Canceling a Reservation - When do I have to use points by?

[ccbloom]

We have an August use year.

- We have a trip planned for January 2020 which exhausted our August 2019 points and borrowed a few from August 2020.
- We booked a last minute trip for September 2019 and borrowed 65 more points from August 2020, leaving us with 89 points for August 2020.
- We are thinking about canceling the September 2019 trip.
- When will we have to use the borrowed 65 points by if we cancel? We typically travel in January.

Thanks!

 

[BillPA]

Borrowed 2020 points become 2019 UY points and need to be used by July 31 2020. That assumes you cancel more than 30 days prior, otherwise they will go into holding, with the same July 31 2020 date, BUT you can only book 60 days before a trip.

 

[skier_pete]

Assuming you cancel before 31 days before your September trip. You will have to use those points you borrowed by July 31st, 2020. If you wait until less than 30 days they will go into holding, and you will still have to use them by July 31st, but can only book 60 days in advance.

You might be able to call member services and have them swap the points being used for your January 2020 reservation so that those 65 borrowed points are used for the Jan 2020 booking, and free up 65 points from your Aug 2019 UY. You could then bank the 2019 UY points to your 2020 UY and extend them 12 months. (I am not 100% positive they will do this - but I THINK they will.)

 

[chalee94]

You borrowed from your 2020 UY for the September stay. Borrowing (like banking) is a final transaction, so the points will remain in the 2019 UY if you cancel the reservation. So you must complete a stay by the end of your 2019 UY (July 31, 2020) or those pts disappear into the void.

(But at least you are traveling early in your UY - think of how challenging it would be if you cancelled a June 2020 stay.)

 

[Sandisw]

Call MS once you cancel September (if you do). If it is outside the 31 day window, they will move the borrowed points to your January 2020 reservation and free up your 2019 UY points which will then be bankable. Some has said you can do this online as well...just go in and modify the January reservation but don't actually change anything...the borrowed points will now be taken first. I have not tried it though. If, you cancel any reservation less than 31 days till check in, regardless of their status..banked, borrowed, or current...they have to be used by the end of the UY of the trip and will be "holding" points...which means, not used for any reservation booked more than 60 days out.

 

[ccbloom]

Thank you!!! Gotta make the decision within the next few days. Flight pricing is great, but not sure we will love the possible super hot weather.

 

[js]

Thank you!!! Gotta make the decision within the next few days. Flight pricing is great, but not sure we will love the possible super hot weather.

So sorry to hear you may have to cancel your reservations and everyone gave you great advise. If prices are great and you have the room, I would go, even if hot. Just go back and relax. But, I have to ask, where and when were you staying/canceling? I'm in stalking mode so just asking LOL