by Kiando | Last Updated, August 2026
Disclosure and research note: This is an independent, research-based review. We reviewed Interval International’s current corporate materials, its U.S./Canada/Caribbean fee schedule effective January 1, 2026, and the exchange rules in its Buyers’ Guide. We do not claim firsthand membership experience. Travel Club Review may earn a commission from a clearly labeled alternative-booking link on this page, at no extra cost to you. Read our affiliate disclosure.
Quick Verdict
Interval International is useful for a fairly narrow reader: someone who already owns an eligible timeshare, expects to keep it, and can travel with enough flexibility to work around exchange inventory. It is not a general discount club, and it is not a reason to buy a timeshare.
The exchange network is substantial. Interval says it connects more than 1.5 million member families with about 3,200 resorts across more than 90 countries and territories.[1][2] That scale creates options, not guarantees. Its rules say exchanges are arranged on a space-available basis and that neither Interval nor a developer can promise a particular resort or week.[5]
Our verdict: Existing owners may get real value from Interval if they deposit early, request several acceptable destinations or dates, and compare the full cost against booking the same trip directly. Travelers who need one exact school-break week, are behind on resort fees, or are considering buying a timeshare mainly for exchange access are weak fits.
Interval International at a glance
| Question | What to know |
|---|---|
| What is it? | A vacation-ownership exchange network with additional cash-booking and travel benefits. |
| Who normally qualifies? | Owners of a vacation interest at an eligible affiliated resort or program. |
| Basic annual membership | $99 for U.S., Canadian, and Caribbean residents as of January 1, 2026.[3] Some resorts or corporate programs may arrange or renew membership differently.[5] |
| Full-week exchange fee | $249 plus applicable tax as of January 1, 2026.[3][4] |
| Is a requested resort guaranteed? | No. Exchanges depend on space, timing, demand, resort rules, and the value of the week or points relinquished.[5] |
| Can a deposited week be taken back? | Under Deposit First, no. Once deposited, the week is assigned to Interval and cannot be withdrawn.[5] |
| Best fit | Existing owners with flexible dates, destinations, and unit requirements. |
| Weak fit | Nonowners, exact-date travelers, and anyone considering a timeshare mainly to enter the exchange network. |
How Interval International exchanges work
Interval offers several ways to use a membership, but the central decision is whether to keep control of the home-resort week while searching or give it to Interval first.
Request First
With Request First, a weeks-based member keeps the right to use the home-resort accommodations until an exchange is confirmed. A points-based member similarly keeps the points until confirmation. Once Interval confirms the exchange, the home week or points are assigned to Interval.[5]
This is usually the safer method when you still want the option to use your home resort. The tradeoff is that the requested travel dates must be no later than the dates of the week being offered, and some home-resort rules may limit whether Request First is available.[5]
Deposit First
With Deposit First, the member assigns the home-resort week to Interval before securing another stay. Once deposited, the week cannot be withdrawn. Deposited points stay in the Interval account until they are used or expire, and they do not return to the home-resort account.[5]
A regular deposit generally must reach Interval at least 60 days and no more than 24 months before the deposited week begins. Deposits made 59 to 14 days before occupancy are treated as Flex Deposits and can be used only through Flexchange.[5]
What determines exchange priority
Interval’s comparable-exchange process weighs the supply and demand for both the relinquished stay and the requested stay, resort quality, when the request was received, how early the home week was relinquished, and the unit size and private sleeping capacity involved.[5] This is more specific than a simple points-for-points trade, and the moving parts explain why two owners can see different options.
A valid pending request generally needs more than one narrow choice. The standard rules call for three resorts and one time period, three time periods and one resort, or two resorts and two time periods.[5]
Getaways are cash bookings, not exchanges
Getaways let eligible members pay cash for available resort inventory without relinquishing a home-resort week. Prices vary by unit size, location, occupancy date, and length of stay.[5] Getaways can be useful, but the inventory changes and the cancellation terms are strict: the Buyers’ Guide states that canceling a Getaway results in the loss of the accommodations and all fees paid.[5]
Interval International fees and cancellation rules
Interval’s fee schedule is separate from the purchase price, financing, maintenance fees, taxes, and special assessments tied to the underlying vacation ownership. An owner can stop renewing an individually paid Interval membership, but that does not cancel the timeshare or erase obligations owed to the home resort.
Published fees for 2026
The following amounts apply to residents of the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean as of January 1, 2026. Interval states that other regions use different schedules and that fees can change.[3]
| Item | Published fee |
|---|---|
| Basic Interval membership, 1 year | $99 |
| Interval Gold upgrade, 1 year | $64 in addition to basic membership |
| Interval Platinum upgrade, 1 year | $139 in addition to basic membership |
| Full-week exchange | $249 plus applicable tax |
| ShortStay Exchange, 1 to 6 nights | $159 to $199, depending on length |
| E-Plus | $89 |
| Guest Certificate | $89 |
| Deposit extension, 6 months | $109 |
| Deposit extension, 1 year | $199 |
| Unit-size upgrade, per step | $99 basic, $79 Gold, or $59 Platinum |
Some owners participate through a resort or corporate membership arrangement, so the amount billed directly by Interval may not match this basic individual schedule. Check both the Interval account and the home-resort documents before treating $99 as the complete annual cost.
