Just landed - wondering what gives the better rate in Belgium: ATM withdrawal or airport exchange counter?
I got off the plane in Brussels yesterday and grabbed some cash from a Travelex booth. They were giving me a terrible 0.8 rate and a commission of eight euros. Then I found a BNP Paribas Fortis ATM a short walk outside. I used my Banorte Visa debit card and got real market rate with no extra fee. No contest ATM wins for me.
I flew into Brussels airport this morning. The exchange booth offered me 0.84 euros per dollar plus a five euro handling fee. Then I used my MUFG Visa credit card at an ING ATM just outside the terminal - there was no local fee and currency conversion charge was 5 euros. when i declined the conversion, the effective rate was 0.85 which is much better. I recommend using your card at an ATM rather than wasting money at an airport desk.
Landed in Charleroi yesterday. I was tired so I used the currency exchange kiosk. I got charged two percent commission and the rate was definitely below the interbank quote. Later I used a KBC ATM in the city center with my BCP Mastercard debit and there was no local fee but the rate was fair. they did have a currency conversion option that would make my fee 4 euros but I just declined that and got my money at the Mastercard exchange rate. In my experience ATMs in Belgium beat those shady counters every time.
I arrived in Brussels yesterday and needed euros fast. At the airport exchange counter I got a poor rate around 0.87 against the dollar plus a ten euro commission. Then I found a Belfius ATM in the arrivals hall and withdrew money with my Santander Visa debit. The rate tracked closely with the live market rate and there was no extra fee. That was way better than the counter. From now on I will skip those counters.