How Do Timeshare Points Work?

When it comes to finding the perfect type of timeshare, start by considering your travel habits. Do you have a favorite destination or resort you like to visit year after year? Or do you prefer to explore destinations around the world, visiting a new location every year? If you resonate more with the latter, then timeshare points-based programs are a good fit for you. In this blog, we’ll explore the ins and outs of timeshare points, as well as the workings of the timeshare point system. Let’s get started!

The History of Timeshare Points

When the original timeshare model was introduced, most timeshare developers offered owners the fixed-week model of timeshare. This model grants the owner the right to vacation at a single timeshare resort for one week (typically the same week) each year. The second most common option was the floating week model, where owners could visit their chosen home resort for one week during a specific season each year. However, as the timeshare industry transformed with the times, it became clear that travel with timeshares should be more flexible.

Hence, the timeshare point system was created. Today, the points-based timeshare system offers timeshare owners greater flexibility, allowing them to choose when and where they vacation. But how do timeshare points work?

Understanding the Timeshare Point System

The number of points you purchase becomes your annual allotment of points. Timeshare points are renewed annually, refreshing your travel possibilities. Think of your timeshare points as “vacation currency.” The amount of points you own directly affects when and where you can travel, as stays at different resorts (and in different units) cost a varying amount of points. With timeshare points, owners can tailor their trips to be exactly what they need. Unlike the week-based timeshare, the flexible points system allows owners to decide the time of year and duration of vacations.

How Many Points Will You Need?

Planning your vacation with points is a bit like budgeting for a getaway. Here’s how it typically works:

• Determine Your Destination and Dates: Popular destinations, peak travel seasons, and larger or more luxurious units will require more points.
• Check the Points Chart: Every timeshare program provides a points chart that lists how many points are needed for each resort, room type, and season. The chart is your roadmap to planning.
• Add Up Your Stay: Tally the number of nights you want to stay and the type of accommodation you prefer—then calculate the total points required.
• Factor in Flexibility: Many brands let you borrow points from future years if you need a little extra for a dream trip, or bank unused points for later.

Moreover, several factors can influence the number of points required to take a specific vacation. These factors include the resort’s popularity, the travel season, the unit size, and the resort’s amenities. Within many top vacation brands, a trip to a sought-after destination like Hawaii would likely cost more timeshare points than one of their smaller mountain resorts. Of course, within a timeshare point system, these factors vary on a case-by-case basis and differ based on the specific timeshare brand. However, most timeshare brands allow you to borrow points from future years to take grander vacations now.

This flexibility is one of the greatest strengths of the points-based system—giving you the freedom to make every vacation fit your unique needs, whether you want a quick weekend escape or a two-week family adventure.

Tips for Reading Points Charts

Not sure how to decipher the points charts when planning your vacations? You’re not alone! Many vacation clubs and timeshare brands provide guides or resources to help owners break down the details. Most clubs offer online tools, downloadable guides, and even mobile apps that walk you through how many points you’ll need for different resorts, unit sizes, and travel dates.

To make things a bit easier:

• Look for a “Points Chart” or “Vacation Planning Guide” on your vacation club’s website.
• Don’t hesitate to reach out to owner services—they’re there to answer your questions and explain how the points system applies to your booking.
• Consider joining owner forums or online communities where experienced travelers share their tips and tricks for making the most of your points.
• Some third-party resources, such as travel blogs or independent timeshare consultants, also provide helpful walkthroughs and best practices.

Understanding points charts is an important step in maximizing your vacation options and getting the best value from your timeshare ownership.

Viewing Monthly Availability and Selecting Your Travel Dates

Want to see which dates are open for your next getaway? Most timeshare and vacation club platforms now offer user-friendly calendar tools that display monthly availability at a glance. Simply log in to your membership portal, navigate to the reservations section, and access the interactive calendar view. This feature allows you to:

• Scan available dates by month
• Filter options by resort, unit size, or points required
• Select your desired check-in and check-out days with just a click

This makes it easy to plan your travels around your schedule and ensures you’ll find the perfect dates—whether you’re eyeing spring break in Orlando or a cozy winter escape to the mountains.

Vacation Clubs and Timeshare Points

So, which vacation club should you buy your timeshare points from? With any big purchase, your best bet is to do your research. Most big-name developers offer timeshare points, including Hilton Grand Vacations, Marriott Vacation Club, Disney Vacation Club, Wyndham Destinations, Hyatt Vacation Club, and more. When you buy timeshare points from a brand, you enter into that brand’s vacation club.

All vacation clubs are different, with varying rules and benefits, but their exclusivity is very similar. Some of the best vacation clubs offer exclusive benefits to owners, such as customized vacation experiences, priority booking, and member-only pricing on rentals and cruises. Most timeshare companies also feature their own rewards program. For example, when you own with Hilton, you’re automatically enrolled into their Hilton Honors program and begin earning Hilton Honors points, which can be redeemed for discounts, free nights, and more.

Why Timeshare Points Are Better Than Hotels

Of course, the biggest perk of owning timeshare points is a lifetime of incredible vacations at today’s rates. However, timeshare resorts also offer more luxury than your average hotel. Foremost, timeshare resorts feature top-tier amenities you won’t find at hotels, including spas, lazy rivers, on-site restaurants, and more. But the most obvious upgrade you’ll experience with a timeshare is accommodation size. More often than not, timeshare villas feature fully equipped kitchens, spacious living and dining areas, and laundry facilities. They are also typically three times the size of your average hotel room. How’s that for luxury? Learn more about timeshares vs hotels.

