buy foreign currency and travellers cheques : birmingham airport
You can buy foreign currency and travellers cheques online and get great rates and no commission, or you can buy it at the airport, not get as good rates and pay commission. That's the basic choice.
[See this birmingham airport news article on how bad the rates and charges at airports can be].
Buying Foreign Currency Online
You can buy your currency online via a number of foreign exchange companies. Each time we check the rates, including commission and delivery charges, we find that Onlinefx, Travelex and the Post Office are the most competitive.
With Onlinefx, if you buy it via a website called www.1stholidaystore.co.uk and pay via a debit card, the currency is delivered free as well as commission free. If you order by 12:30 your currency can be delivered to your home or work by 17:30 the next day. (NB: If paying with Switch, Delta and Solo cards, just type "free delivery" in the Promotion / ID box at payment stage.)
With Travelex you need to give 48 hours notice, but you can collect your currency from the airport if they have a desk their (as they do at Birmingham airport terminal 1, but not terminal 2). And with the Post Office you can pick between delivery, or you can pick your currency up at your local Post Office.
Buying Foreign Currency at Birmingham Airport
If you want to buy your currency at Birmingham airport, the good news is that there are currency exchange bureaus on both levels of both terminals, and they remain until the last flight has left the terminal.
At terminal 1 Travelex have desks on both levels before customs and in the departure lounge. Standard opening hours are from 05:00 until 20:00, 7 days a week, but you can contact TravelEx on +44 (0)121 782 1717
At terminal 2 Currency Express have a desk in the arrivals area open 7 days from 05:30 to last flight. They also have desks in the check in area and the departure lounge open 7 days Sunday - Friday 05:30 - 22:00, and 05:30 to 20:00 Saturday. You can contact Currency Express on +44 (0)121 782 4010
