When is the best time to exchange currency?

Dave Smith wrote:

On 29/12/2011 1:27 PM, David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*) wrote:
the airport.

There were ATMs at Cairo and Luxor airports when I was there over a year
ago.

(By the way, I had to go through a body scanner at BOS the other day- I
think you're the poster who won't use such airports, so you can add that
one to your list.)



I am leery of airport ATMs because, like ATMs in convenience stores and
malls, they tend to have outrageous fees.

This is not my experience. Nor at malls for that matter. Convenience
stores, certainly. In any case, fees are posted before you confirm the
transaction.

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)

On 2011-12-29 12:27:05 -0600, David Horne, _the_ chancellor (* said:

Dan Stephenson wrote:

On 2011-12-29 09:11:37 -0600, paris2venice said:

Would the best time to exchange currency be when:

a) you arrive at the airport of your destination

b) at your local bank several days before your flight departure or

c) get it from an ATM or bank at your destination any time

Thanks. This applies to any travel in Europe but mostly, for me, to
my upcoming vacation to Egypt.

I cannot speak for Egypt per se, but I find there is usually an ATM in
the airport.

There were ATMs at Cairo and Luxor airports when I was there over a year
ago.

(By the way, I had to go through a body scanner at BOS the other day- I
think you're the poster who won't use such airports, so you can add that
one to your list.)

Thanks.

I live near the large Dallas/Fort Worth airport, and would take direct
flights from there. I do not believe all the security has those
machines, so it may be possible (confirmed in advance) that I can
choose to go through the normal metal scanners.

I have also heard that Germany does not have the scanners, and there
are direct flights from Frankfurt to the USA. Plus, I heard there was
an EU ruling outlawing the full body scanners, to take effect at some
point. So there is hope.

I have also looked into ship travel. The cost is not so much of a
problem, it's the entire week it takes go cross in one direction. A
two week vacation would consume four weeks on the calendar. So we'll
see.
--
Dan Stephenson
http://web.mac.com/stepheda
Travel pages for Europe and the U.S.A. (and New Zealand too)

David Horne wrote on Dec 29, 2011:

Dave Smith wrote:

On 29/12/2011 1:27 PM, David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*) wrote:
the airport.

There were ATMs at Cairo and Luxor airports when I was there over a year
ago.

(By the way, I had to go through a body scanner at BOS the other day- I
think you're the poster who won't use such airports, so you can add that
one to your list.)



I am leery of airport ATMs because, like ATMs in convenience stores and
malls, they tend to have outrageous fees.

This is not my experience.

....nor mine. I've found the main High Street banks of the country usually
have their own ATMs at airports.

--
Mike Lane
UK North Yorkshire
mike_lane at mac dot com

I am leery of airport ATMs because, like ATMs in convenience stores and
malls, they tend to have outrageous fees.
This is not my experience.
...nor mine. I've found the main High Street banks of the country usually
have their own ATMs at airports.
Me too!

In Budapest there are regular bank ATMs but not many and they aren't
well maintained. I once found on arrival that the only working
machines would only dispense euros (not a lot of use for getting you
into the city centre).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
e m a i l : j a c k @ c a m p i n . m e . u k
Jack Campin, 11 Third Street, Newtongrange, Midlothian EH22 4PU, Scotland
mobile 07800 739 557 http://www.campin.me.uk Twitter: JackCampin

On Dec 30, 8:31*am, Martin wrote:
On Fri, 30 Dec 2011 08:24:48 +0000, Mike Lane









wrote:
David Horne wrote on Dec 29, 2011:

Dave Smith wrote:

On 29/12/2011 1:27 PM, David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*) wrote:
the airport.

There were ATMs at Cairo and Luxor airports when I was there over a year
ago.

(By the way, I had to go through a body scanner at BOS the other day- I
think you're the poster who won't use such airports, so you can add that
one to your list.)

I am leery of airport ATMs because, like ATMs in convenience stores and
malls, they tend to have outrageous fees.

This is not my experience.

...nor mine. I've found the main High Street banks of the country usually
have their own ATMs at airports.

