order to save the points for next year.

MVC was open on Sunday?

 

[beckster914]

Sorry, no I chatted with them on the vacation club website.

 

[Steve Fatula]

If your points expire 12/31/2020 and there is no special cancellation policy in place then your points expire as per usual.
If you are looking to take advantage of the special covid-19 policy to extend the points in a holding account until 12/31/2021 then you should book something now inside of 60 days and then cancel.You can always go ahead and book something later in the year with those holding account points if you find you want to travel.

Yeah, I found many MVCI not taking reservations in April, the the Ritz places were so I used one of those to see if they really will extend after cancellation.

 

[Pamplemousse]

Yeah, I found many MVCI not taking reservations in April, the the Ritz places were so I used one of those to see if they really will extend after cancellation.

As I read the points info, it doesn’t give an ending date- it says cancel inside or outside 60 days. So one could book out to June and then cancel in a day or 2 inside the 60 days and accomplish what OP was asking- extending points expiration by putting into a holding account through 12/2021.

 

[pwrshift]

I have booked two weeks at Williamsburg Manor Club for last week of June and first week of July, as I have for 20+ years.

Who knows if we will be able to go. At this point we can’t even drive across the border from Toronto.

We thought about depositing with Interval International but already have more units in Interval than we can use.

I did purchase the annual insurance from Marriott a ways back so maybe that’s the answer...if we can’t go we make an insurance claim.

thoughts Please...

Brian

 

[Steve Fatula]

As I read the points info, it doesn’t give an ending date- it says cancel inside or outside 60 days. So one could book out to June and then cancel in a day or 2 inside the 60 days and accomplish what OP was asking- extending points expiration by putting into a holding account through 12/2021.

I realize that, wanted to look at April specifically to see if they were taking any reservations, was surprised the Ritz was. I'm going to hold the ressie for a few days and then cancel. But yes, my case was I already had holding points expiring end of 2020, want 2021, thinking that will work too. But also true if you had already banked points that end in 2020, you can use the trick as you noted. Many tricks for points during these times.

 

[VacationForever]

I realize that, wanted to look at April specifically to see if they were taking any reservations, was surprised the Ritz was. I'm going to hold the ressie for a few days and then cancel. But yes, my case was I already had holding points expiring end of 2020, want 2021, thinking that will work too. But also true if you had already banked points that end in 2020, you can use the trick as you noted. Many tricks for points during these times.

So did the trick work?

 

[Steve Fatula]

I don't actually know yet, realizing that is different than the OP. Thought I would try though. I was going to wait a week or so before deciding to cancel and see. I will certainly let you know.

 

[Big Matt]

I have booked two weeks at Williamsburg Manor Club for last week of June and first week of July, as I have for 20+ years.

Who knows if we will be able to go. At this point we can’t even drive across the border from Toronto.

We thought about depositing with Interval International but already have more units in Interval than we can use.

I did purchase the annual insurance from Marriott a ways back so maybe that’s the answer...if we can’t go we make an insurance claim.

thoughts Please...

Brian

Brian, Williamsburg is in a bad situation. A huge part of the economy is tourism, and the summer is the busiest time. Virginia has a SIP until June 10. My guess is that we are going to see the cases plateau in Williamsburg soon since it was the first place to have cases in Virginia. I have a reservation at Manor Club starting on June 19 and I plan to go for now. For me it's a three hour drive and I have family there. So as long as the SIP is lifted it can be a diversion from me being stuck in my house for three months.

 

[beckster914]

Follow up, this trick worked great so wanted to thank everyone again. I was able to make a reservation for May, then sent in an email with my cancellation request, and now the points will be in a holding account for use until the end of 2021. Here's hoping we can all travel again soon!!

 

[pwrshift]

Brian, Williamsburg is in a bad situation. A huge part of the economy is tourism, and the summer is the busiest time. Virginia has a SIP until June 10. My guess is that we are going to see the cases plateau in Williamsburg soon since it was the first place to have cases in Virginia. I have a reservation at Manor Club starting on June 19 and I plan to go for now. For me it's a three hour drive and I have family there. So as long as the SIP is lifted it can be a diversion from me being stuck in my house for three months.

Hi Big Matt...haven’t talked to you in years. Glad you’re ok.

any thoughts on making a claim on the insurance I bought via Marriott?

Brian

 

[jancurious]

I called Marriott yesterday to push back a HI reservation from June to October and discussed this point thread with the agent. He said that it should work and as the year goes on maybe Marriott will have other extensions to their policy but he also suggested depositing your points with II for a non-Marriott property. He indicated points in a holding account can't be deposited. Has anyone done that? What are the rules? Do you have to get them in there 60 days before they expire? Probably not a great value, but, it sounds like another option.