You may have heard about the new Abound Program that was recently launched by Marriott. Essentially, the new program extends the previous Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Exchange Program to include both Westin and Sheraton timeshare resorts that are part of the Vistana Signature Network. Marriott Vacation Club owners who are eligible to join the Abound Program will not have the option of electing to receive Club Points (formerly known as Vacation Club Points), which is the vacation currency of the new Abound Program.
In this article, we will be exploring which Marriott Vacation Club owners are eligible to elect for Abound Club Points, how they would do so, and any deadlines and restrictions associated with electing to receive Abound Club Points. Let’s get started!
Who Is Eligible To Join Abound?
Eligibility for Marriott Vacation Club owners will differ based on whether they own a points-based or weeks-based timeshare. Let’s explore the differences.
Points-Based Owner’s Eligibility For Abound
Owner of points-based Marriott timeshares, also referred to as Destinations Club points or trust points, will automatically be opted-in to join the Abound program. This applies for both retail purchases directly from Marriott, and resale purchases on the secondary market.
Marriott points-based timeshare owners can choose to opt-out of the program, but would need to contact Marriott directly to do so.
Weeks-Based Owner’s Eligibility For Abound
There are two types of weeks-based owners: enrolled weeks and non-enrolled weeks. If your week is currently enrolled in the Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Exchange Program, then you will be eligible to join Abound.
If you have purchased a weeks-based Marriott timeshare on the resale market that closed after June 20, 2010, you would not be eligible to enroll in the Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Exchange Program, and likewise, would not be eligible Abound.
Deadline To Elect To Receive Abound Club Points
Deadlines for electing to receive Abound Club Points for Marriott Vacation Club owners is also different for a points-based or weeks-based owner.
Points-Based Owner’s Election Deadline
For points-based Marriott owners that join Abound, there is no deadline for electing to receive Abound Club Points. Once you’re enrolled in Abound, your annual allotment of Marriott Vacation Club points are Abound’s new Club Points, and can be used at any time to book Marriott Vacation Club resorts, or Sheraton Vacation Club and Westin Vacation Club resorts through the affiliation of the Vistana Signature Network with Abound.
Weeks-Based Owner’s Election Deadline
Once an eligible weeks-based owner is enrolled in the Abound program, they can use their week just as they have previously, or they can elect to receive Club Points. The deadline to elect to receive Club Points for your 2023 Week(s) is September 30 or October 31, 2022, depending on your Owner benefit level.
| Benefit Level | Annual Vacation Club Points | Banking Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Up to 3,999 | September 30th |
| Select | 4,000 to 6,999 | September 30th |
| Executive | 7,000 to 9,999 | September 30th |
| Presidential | 10,000 to 14,999 | October 31st |
| Chairman’s Club | 15,000 or more | October 31st |
Restrictions For Abound Club Points
Marriott owners who elect to receive Abound Club points will no longer be allowed to use those Club Points to make reservations at Westin and Sheraton properties by exchanging them through Interval International. Although owners can accomplish booking these resorts by using the new Abound program at no additional cost, Marriott wants to keep Marriott resort inventory within the Abound program, and not within Interval International.
Currently, Marriott owners are not yet able to start booking for Sheraton Vacation Club and Westin Vacation Club resorts, the full program will rollout for Marriott owners beginning in 2023.
Decisions, Decisions
Owners of Marriott weeks-based timeshares that become a part of the Abound program will have to make an important decision before September or October next year. They must choose whether or not they want to receive Abound Club points and book a vacation at the many resorts within the Vistana Signature Network that will be a part of the Abound program before the election deadline.
Learn More About Marriott Vacation Club
If you’d like to know more about how Marriott timeshares work, you can browse our wide selection of educational Marriott articles that cover just about everything you need to know about owning and using a Marriott timeshare.
If you’d like more information regarding how Marriott Vacation Club timeshares work on the resale market, or have questions regarding the transfer process, feel free to contact us to get a free consultation with one of our Licensed Real Estate agents who specialize in Marriott timeshare resale.