Me too!
--

Martin

I don't understand some of these currency exchange answers.
I've ALWAYS found the best rates/charges combined to be via whichever
of the many internet companies comes up best at each time of search
before departure - and currency is delivered to my home.
I've always also kept a large euro float at home - no point in
incurring costs in changing back to sterling each time - but am now
watching my current 1,000 euros in my piggy bank decreasing each
morning! :-))

"David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" wrote in message
...
Ken Blake wrote:

On Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:11:37 -0800 (PST), paris2venice
wrote:

Would the best time to exchange currency be when:

a) you arrive at the airport of your destination

b) at your local bank several days before your flight departure or

c) get it from an ATM or bank at your destination any time

Thanks. This applies to any travel in Europe but mostly, for me, to
my upcoming vacation to Egypt.


I know nothing about Egypt, but my experience with Europe is that b is
the worst choice. You should get currency from ATM machines as you
need it.

That is assuming that your bank gives you a good rate. In the UK, many
travellers are ripped off by using their cards abroad to get cash, and
would usually have fared better by getting foreign exchange from the
Post Office or similar outlets.

Really.

Whilst I accept that the card may not give you the absolute best rate, I
will doubt very very much that it will be worse than a rip-off exchange
office, even one as "fair" as the post office

tim

"David Horne" wrote in message
...
Dave Smith wrote:

On 29/12/2011 1:27 PM, David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*) wrote:
the airport.

There were ATMs at Cairo and Luxor airports when I was there over a
year
ago.

(By the way, I had to go through a body scanner at BOS the other day- I
think you're the poster who won't use such airports, so you can add
that
one to your list.)



I am leery of airport ATMs because, like ATMs in convenience stores and
malls, they tend to have outrageous fees.

This is not my experience. Nor at malls for that matter. Convenience
stores, certainly. In any case, fees are posted before you confirm the
transaction.

They certainly weren't on the one that I used in SA.

A screen flashed up, with just enough time for me to read it, informing me
that the machine made a charge of whatever with absolutely no option to
abort the transaction at that point.

AIH I didn't get charged, but that's beside the point

tim

tim.... wrote:

"David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" wrote in message
...
Ken Blake wrote:

On Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:11:37 -0800 (PST), paris2venice
wrote:

Would the best time to exchange currency be when:

a) you arrive at the airport of your destination

b) at your local bank several days before your flight departure or

c) get it from an ATM or bank at your destination any time

Thanks. This applies to any travel in Europe but mostly, for me, to
my upcoming vacation to Egypt.


I know nothing about Egypt, but my experience with Europe is that b is
the worst choice. You should get currency from ATM machines as you
need it.

That is assuming that your bank gives you a good rate. In the UK, many
travellers are ripped off by using their cards abroad to get cash, and
would usually have fared better by getting foreign exchange from the
Post Office or similar outlets.

Really.

Absolutely. Compare the rates/charges of UK bank cards.

Whilst I accept that the card may not give you the absolute best rate, I
will doubt very very much that it will be worse than a rip-off exchange
office, even one as "fair" as the post office

I mentioned the Post Office precisely because it's fairer. Fairfx is
another one.

There's a good reason I never use by RBS bank card abroad, despite
opting to stay with them for my general banking.

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)

"Surreyman" wrote in message
...
On Dec 30, 8:31 am, Martin wrote:
On Fri, 30 Dec 2011 08:24:48 +0000, Mike Lane









wrote:
David Horne wrote on Dec 29, 2011:

Dave Smith wrote:

On 29/12/2011 1:27 PM, David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*) wrote:
the airport.

There were ATMs at Cairo and Luxor airports when I was there over a
year
ago.

(By the way, I had to go through a body scanner at BOS the other day-
I
think you're the poster who won't use such airports, so you can add
that
one to your list.)

I am leery of airport ATMs because, like ATMs in convenience stores
and
malls, they tend to have outrageous fees.

This is not my experience.

...nor mine. I've found the main High Street banks of the country usually
have their own ATMs at airports.

Me too!
--

Martin

I don't understand some of these currency exchange answers.
I've ALWAYS found the best rates/charges combined to be via whichever
of the many internet companies comes up best at each time of search
before departure

--------------------------------------------------------------

How can you possibly substantiate that claim!

Having pre-bought your currency before your departure you aren't spending
your time looking to see if you can get a better deal locally, are you?

So how can you KNOW that it doesn't exist

tim

David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*) wrote:

tim.... wrote:
[]
Whilst I accept that the card may not give you the absolute best rate, I
will doubt very very much that it will be worse than a rip-off exchange
office, even one as "fair" as the post office

I mentioned the Post Office precisely because it's fairer. Fairfx is
another one.

Just to clarify, I'm talking about online purchases with the cash being
delivered to you.

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)