The 24-hour confirmation window matters
The 2026 amendment lists a $249 full-week exchange fee and says that fee is refundable only when Interval cannot confirm the exchange, the member cancels the request before confirmation, or Interval receives a cancellation within the first 24 hours after confirmation. The fee is otherwise nonrefundable.[4]
Canceling later may preserve a limited right to request substitute accommodations when the cancellation occurs at least seven days before occupancy, but the available booking window becomes narrower as travel approaches. Interval retains the original exchange fee, and a new exchange fee applies when substitute accommodations are requested.[5]
ShortStay, Getaway, Interval Options, and E-Plus retrades use different cancellation rules. Do not assume the standard exchange policy protects every Interval booking.[4][5]
Compare the full trip cost
Before exchanging, add the annual maintenance fee, Interval dues, the exchange fee, unit upgrade, Guest Certificate, resort fees, taxes, and any travel needed to reach the destination. Compare that total with a refundable direct or open-market booking for the same dates and occupancy.
Estimate the long-term ownership cost with the Maintenance Fee Inflation Calculator, then compare membership costs with booking directly.
If you want a lower-commitment benchmark before depositing a week, compare current hotel and resort prices on Booking.com. Compare cancellation terms and mandatory property fees, not just the first nightly price shown.
Complaints, reviews and what they can tell you
Complaint sites and owner forums can reveal failure points, but they cannot produce a reliable satisfaction rate. People with a failed exchange or refund dispute are more likely to post than members whose trip went as planned, and many public complaints mix Interval’s exchange service with the separate timeshare purchase, financing, sales presentation, or maintenance obligations controlled by a resort or developer.
The most useful questions raised by public complaints are practical:
- Did the member request several destinations and date ranges, or one peak-season week?
- Was the home-resort account current on all maintenance fees and assessments?
- Was the booking a standard exchange, ShortStay, Getaway, Interval Options reservation, or E-Plus retrade?
- Did the member cancel within 24 hours of confirmation, seven or more days before occupancy, or later?
- Was the disputed promise made by Interval in writing, or by a timeshare salesperson representing another company?
Interval’s own rules confirm that inventory is not guaranteed, that high-demand periods are harder to obtain, that home-resort rules can limit exchange options, and that several booking types have stricter cancellation treatment.[5] Those contract limits do not prove that every complaint is justified or unjustified. They show why a vague sales promise such as “you can go anywhere” is not enough.
On the positive side, flexible owners can use exchanges to reach destinations outside their home resort, and cash Getaways can occasionally price well. Interval also offers cruise, hotel, and tour exchange options, though those can require separate fees or additional payments.[1][5]
Evidence limitation: The BBB complaint page was checked during this update, but automated access was blocked, so we did not use a current complaint count or characterize complaint frequency.[6]
Pros and cons
Pros
- Access to a large exchange network for owners who already hold an eligible vacation interest.
- Request First can preserve the right to use the home week until another stay is confirmed.
- Flexible travelers can search across resorts, dates, unit sizes, and off-peak periods.
- Getaways offer cash bookings without depositing a home-resort week.
- Guest Certificates allow personal, noncommercial use by friends or family when the required certificate is obtained.
Cons
- A membership and exchange fee sit on top of the costs of the underlying ownership.
- Specific resorts and weeks are not guaranteed.
- A Deposit First week cannot be withdrawn after it is assigned to Interval.
- Late deposits and late cancellations narrow the available options.
- Getaway, ShortStay, Interval Options, and E-Plus transactions do not all share the standard exchange-cancellation protection.
- Resort affiliation, home-resort rules, and account standing can affect access even when the Interval membership itself is current.
Who should use Interval International?
Interval may fit you if:
- You already own at an affiliated resort and expect to keep the ownership.
- Your maintenance fees and resort account are current.
- You can request several destinations or travel periods well in advance.
- You will compare the complete exchange cost with an open-market booking.
- You understand when a week becomes irreversible and what happens if you cancel.
Interval is a weak fit if:
- You do not own an eligible vacation interest.
- You are considering buying a timeshare primarily for exchange access. Interval’s own Buyers’ Guide says the exchange privilege should not be the primary reason for purchasing a vacation interest.[5]
- You need one exact high-demand week, destination, resort, view, or unit.
- You expect Interval membership cancellation to end the underlying timeshare contract.
- The home resort or salesperson will not put availability, fee, or exchange promises in writing.
Five questions to answer before depositing a week
- Can I use Request First instead and keep my home week unless the exchange is confirmed?
- What exact date will my deposited week or points expire?
