As the year winds down, I'm finding that I have a lot of vacation time I need to use and was considering a ski trip for a few days after Christmas. I've done some searches at some of the US ski properties, including the RC Bachelor Gulch, and find lots of rooms to pay for, but not much for reward redemptions. Does anyone know if there might be reward rooms released? I know this is a very busy season, but I'm finding plenty of inventory to purchase. I'm starting to question the value of my points....never seems I can use them when I want to.

I think for the first time ever, I'm having no problem finding flights on miles, but no hotels on points!

Any input is appreciated!

Trying to book nights at a ski resort on points just as the season starts is leaving it a little late (although I realize you might not have known you'd have the vacation time).


The week between Christmas & New Years is VERY, VERY, VERY popular. Those who wanted to book awards for that timeframe did it a long time ago. And the ski resort hotels would like to book revenue rooms during their busiest week, not award rooms.

Personally I think that saying 'questioning the value of my points - never seems I can use them when I want to' is a bit of overstatement, unless you're saying you can never use them at any time in the year when you want to do so.

My guess is there's a snowball's chance in hades of award availability opening up for the week between Xmas & NY, but you might want to expand your search to any state or any country that has snow/ski resorts.

Also, look at cities that aren't actually at the ski resort but aren't that far away, such as Salt Lake City for all the Utah ones, or Munich for some of the alp skiing. Yeah you have to commute, but usually public transport is pretty good.

If all that fails, then start looking at beach properties & go for the sun instead.

Cheers.

In the case of Vail Marriott you won't see anymore award inventory for Christmas/New Years weeks unless someone cancels a standard room reservation during that period which is unlikely since they are past the cancellation date. Of course someone who currently has a standard room reserved could upgrade to a Larger Guest room or Studio, which would then open up a standard room for awards. I wouldn't hold my breath for that to happen.

As Sharon noted, people book up the standard rooms for the holiday weeks 9-11 months in advance. Expecting award availability a month before Holiday weeks at a ski property is unrealistic. I also wouldn't be surprised if one has difficulty finding award availability at high end Caribbean and Hawaiian properties this close in to the holidays.

Good luck with whatever you end up doing.