Where Can RCI Timeshare Points Be Used?

Instead of purchasing a fixed or floating week timeshare, RCI offers you the ability to become an R.C.I. points member. As an RCI points program participant you become a member of the RCI travel vacation club, which gives you access to the RCI network’s 3,700 points-affiliated resorts world wide. The points system offers a lot more flexibility than the older fixed-week model for timesharing, and is rapidly becoming a more popular option for those interested in purchasing timeshare. The points system is pretty simple to understand and use, once the basic concepts are broken down. Usually the first question with regards to using a points system is – Where can RCI timeshare points be used?

RCI allows you to use your points in the following ways:

  • Stays at your home resort – even though you have points that allow you to go to another resort in the points system, you always have the option to stay at your home resort. FYI, this is also the resort to which you will be paying your annual maintenance fees.
  • Vacation at international and domestic RCI points resorts – the RCI website states there are about 3,700 points timeshare properties.
  • Booking airline tickets to and from selected cities – I believe there are certain blackout dates for this.
  • Rental car costs may be offset or paid for with points.
  • RCI-affiliated cruises – plan on about 50,000 points for this type of exchange and not all cruise lines/destinations are available.

UPDATE 7/2009 – RCI has instituted a capping policy on points. A max of 60,000 points per year can be used on non-resort stays including airfare, rental cars, and other travel perks.

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8 Comments

  1. I went to a RCI presentation yesterday and was talked into buying another timeshare in the point system so that I can use points now. My current timeshare is weeks. I bought someplace in Texas and was told that I could sell my points for this year and it would completely pay for the cost of the new timeshare–which was $10,000 and I would get a check by next Jan for $12, 500 which would pay off the charges for new timeshare plus the maintenance fees. I would not be able to use my banked timeshare this year, but would be get cash. Somehow, this whole deal sounds too good to believe–is it?

  2. We have been in the RCI points system for 5 or 6 years now and have had no problem booking vacations or using our points. Points can also be used to book RCI weeks resorts.

    The key is booking your vacations well ahead of time and willing to be somewhat flexible. We have been to England, Spain, Hawaii, Florida and ski vacations through RCI.

    We bought our timeshare/points on the after sale market and paid 1/4 of what you would pay at a timeshare presentation. This makes it a lot less costly proposition.

    1. Well done Doug. You just proved what we all suspected: we got scammed. The true value of Points is about 1/4 of what we paid as proved by what they can be sold to to people not as gullible as we are. I’ve never been able to find resorts I want when I want. However I’ve been to great places as second choices. But it’s absolute crap that so few places are available. Sometimes when a hotel as advertised it only has one room as an RCI Points place. THey lead us to believe the whole building is available for Points. No way! You can phone the hotel directly and find out they have tons of room available. These guys are as bad as AirMiles where the plane can be almost empty but they won’t let you fly free because the 3 seats for airmiles people are already taken.

    2. Is there a way to communicate directly with Doug who seems to be able to work the system. We are new and totally overwhelmed on how to work it.

      We bought weeks through Real Club.

  3. Hi, I too feel very bamboozled by my change over to the points system. The RCI rep at my home resort really glamorized the whole process and I am so frustrated with the whole “points” system that I wish I had never switched. I have also had an incredibly difficult time trying to use my points and I can never get anything I’d like to use. Very frustrating and very disappointing. I wish I could get my money back from the points conversion and just go back to owning my week. For anyone thinking about converting to points….do your homework first, but my suggestion is DON’T!!!!

  4. Hi, I am totally frustrated with the RCI points system. First of all, I am never able to get a vacation destination when I want to go…ie this June 19th week. Everything is full except 2-3 areas in podunk W. Virginia and Kentucky area in the middle of nowhere with only a 2 star. I bought in at a 5 star level and none are available. As far as using points for airlines, it is cheaper to get a flight online on the cheaper flights like expedia, etc. than using points. The last time I checked I would have $100 more than a flight through expedia PLUS I was using points and a transfer fee to boot. I feel like my $20,000 investment 5 years ago is a total disaster and I am paying $1000 annually for a maintenance fee. I have over 300,000 points racked up and can never use them when I go on vacation since nothing is available. I wish I would never have bought into this scam!!!

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