Get the Most Out of Your Timeshare Points with Vacation Exchange

With the timeshare point system, you can book stays at resorts within your brand’s resort portfolio. Most leading developers feature upwards of twenty resorts around the country, though many brands offer hundreds of resorts all over the world, such as Club Wyndham. However, should you tire of visiting the resorts within your brand’s collection, or you want to visit a destination not included in their portfolio, consider vacation exchange!

With timeshare ownership, you’re eligible to join vacation exchange networks. RCI and Interval International (II) are two of the most popular exchange companies in the world, and it’s likely your vacation club will be partnered with one or both of them. With RCI and Interval International, owners can deposit their timeshare points to exchange for a stay at a different resort within the RCI or II networks. These networks work with some of the biggest timeshare brands. So, when you exchange your points or week, you can make a reservation almost anywhere in the world.

What if I Can’t Use My Timeshare Points for a Year?

Some years take us by storm, and we don’t have time to take a vacation. If you know that you won’t be able to use your points for a certain year, don’t worry! You don’t have to sell your points. Luckily, there are ways to work around this. One option is banking your points. This will differ from brand to brand, but many companies with the timeshare point system offer the ability to bank your points for the next year. This means that you can deposit this year’s points into next year’s bank. This is also helpful if you want to take a long vacation one year but don’t want to buy additional points.

Renting out your timeshare points is also a great option. When you rent out your timeshare points for a year, you’ll be able to put some money back in your pocket to help pay off your maintenance fees. At Timeshares Only, we can make a rental ad on our marketplace to advertise your points to travelers from around the world. If you’d like to rent out your timeshare points, click on the link below.

How Many Points Do I Need?

So, how many timeshare points do you need? Please note that the number of points required for a trip varies depending on the brand, your vacation needs, and your travel destination. Each timeshare brand has its very own timeshare point system and rules. Additionally, each brand values points differently.

For example, Disney Vacation Club (DVC) offers members a stay starting at around 30 points a night. So, if you were to buy 300 DVC points, you could then stay at a DVC resort for about 10 nights total, either consecutively or throughout the year. However, as with DVC and other brands, different resorts require varying amounts of points, depending on factors such as popularity, availability, location, and more. Some of the least expensive DVC resorts include Disney’s Hilton Head, Old Key West Resort, and Saratoga Springs.

If you were to buy into Hilton Grand Vacations Club with 7,000 timeshare points, a week at certain HGV resorts would cost 5,800 points. So, even though it seems like a lot more points than DVC, you would still be getting a week’s worth of points. Please note that these are just example scenarios and are subject to the brand’s discretion. As we mentioned earlier, many clubs also allow you to borrow points from future years, enabling you to take more extravagant vacations this year.

Timeshare Weeks vs. Points

While some owners desire flexibility within their ownership, others enjoy consistency. This is why timeshare points could be considered frustrating for those who like to know exactly when and where they’ll be traveling. Using points requires a certain amount of planning. Meanwhile, week-based timeshare guarantees the same week at the same resort, with minimal planning required.

With a points-based system, owners can book vacations in advance. However, if you wish to stay in a popular location during spring break, for instance, you may have difficulty. You are competing with every other owner who is also trying to book a vacation at the same resort at the same time. If you are able to be flexible with when and where you vacation, then timeshare points can definitely work for you!

How to Use Timeshare Resale Points

If you’re seriously considering buying timeshare points, we recommend checking the resale market first. Often, you can find the home resort and timeshare point system package you want for less (sometimes three times less) by shopping for resale. You can skip the timeshare presentation and work with a legitimate timeshare resale company to save money and kick off your lifetime of vacations. If you’re interested in financing your timeshare, we can assist you with that as well.

In general, timeshare points bought on the resale market are used the same way as points purchased directly from the brand. Once you buy your timeshare points, you can use them to book vacations with the developer. However, most developers have certain restrictions that apply to points purchased on the resale market, so it’s essential to check how buying resale points will affect your membership. For example, Hilton Grand Vacations resale points will not contribute to achieving HGV’s Elite Status tiers.

Buying points on the resale market is also beneficial for current timeshare owners looking to add to their ownership for less. You can use extra points to add days to your vacation, travel to a more popular resort, or even upgrade your accommodation size, all for a fraction of the cost of retail.

Test Drive Timeshare Points with Rentals

The timeshare point system enables you to visit numerous resorts in popular destinations worldwide with more flexibility than ever. But what if you’re still not sure timeshare points are right for you? That’s where rentals come in. If you’re not ready to commit to ownership, consider renting instead. Our rentals marketplace features countless pre-booked vacations in sought-after destinations around the world. Best of all, you get these vacations at a discounted rate! This way, you can get a taste for ownership with none of the long-term commitment. Browse today, or learn more about how to rent a timeshare.

Buy Timeshare Points on the Resale Market with Timeshares Only

Whether you’re new to timeshare ownership or are looking to add to your current ownership, Timeshares Only is here to help! Our resale marketplace features countless listings for timeshare points from leading vacation club brands. With over thirty years in the industry, helping new and existing owners save on unforgettable vacations is what we do best. Moreover, we have an A+ rating with the BBB and are dedicated members of ARDA. So, you can rest assured that your purchase is safe and secure with us. Start browsing today, and find your dream ownership!