Is it better to get foreign currency at the airport?

It is cheaper to exchange money at the bank (or by using an ATM) than the airport. That's because currency exchange stores and kiosks at the airports mark up the exchange rate to make a profit. They know that travelers who just got off a plane probably need money right away.



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It is cheaper to exchange money at the bank (or by using an ATM) than the airport. That's because currency exchange stores and kiosks at the airports mark up the exchange rate to make a profit. They know that travelers who just got off a plane probably need money right away.

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Resist the urge to buy foreign currency before your trip.
Some tourists feel like they just have to have euros or British pounds in their pockets when they step off the airplane, but they pay the price in bad stateside exchange rates. Wait until you arrive to withdraw money.

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The general consensus is that you should have $50 to $100 in cash per day for each traveler.

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Foreign currency enables you to pay like a local, provides an important backup payment method, and is the most common payment for small transactions. Use cash in addition to your card while traveling abroad to ease your payment worries.

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Most charge a fee or service charge of anywhere from $5 to $15, and the exchange rate you get can be seven to 15 percent worse than the standard bank rate. Though better options exist, many international travelers simply don't know what they are and end up trading money at the airport for the sake of simplicity.

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A good rule of thumb, though, is that, on average, you should plan to carry between $50 and $100 per day in the currency of the country in which you're travelling.

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