Marriott Vacation Club

Marriott Vacation Club is a points-based timeshare program operated by Marriott Vacations Worldwide, a company separate from the Marriott hotel chain. You buy an annual allotment of Club Points through the Abound by Marriott Vacations program, then spend those points each year to reserve stays at the company's vacation ownership resorts.

How does Marriott Vacation Club work?

When you become an owner, you make a one-time purchase that gives you a yearly allotment of vacation currency called Club Points. Each year you spend those points to book stays, with the number of points required varying by resort, unit size, season, and length of stay. Larger units, peak weeks, and longer trips cost more points.

The brand sits inside a wider network. Marriott Vacations Worldwide reported approximately 700,000 owner families and over 120 vacation ownership resorts as of June 2025, and owners enrolled in Abound can also exchange into more than 3,200 affiliated resorts through Interval International (Marriott Vacations Worldwide, June 24, 2025).

What is Abound by Marriott Vacations, and how does it compare to the old weeks system?

Abound by Marriott Vacations launched in 2022 as the unified points and exchange program that brings the company's brands together (Marriott Vacations Worldwide, June 2022). It replaced the older Destinations Club branding and connects ownership across Marriott Vacation Club, Westin Vacation Club, and Sheraton Vacation Club under one Club Points currency.

The points system differs from the legacy fixed-week deeds that many older owners still hold. Here is the practical difference:

• Legacy weeks. You own a deeded interval, often a specific week at a specific resort, and you use, rent, or exchange that week.
• Abound Club Points. You own an annual point allotment and choose where and when to stay each year, subject to availability and the point cost of each option.

Many week owners can enroll their deeds into the points program for a fee, which converts their week into a yearly point value. If you want the underlying mechanics of any points timeshare, see how timeshare points work before you commit, because points value depends heavily on how and when you book.

What should Westin, Sheraton, and Vistana owners know?

Marriott Vacations Worldwide acquired ILG, Inc. on September 1, 2018 for approximately $4.6 billion, which brought Vistana Signature Experiences into the company (Marriott Vacations Worldwide, September 1, 2018). Vistana was the former Starwood Vacation Ownership business, and it included the Westin Vacation Club and Sheraton Vacation Club brands.

If you own a Westin, Sheraton, or Vistana product, your ownership may use its own internal point system (often called StarOptions or Home Options) rather than Abound Club Points by default. Eligible owners can enroll in Abound to gain access to the combined network of more than 90 Marriott Vacation Club, Westin, and Sheraton properties, but enrollment terms and fees vary by ownership type (Marriott Vacations Worldwide, June 24, 2025). Confirm your specific enrollment options with the brand before assuming your week or points convert.

What does Marriott Vacation Club cost?

There are two costs to weigh: the up-front purchase and the recurring annual fees. Buying direct from the developer is the most expensive route, and the recurring fees continue for as long as you own.

As a rough example, a 1,500-point ownership at the 2026 operating rate carries roughly $1,222 in annual operating fees and taxes, before Club dues are added. Those figures are the brand's published 2026 schedule as reported by brokers; confirm your current numbers on the official Marriott Vacation Club owner site, because fees are set annually and rise over time. For broader context on what these recurring charges cover, see timeshare maintenance fees.

For industry-wide context on what people pay across all brands, not just Marriott: $23,160 average timeshare purchase price in 2024 and $1,480 average annual maintenance fee in 2024, up 17.5% in one year.

Is buying a Marriott timeshare worth it?

That depends entirely on how often you would actually use it and at what value. A timeshare is a use product, not an investment, and the recurring fees never stop. Resale values for points and weeks are typically a fraction of the developer price, which means most buyers cannot recover what they paid. If you are weighing the decision overall, read are timeshares worth it and timeshare resale value with clear eyes, and compare the full picture in buying a timeshare before signing anything during a sales presentation.

What is the difference between buying direct and buying resale?

The resale market for Marriott points and weeks is dramatically cheaper than the developer. Brokers report resale points changing hands for roughly $2.00 to $2.33 per point, compared with around $16.50 per point direct (A Timeshare Broker, Inc., October 2024). That gap is the single biggest reason many shoppers look at resale first.

The trade-off is that some benefits are restricted or do not transfer when you buy resale rather than from the developer:

• Elite and benefit-level status. Marriott applies different Owner Benefit Levels based on whether ownership was bought direct or resale, and resale buyers generally cannot access Marriott elite and lifetime elite status perks (Timeshares Only, accessed June 2026).
• Bonvoy point conversion. Legacy week resale buyers typically cannot convert their ownership into Marriott Bonvoy points for hotel stays (Timeshares Only, accessed June 2026).
• Transfer and conversion fees. Resale buyers usually must pay Marriott a transfer or conversion fee at closing, and program access depends on the specific ownership type (Timeshares Only, accessed June 2026).

Because these rules change over time and vary by product, confirm exactly what transfers for a specific deed or point contract with the brand before buying resale. If you want to weigh Marriott against other point systems, see compare timeshare brands.

How do you get out of a Marriott timeshare?

Getting out of any timeshare is harder than getting in, and Marriott is no exception. Owners typically explore resale, a developer or brand-sponsored exit option where one exists, or transferring the contract, while remaining wary of upfront-fee exit companies. For the full neutral walkthrough of your options, read how to get out of a timeshare.

Sources

Marriott Vacations Worldwide, "The Marriott Vacation Clubs Expands Access for Owners to Thousands of Marriott Hotels," June 24, 2025 (resort and owner counts, more than 8,000 hotels, more than 3,200 affiliated resorts, over 90 properties, approximately 700,000 owner families, over 120 resorts). Retrieved June 2026.

Marriott Vacations Worldwide, "Introducing Abound by Marriott Vacations," June 2022 (Abound program launch and unified Club Points). Retrieved June 2026.

Marriott Vacations Worldwide, "Marriott Vacations Worldwide Completes Acquisition of ILG, Inc.," September 1, 2018 (ILG and Vistana acquisition, approximately $4.6 billion, Westin and Sheraton brands). Retrieved June 2026.

A Timeshare Broker, Inc., Marriott Vacation Club cost and 2026 fee guides (developer price near $16.50 per point, minimum buy-in near $24,000 for about 1,500 points, resale near $2.00 to $2.33 per point, 2026 operating fee $0.81480 per point, Club dues $255 to $320). Retrieved June 2026.

Timeshares Only, "Marriott Vacation Club Resale Restrictions to Know Before You Buy" (resale elite-status limits, Bonvoy conversion limits, transfer fees). Retrieved June 2026.

Figures are set annually by the brand and change over time. Confirm current pricing and fees on the official Marriott Vacation Club owner site before making any decision. Last reviewed June 2026.