Airports are, almost by design, the worst place to obtain money — a captive audience with no alternatives makes for poor exchange rates. This guide covers how to get cash without being fleeced, the one trap that costs travellers most, and what to do if you have no working card at all.
Key takeaways
- Airport exchange rates are poor — change as little as possible there.
- An ATM usually beats a bureau — but watch the fees.
- Always pay/withdraw in pounds, never “your own currency”.
- Credit card cash advances are expensive — interest usually starts immediately.
- The real fix: don't need cash at the airport at all.
01 / RATESWhy airport rates are bad
A bureau de change in an arrivals hall is serving people who cannot go elsewhere. Unsurprisingly, the rates reflect that. Whatever you do, change as little as possible at the airport — enough for immediate incidentals, and no more.
02 / ATMATMs: usually better, but check
An ATM typically gives a better rate than an airport bureau, because you get something close to your bank's rate. But check two things: whether the machine charges a fee (some independent ones do — it must be disclosed on screen before you commit), and what your own bank charges for a foreign withdrawal.
ATMs are available in UK airport terminals — look for signs, or ask at an information desk. We're not going to name exact locations, because they move.
03 / DCCThe trap that costs the most
At an ATM or a card terminal, you'll be asked whether to be charged in pounds or in your home currency. Choosing your home currency — dynamic currency conversion — feels safer and is almost always worse: the machine's exchange rate is markedly poorer than your bank's.
Always choose pounds (GBP). Every time. It is the easiest money you will save all trip.
04 / EMERGENCYIf you have no working card at all
First, work the card problem, because it's usually solvable: check your banking app for a fraud alert to approve, try a second card, and call your bank on the number on the card. Most declines abroad are blocks, not empty accounts.
If that fails: a credit card cash advance is possible at an ATM, but understand what it costs — a fee plus interest that typically starts immediately, with no grace period. It is an emergency tool, not a convenience.
Money transfer services (the kind where someone at home sends funds you collect in person) exist for genuine emergencies, and some operate at or near airports. They're slower and not cheap, but they work when nothing else does.
And if you are genuinely stranded — no money, no card, no way home — airport information desks and your embassy or consulate exist for exactly this. It is not the moment for pride.
05 / RUSHXOThe actual solution: don't need cash
Every problem above is a problem of needing money at an airport. So remove the need.
Pay for your transfer in advance, from home, on your own bank's systems, before you ever board. When you land there is nothing to pay — no cash, no card, no ATM, no exchange rate, no bureau. Your driver is holding a board with your name, and the fare was settled weeks ago. Business travellers can pay on account, and we email a VAT receipt.
FAQFrequently asked questions
Should I change money at the airport?
Change as little as possible — airport bureaux serve people with no alternative, and the rates reflect that. Take enough for immediate incidentals and no more.
Is an ATM better than a bureau de change?
Usually, yes — you get something close to your bank's rate. But check whether the machine charges a fee (it must be disclosed on screen) and what your own bank charges for a foreign withdrawal.
Should I pay in pounds or my home currency at an ATM?
Always pounds. Choosing your home currency is dynamic currency conversion, and the rate is almost always markedly worse than your own bank's. This is the single easiest saving available to a traveller.
What if I have no working card at all?
Work the card problem first — check your banking app for a fraud alert to approve, try a second card, and call your bank on the number on the card. Most declines abroad are security blocks, not empty accounts.
Is a credit card cash advance a good idea?
Only in a genuine emergency. It usually carries a fee plus interest that starts immediately, with no grace period. It's an emergency tool, not a convenience.
How do I avoid needing cash at the airport entirely?
Pay for your transfer in advance from home, before you fly. When you land there's nothing to pay — no cash, no card terminal, no ATM and no exchange rate. Your driver is already waiting with your name on a board.
Time Matters
Settle it before you fly
Fixed fares confirmed before you ride. Local licensed drivers, flight tracking, 24/7 human support — and no surge, ever.