Bank points first??

[Brenle]

We have a December use year. I have 176 points I need to bank by July 31st. This is the first year we may have to cancel a vacation after booking one. So here's my question:

I will be wait listed for a November trip and/or may have to cancel if the time does not work out for all family members. Should I use the 140 points I need of the 176 points which I need to bank by July 31st? And if I have to cancel after July 31st or my wait list doesn't come through, what happens to those 140 points?

I hope I asked the question clearly. Thanks for the help.

 

[Chuck S]

I'm not sure I fully understand the question, so here is my interpretation, which may be wrong:

Your have 176 points in your current December 2012 use year. You are thinking of booking a trip requiring 140 points for November 2013.

You are asking:

1) Should you bank all 176 points first, then borrow points from your December 2013 use year to use in November 2013 -or-

2) Should you use the current 2012 points to book the November 2013 reservation, then bank the remaining 36 points.

3) You are also asking what happens to points if you cancel the November 2013 reservation.

If I have your questions right, here is my take - If you have to cancel the November 2013 reservation after July 31, 2013...no matter whether you use current or borrowed points, those points would have to be used for nights before December 1, 2013 or they will be lost. Personally, I would use 140 of the current 2012 points, as I would rather lose them than lose your 2013 points. That way, you can bank the 2013 points to 2014 if need be.

If you book with current points now, and are able to cancel the reservation before July 31, 2013, you can bank them and not be out anything. And I would just go ahead and bank the 36 points, if you're sure you won't need them, just so you won't forget latter on.

UNLESS you plan to wait to book the November reservation, and will be 100% sure you won't be cancelling it later. If you are 100% sure when you book the reservation that you won't be cancelling, then you can borrow the 2013 points, and bank your 2012 points now.

 

[Brenle]

Hi Chuck,
Yes, those were my questions. I've called member services three times and received three different answers that's why I posted this question on Disboards.

One MS gave me same info you did, use current points, cancel vacation, points need to be used by December 31st.

Another MS said bank the points, borrow from 2013. If I cancel vacation within 30 days, those points go back to my use year and I can use them or bank them by July 31, 2014.

And yet another one told me use points from my current use year and if I cancel vacation within 30 days or wait list doesn't come through, I can bank them even if it was after July 31st. This last piece of advice made no sense to me at all.

I think this advice you gave is what I will follow:

"If you book with current points now, and are able to cancel the reservation before July 31, 2103, you can bank them and not be out anything. And I would just go ahead and bank the 36 points, if you're sure you won't need them, just so you won't forget latter on."

Thanks for the help/insight.

 

[CarolMN]

Hi Chuck,
Yes, those were my questions. I've called member services three times and received three different answers that's why I posted this question on Disboards.

One MS gave me same info you did, use current points, cancel vacation, points need to be used by December 31st.

My advice as well. Obviously, it would be better to know for sure before July 31, 2013. Then if you have to cancel, you can bank.

Another MS said bank the points, borrow from 2013. If I cancel vacation within 30 days, those points go back to my use year and I can use them or bank them by July 31, 2014.

And yet another one told me use points from my current use year and if I cancel vacation within 30 days or wait list doesn't come through, I can bank them even if it was after July 31st. This last piece of advice made no sense to me at all.

Both of these are flat out WRONG!

I think this advice you gave is what I will follow:

"If you book with current points now, and are able to cancel the reservation before July 31, 2103, you can bank them and not be out anything. And I would just go ahead and bank the 36 points, if you're sure you won't need them, just so you won't forget latter on."

Thanks for the help/insight.

Wise - Chuck knows the system!

Hope you don't have to cancel your vacation.

 

[Brenle]

I'm going to hold off until end of June before booking. I will know then for sure if we can go. I just hope when I'm wait listed it's not for long.