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Traveling Internationally? Order Foreign Currency Before You Go

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Upon landing in a foreign country, expect a lot of lines. There’s immigration, passport control and customs inspection. But there’s one line you can — and absolutely should — skip: the airport currency exchange.

Not only does the airport currency exchange counter’s line cut into precious time abroad, but it’s typically a terrible money move. Airport currency exchange rates are among the worst you’ll find.

It’s not uncommon to see airport exchanges charging 14% more than the current International Monetary Fund (IMF) exchange rate. NerdWallet even found some premiums exceeding 17%. Some also charge additional fees on top of the poor exchange rate.

So what do you do if you need cash upon arrival to order a cab or tip the bellhop? Consider ordering foreign currency before you fly.

Most banks allow you to order foreign currencies, which you can typically pick up at a local branch before your trip. Some banks offer to ship currencies to you, and sometimes they don’t even charge extra for postage if you order a certain amount.

Plus, the exchange rate are usually quite good. For instance, at Bank of America, the exchange rates we checked in January 2024 average roughly 6% more than the IMF rates — and less than half of what the airport currency exchanges are charging.

Just check your own bank's exchange rate to ensure it's optimal before initiating the transaction.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

How to order foreign currency from your bank

While the exact process varies by bank, most major banks make it easy to order online.

Typically you can access the currency exchange webpage through your bank’s website or mobile app, or by phone. From there, you usually enter the currency you need, add the desired amount, select the pickup method and place your order.

While you can generally expect a solid exchange rate, use a trusted source such as Reuters or the International Monetary Fund to find current exchange rates and ensure you get a fair deal.

Additionally, understand all the fees involved. For example, Citi charges a $5 service fee for transactions under $1,000, though it’s waived for clients with premium bank accounts .

Or you might get charged a shipping fee. Bank of America’s standard shipping costs $7.50, but overnight shipping is $20. Sometimes you can avoid shipping fees by opting to pick up the cash at a local branch or by being a loyal customer. Bank of America Preferred Rewards program members get free standard shipping.

There’s also generally a minimum amount of foreign currency you can order ($100 or $200 is common) and a maximum ($10,000 within a 30-day period is common).

Other good ways to pay abroad

If it’s too late to order foreign currency from your bank, here are other ways to curtail currency fees :

Find an in-network ATM abroad

Major banks usually have branches abroad or partner with other banks to create a network. Using those ATMs often provides a decent exchange rate while eliminating out-of-network ATM fees.

If you end up using a non-network ATM, pay attention to ATM fees , which vary but usually run about $5 per transaction. Given that, consider limiting ATM debit transactions by withdrawing the amount you think you’ll need for the entire trip, or at least a large portion of it.

ATM availability is more common in some places than others. Macau has the highest number of ATMs per capita with 316 ATMs per 100,000 adults, based on 2021 data from the World Bank Group. Uruguay, Canada and Austria are other destinations with the most ATMs per capita.

But other countries tend to have far fewer. For example, Kenya had fewer than 7 ATMs per 100,000 adults and Nepal had only 20 ATMs per 100,000 adults, according to the same data.

Pay with a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees

Depending on the card, you might get dinged with foreign transaction fees of 1%-3% when you make purchases at non-U.S. retailers abroad.

That’s why it’s wise to carry a no-foreign-transaction-fee credit card abroad.

on Chase's website

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. .

Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel. .

Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. .

» Learn more: The best no-foreign-transaction-fee cards

And more international merchants are taking plastic. This wider card acceptance and increased security are reasons travelers are ditching cash, according to the Visa Global Travel Intentions Study 2023, which polled more than 15,000 people in the Asian Pacific region between April and June 2023.

While this type of card won’t help you pay at cash-only businesses or get money for tips, it’s otherwise one of the smartest ways to pay internationally.

» Frequent travelers: Consider a multicurrency account

Try paying in cash dollars

If all else fails, offer to pay in U.S. dollars. In fact, some merchants or individuals accepting tips prefer it in certain countries. You might find vendors willing to give you an even better deal if you pay with U.S. dollars.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

American Express® Gold Card

Access over $400 annually in benefits value with the American Express® Gold Card on eligible dining and travel purchases. Learn more here.

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How much money can you bring into and out of the U.S.?

There is a limit on how much undeclared money you can bring into and out of the U.S. Find out how much, how to declare it, and what the penalties are if you do not report it.

How much money do you have to declare when you travel to or from the U.S.? 

If you are traveling with an excess of $10,000, you must report it to a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer when you enter or exit the U.S. But there is no limit to the amount of money you can travel with. 

Currency and monetary instruments that are subject to this rule include U.S. and foreign:

• Paper money and coins
• Travelers’ checks
• Cashier’s checks
• Promissory notes
• Money orders

Learn how the U.S. government defines these currency and monetary instruments.

How to report money when you travel

To report to CBP that you are bringing more than $10,000 in currency or money instruments into or out of the U.S., do one of the following:

• Fill out the Currency Reporting Form (FinCen 105) online
• Fill out and print Form FinCen 105 before you travel and present it to a CBP officer
• Ask a CBP officer for a paper copy and fill it out at customs

If you are an international traveler entering the U.S., you must declare what currency or monetary instruments you have on CBP Form 6059B . This is in addition to declaring it on Form FinCen 105.

