Have you used your points for anything other than your stay?

[Dancingfish]

RCI seems to make a big deal out of using points for airfare car rental etc. But from what I am reading on this board that would be a silly use of points. Am I reading this right?

[brucecz]

Originally Posted by Dancingfish

RCI seems to make a big deal out of using points for airfare car rental etc. But from what I am reading on this board that would be a silly use of points. Am I reading this right?

In most cases yes but there are exceptions for airfare if you have the right ownerships.

We flew down on this last Friday from Chicago to St Croix in the Virgin Islands using RCI Points for a total cost of less $250 per ticket.

Bruce

[Spence]

There are very few instances where points for something other than condo stays are a good deal. Bruce has some UDI ownerships that allow him to generate points for deposit at a very low rate. Most cannot do that.

RCI wants you to use your points for other purposes as it gives them lisence to rent out anyone's prime deposits to make the money to pay for 'tickets' and line their coffers.

Originally Posted by Dancingfish

RCI seems to make a big deal out of using points for airfare car rental etc. But from what I am reading on this board that would be a silly use of points. Am I reading this right?

Originally Posted by brucecz

In most cases yes but there are exceptions for airfare if you have the right ownerships.

We flew down on this last Friday from Chicago to St Croix in the Virgin Islands using RCI Points for a total cost of less $250 per ticket.

Bruce

[JudyS]

Originally Posted by Dancingfish

RCI seems to make a big deal out of using points for airfare car rental etc. But from what I am reading on this board that would be a silly use of points. Am I reading this right?

Well, it does give you additional options for your points if they would otherwise expire. But, it usually isn't cost-effective.

I have used RCI Points for a bunch of Disney tickets. Because my annual cost per RCI point is low, I saved a little money over buying the tickets outright. However, it certainly wouldn't be worth buying a timeshare just to trade for Disney tickets. I only traded for Disney tickets because I am addicted to buying timeshares and have far more than I can use.

[penguinpower]

Same here- I have way more points than I can use this year so burned some on airfare for our summer trip. I was surprised when the cost worked out to about what I would have paid out-of-pocket. So, it was pretty much a wash but since I had a)already paid the mf's for those points, and 2)would've had to pay to extend the points and 3)didn't mind not forking out almost $1,000 for the airfare--it was okay

[KathyJed]

Ii once used points(WW/FF) for an ariline ticket, but I have learned more since then and wouldn't do that again. One good value is using a blue studio for a cruise exchange. It can reduce the cost of a cruise by $200 dollars per person, and it can be used on up to 4 cabins. Of course you have to book thru RCI, but the rates are comparable to other travel agents.

[johnstp]

Whenver I've crunched the numbers for airfare, cruises, etc., it always turned out the the value of my Points actually went down compared to using them for TS.

I've pretty much stopped trying to find a deal there.

[bunnyhop]

So, would any of you say that
the point system is rediculous
to use other than TS?

I've been doing some research
over pts. and noticed that when
they say "Points are points," does
anyone (who is new to pts systems,
TS, and vacation clubs) really
understand what this means.

I looked all over google, and practacly
punched in everything to understand
the pts system.

Unfortuantly, every club has a different
pts system. Disney (DVC) sells $69 per pt!!!
so, when they say it only costs 11 pts
for a certain day (different days, at different
seasons, and different locations, vary with
pts) it makes it look like
the cost is very cheep, when in reality,
they're spending $1000's.

I know RCI pts are $.01 per pts. + exchange
fee (and any other fee included that
they charge).

This gets me thinking.......

If "Points are Points," and because
they are another form of curancy,
depending on the service you're using
pts with, the service, you are using,
then decides how much your pts
are worth to them.

In reality, you may be either breaking
even, or paying twice as much.

Do you believe this is a type of way
to get you to think that you are
winning in the long run, when they are
really banking....alot?

I understand a lot of people want and like
the pts. system because of its flexability.
But do you think that in reality, your
spending twice as much (weather it's with
traiding TS or using it with other accomidations)?

[philsfan]

Originally Posted by bunnyhop

I've been doing some research
over pts. and noticed that when
they say "Points are points," does
anyone (who is new to pts systems,
TS, and vacation clubs) really
understand what this means.

'points are points' only has meaning when you are talking about exchanging for a timeshare. It means that 1 of your points is worth exactly the same as 1 of my points, as far as trading power goes, to the trading company. If it costs you 10K points, that's what it costs me.

This is far different than RCI and II's weeks systems that use hidden trade power values for each week deposited.

Comparing points values of one company to another could keep you busy for a very long time. points are points was not meant to be used in that context.