Confused about banking

[lisatx04]

My sister and BIL own 230 points at OKW. He called me today asking about banking points (I also own at OKW). Anyway, by the time I got off the phone with him, I was confused, so please help me out.

Here's the scenario...they own 230 points, UY March. In 2007, they get their points. They don't plan on using them all, and will bank the rest. They also plan on banking 2008 points. Can they carry the 2007 points into 2009 to make a big trip?

He has me going in circles, so I figured I would just ask "the experts".
Thanks!!

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

If they bank the March 2007 points into 2008, they can be used between March 1, 2008 and February 28, 2009. They wouldn't be able to bank two years worth of points to use at the same time because the March 2008 points if banked, would have to be used between March 1, 2009 and the end of February 2010.

HBC

 

[JimC]

You can bank ahead one year only. 2007 into 2008; 2008 into 2009. Use the 2007 banked points first in 2008 and then bank 2008 points into 2009.

 

[dianeschlicht]

To use 3 years worth of points you have to use the points in the middle year. For example: bank 2006 into 2007 and in 2007, borrow 2008....3 years worth of points available.

 

[Caskbill]

Sometimes it helps to see it as a chart. So, a March UY looks like this:

Use Year....Vacation Dates
2006.....Mar 1, 2006 thru Feb 28, 2007
2007.....Mar 1, 2007 thru Feb 29, 2008
2008.....Mar 1, 2008 thru Feb 28, 2009
2009.....Mar 1, 2009 thru Feb 28, 2010

As mentioned, points can only be banked from their allocated use year into the next use year. So if you bank your 2006 points into 2007, they must be used sometime between Mar 1, 2007 and Feb 29, 2008, or else they will expire. They cannot be banked into 2008.

However, regular allocated 2008 points (received Mar 1, 2008) can be banked into UY 2009.

As mentioned, to get triple points, bank and borrow. So sometime in your 2007 UY you could have triple points if you bank 100% of your 2006 points into 2007, and borrow 100% of your 2008 points into 2007. Add your regular 2007 points, and you've got 3x.

Hope this helps.

 

[hauntedcity]

Here's a follow-up question...

I'm not really sure what would be the best use year to purchase. Do you have to have available points when making a reservation, or do you just have to have enought when taking the vacation?

As an example, let's say I plan to take most of my vacations in November or December. What would be the best user year? Or with banking and borrowing, does the use year's month even matter?

Thanks,
Doug

 

[RobDoc]

The points just need to be available at the time of the reservation itself - you do not need them in your account when you make the reservation.

Use Year is basically when your points become available in your account, It also determines your banking deadlines. In the event that you will need to cancel reservations, Use Year could play a role in your ability to reuse or bank your points. If you will usually travel in November or December a September or October Use Year would work well since you would have plenty of time to reuse or bank those points if you cancel a November or December reservation. (There is no November Use Year.)

Enjoy!

 

[hauntedcity]

Thanks, Doc!
After I posted this, I ended up finding this thread, which also does a bang-up job of outlining Use Year (in case anyone else is interested):
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1236650

Doug

 

[lisatx04]

Thank you for all the info. I spoke to my brother in law and told him what you all said. Looks like they are going to get a bigger room using their 2007 points in 2007 (bigger to them is a 1 BR instead of a studio), bank 2008 points and use those plus 2009 in 2009. Don't know where they plan on going but hopefully it will be worth it for them.

Thanks everyone!!