Need cash when I land, best place in the UK? Airport or places in the city?
Here's my foolproof system:
Order £50 in British notes from your home bank before flying (takes 3-5 days)
Withdraw £100 more at a Barclays, Lloyds, TSB, Natwest Bank ATM (best rates)Best vacation packages
Use Curve/Revolut card for 99% of purchases
The golden rule? Never exchange physical currency unless absolutely desperate. Even city center exchange shops near Leicester Square rip you off compared to ATM rates.
I made the mistake of changing $500 at Gatwick's Moneycorp... lost about £60 in bad rates+fees. Now I just use my Chase debit card at Sainsbury's ATMs - no fees and decent rates. If you must use airport ATMs, stick to the ones operated by actual banks (look for Lloyds or HSBC). The generic Euronet ATMs are traps!Need cash when I land, best place in the UK? Airport or places in the city?
Best option depends on your card. If you have Wise/Revolut:
Withdraw £100-200 at a Post Office ATM in the airport (no fee)
Get the rest at any Metro Bank or Barclays in the city - they have free ATMs and longer hours
Pro tip: Never use Travelex or ICE at airports. Their "0% commission" is a scam - the exchange rate is 10% worse than normal!
Avoid airport exchange counters at all costs! The rates at Heathrow are criminal. I withdrew £200 from a Barclays ATM right after baggage claim no fees!!! Better to exchange minimal cash at the airport (like £50 just in case) then use a no fee card - like wise revolut, chase, in the city. Most places take contactless now anyway.Need cash when I land, best place in the UK? Airport or places in the city?