Ownership Submission
FORM 3
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF 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
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Santillan Laura
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
02/25/2010
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ALLIANCE DATA SYSTEMS CORP [ADS]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
17655 WATERVIEW PARKWAY
4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
SVP, Chief Acctg. Officer
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

DALLAS, TX 75252
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 Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)
3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 15,848 (1)
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Santillan Laura
17655 WATERVIEW PARKWAY
DALLAS, TX 75252
      SVP, Chief Acctg. Officer  

Signatures

Leigh Ann K. Epperson, Attorney in Fact 03/08/2010
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(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) 5,430 unrestricted shares; (b) 400 shares held in an IRA account; (c) 1,530 unvested shares from an original award of 4,500 time-based restricted stock units granted 4/28/08 which are scheduled to vest on 2/21/11; (d) 2,948 unvested shares from an award of 4,400 performance-based restricted stock units granted 2/23/09, of which 1,452 units will vest on 2/23/11 and 1,496 units will vest on 2/23/12; (e) 4,432 unvested performance-based restricted stock units granted 2/22/10, which may be adjusted up or down at the time the performance restriction lapses. The restriction may lapse with respect to 33% of such shares on each of 2/22/11 and 2/22/12 and with respect to 34% of such shares on 2/22/13 contingent on meeting a cash earnings per share growth hurdle for 2010 and subject to continued employment by the Reporting Person on the vesting dates; (continued below)
 
Remarks:
(1) continued from above:  and (f) 1,108 unvested time-based restricted stock units granted 2/22/10, of which 365 units will vest on 2/22/11, 366 units will vest on 2/22/12 and 377 units will vest on 2/22/13.

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

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