- Which destinations and dates am I genuinely willing to accept?
- What will the exchange cost after every fee, tax, upgrade, and transportation expense?
- What do the confirmation and cancellation rules say for this specific booking type?
If annual ownership costs are the larger problem, start with the Travel Membership Calculator and the guide to canceling a travel club or vacation membership. Canceling Interval membership alone does not necessarily cancel the vacation ownership.
For related ownership research, compare our Club Wyndham review, Marriott Vacation Club Florida review, and Historic Powhatan Williamsburg review. These are reviews of ownership programs or resorts, not substitutes for checking whether a specific home resort is eligible for Interval exchange.
Final verdict: useful for flexible owners, not a reason to buy
Interval International can make an existing ownership more flexible. The network is large, Request First can reduce the risk of giving up a usable home week too early, and a patient owner may find exchanges or Getaways that work well.
The value case weakens when a traveler needs one exact high-demand stay or ignores the complete ownership stack. A $249 exchange is not a $249 vacation after maintenance fees, membership dues, upgrades, resort charges, and transportation are included.[3][4]
We would not buy a timeshare mainly to enter Interval. For someone who already owns, the sensible approach is narrower: search early, stay flexible, read the confirmation before the 24-hour window closes, and compare the real total with a refundable open-market booking.
Frequently asked questions
Is Interval International a timeshare company?
Interval International operates a vacation-ownership exchange network. It does not itself replace the developer, resort, homeowners’ association, lender, or seller responsible for the underlying ownership contract. Its parent company is part of Marriott Vacations Worldwide, and related companies also develop or manage some affiliated vacation-ownership programs.[2][5]
Can anyone join Interval International?
Standard individual membership is generally tied to ownership of an eligible vacation interest at a participating resort or program. Some travel products may be offered through separate membership arrangements, but Interval International is not a normal public hotel-discount club.[1][5]
How much is Interval International in 2026?
For U.S., Canadian, and Caribbean residents, the published one-year basic membership fee is $99 and the full-week exchange fee is $249 plus applicable tax as of January 1, 2026. Gold, Platinum, ShortStay, E-Plus, Guest Certificate, extension, and unit-upgrade charges are separate.[3][4]
Is an Interval International exchange guaranteed?
No. Interval’s rules say exchanges are arranged on a space-available basis. Supply, demand, resort quality, request timing, deposit timing, unit size, and home-resort rules can all affect what is available.[5]
What is the difference between Request First and Deposit First?
Request First lets a member retain the home week or points until another stay is confirmed. Deposit First assigns the home week to Interval immediately, and the deposited week cannot be withdrawn.[5]
Can I cancel an Interval International exchange?
The standard exchange fee can be refunded if the request is canceled before confirmation or within 24 hours after confirmation, subject to the rule’s conditions. Later cancellations may preserve a limited chance to request substitute accommodations, but the original fee is retained and tighter booking windows apply. ShortStay, Getaway, Interval Options, and E-Plus transactions have different rules.[4][5]
Are Interval Getaways refundable?
The Buyers’ Guide says that canceling a Getaway results in the loss of the accommodations and all fees paid. Read the booking terms before confirming because the standard exchange-cancellation policy does not apply.[5]
Does canceling Interval International cancel my timeshare?
No. Interval membership is a separate exchange relationship. Ending or not renewing it does not automatically terminate the purchase contract, loan, deed, maintenance-fee obligation, or association membership tied to the underlying vacation ownership.[5]
Sources and research limitations
This review is based on Interval International’s current corporate pages, its fee schedule effective January 1, 2026, the amendment to its 2025 Buyers’ Guide, and the full 2024 Exchange Program Buyers’ Guide. The rules can differ by region, home resort, corporate membership arrangement, booking product, and later amendments. Check the live member account and confirmation before paying or relinquishing a week.
Public complaint platforms were used only to identify questions worth testing against the written rules. They were not treated as representative satisfaction surveys. Travel Club Review does not claim firsthand Interval membership experience.
Sources
[1] https://www.intervalinternational.com/products – Interval International, Products
[2] https://www.intervalinternational.com/about-interval/our-company – Interval International, Our Company
[3] https://web.archive.org/web/20251207094739id_/https://www.intervalworld.com/iimedia/pdf/iw/US_EXCHANGE_FN_lr.pdf – Interval International, Membership, Exchange, and Other Fees, effective January 1, 2026
[4] https://web.archive.org/web/20251207090213id_/https://www.intervalworld.com/iimedia/pdf/Standard_Amendment_111725.pdf – Interval International, 2026 Amendment to 2025 Buyers Guide
[5] https://web.archive.org/web/20250709182721id_/https://www.intervalworld.com/iimedia/pdf/iw/buyers-guide-2024.pdf – Interval International Exchange Program Buyers Guide 2024
[6] https://www.bbb.org/us/fl/miami/profile/travel-club/interval-international-inc-0633-4003620/complaints – BBB complaint profile for Interval International