Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0287
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
UTAY ALAN M
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ALLIANCE DATA SYSTEMS CORP [ADS]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) __X__ Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President & CAO / General Counsel, Secretary
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
17655 WATERVIEW PARKWAY
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
10/28/2004
(Street)

DALLAS, TX 75252-8012
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 10/28/2004   M   15,000 A $ 14.67 43,904 D  
Common Stock 10/28/2004   S   5,000 D $ 41.8872 38,904 D  
Common Stock 10/28/2004   S   5,000 D $ 42.25 33,904 D  
Common Stock 10/28/2004   S   5,000 D $ 42.5 28,904 D  
Common Stock 10/29/2004   M   5,000 A $ 14.67 33,904 D  
Common Stock 10/29/2004   S   5,000 D $ 43 28,904 (1) D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 14.67 10/28/2004   M     15,000   (2) 09/26/2012 Common Stock 15,000 (2) 136,502 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 14.67 10/29/2004   M     5,000   (2) 09/26/2012 Common Stock 5,000 (2) 131,502 (3) D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
UTAY ALAN M
17655 WATERVIEW PARKWAY
DALLAS, TX 75252-8012
      Executive Vice President & CAO General Counsel, Secretary

Signatures

 Leigh Ann K. Epperson, Attorney in Fact   10/29/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) The total number of securities beneficially owned includes: (a) 756 shares acquired through the Company employee stock purchase plan; (b) 16,800 out of an original 28,000 shares of restricted stock granted 8/31/01, of which 0 shares are vested; (c) 6,889 shares acquired by the exercising of vested employee stock options; and (d) 4,459 shares of performance-based restricted stock granted 2/2/04, of which 0 shares are vested.
(2) This is an employee stock option for 50,000 shares granted 9/26/02, of which 16,500 shares vested on each of 9/25/03 and 9/25/04 and 17,000 shares will vest on 9/25/05.
(3) The total number of derivative securities beneficially owned includes: (a) an employee stock option for 43,111 out of an original 50,000 shares granted 8/30/01, which is fully vested; (b) an employee stock option for 30,000 out of an original 50,000 shares granted 9/26/02, of which 16,500 shares vested on each of 9/25/03 and 9/25/04 and 17,000 shares will vest on 9/25/05; (c) an employee stock option for 28,919 shares granted 6/24/03, of which 9,543 shares vested on 6/23/04, 9,543 shares will vest on 6/23/05 and 9,833 shares will vest on 6/23/06; and (d) an employee stock option for 29,472 shares granted 2/2/04, of which 9,726 shares will vest on each of 2/2/05 and 2/2/06 and 10,020 shares will vest on 2/2/07.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.