Learn more about reporting money when you travel , including how to do it if you are submitting a joint or family declaration. 

What happens if you do not declare that you are carrying more than $10,000?

If you fail to report to CBP that you are bringing more than $10,000 through customs or do so fraudulently, the penalties may include:

• Confiscation of all currency or monetary instruments
• A fine of up to $500,000
• Up to 10 years of imprisonment

LAST UPDATED: August 2, 2024

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You are here: Home / Blog / Post Office Travel Money: Exchange rate, Locations and Opening Times

Post Office Travel Money: Exchange rate, Locations and Opening Times

This guide covers all you need if you want to sort your travel money through the Post Office, including a look at how the Post Office exchange rate is calculated, and your options if you want to use the Post Office travel money card.

We’ll also take a look at how Wise and the Wise account can help you cut the costs of spending while you’re abroad, so you can make the most of your holiday.

Post Office exchange rate

Let’s start with the basics. Whenever you’re buying travel money you need to know the exchange rate which will be used to convert your pounds to euros, dollars or whichever other currency you might require.

Unfortunately, figuring out the exchange rates used by different providers can be a tricky affair. You’ll find different banks and currency services use different rates - and some providers like the Post Office also offer different exchange rates depending on the amount you want to convert.

To give an example , let’s look at the Post Office euro exchange rate, as well as the rate to switch to US dollars:

Exchange rates correct at time of research (24th November 2020)

As you can see, you get a progressively better exchange rate, the more you convert. However, it’s not quite that simple. These rates reflect the Post Office travel money online service only. If you’re using a Post Office travel card, or simply walk into a Post Office travel money bureau to switch your cash, you may get a different rate. Post Office branch exchange rates vary from one branch to another , too, depending on where the branch is located and competition.

The range of exchange rates out there is confusing. But the way to know if you’re getting a good deal or not is to compare the exchange rate you’re offered against the mid-market exchange rate for your currency. That’s the rate set by global currency markets, and the ones banks and exchange services get when they buy currency themselves. You can find the mid-market rate online using a Google search or reputable currency converter tool.

If the rate you’re being offered isn’t the same as the live mid-market rate you find online this probably means your provider has added a markup. This is an extra fee and makes it hard to see exactly what you’re paying for your travel money.

Avoid this by choosing a provider like Wise (formerly TransferWise) which uses the mid-market exchange rate with no markups, and charges transparent fees for currency conversion.

Post Office Click and Collect

With Post Office Click and Collect you can order your currency online. You’ll then be able to call into your Post Office exchange bureau to collect your travel money, or have it delivered to your home.

Here are the fees and delivery times for the Click and Collect service - where there is no upfront fee, you may be paying a charge wrapped up in the exchange rate used:

What are the fees for getting travel money with the Post Office?

The Post Office advertises 0% commission - which sounds like the only fee you’ll need to pay is the delivery fee for smaller orders brought to your doorstep.

Many banks and currency services use a sounding headline like ‘zero commission’ or ‘fee free travel money’ - but add a markup to the exchange rates offered to customers instead . This can mean you’re paying more than you think you are for your currency exchange.

Compare the exchange rates you find with the Post Office against the mid-market exchange rate to see if a markup has been added.

Save with Wise when you spend in any currency

A smart way to cut the costs of your travel money is to use Wise.

The simplest way to access great value currency exchange which uses the real mid-market exchange rate with no markup, is to open a free Wise account online.

You can top up your account in pounds and switch to the currency you need using your laptop or mobile device. Simply use your linked Wise debit card Mastercard to spend when you’re overseas - or you can choose to take out local currency using an ATM when you arrive instead.

It’s free to spend any currency you hold using your linked debit card, and you can withdraw up to the currency equivalent of £200 per month from ATMs abroad with no additional Wise fee. It’s simple, cheap and can make it much easier to access and manage your money while you travel.

Post Office travel money products

Here’s a run through of the basic services available from Post Office travel money. It’s worth knowing that not all services are available at all Post Office branches so you’ll need to check your local options online.

1. Post Office Click and Collect

Order up to £2,500 of foreign currency for collection or home delivery. Euros and US dollars can be picked up in as little as 2 hours, with 60 currencies usually available.

2. Post Office foreign exchange

You can buy currency in a Post Office without ordering in advance too - but availability may be limited so it makes sense to check if they’ll have what you need at your local Post Office branch. If your currency is not available immediately you can order for home delivery instead.

3. Post Office Travel Money Card

The Post Office also has a travel money card which lets you top up in 23 different currencies, and spend wherever you see the Mastercard logo. More on that in a moment.

Post Office travel money bureau - exchange locations

You can get a full list of every UK Post Office online - or use the search function which is available on the Post Office Travel Money website .

Post Office foreign currency London

Here are some of the major Post Office locations offering travel money services in central London - find more branches using the branch finder tool on the Post Office website .

Travel money card London

Travel money services are not available at every single Post Office in the UK. For that reason it’s worth checking the options at the branches near you before you head out.

In most cases, major branches offer travel money services as well as the Post Office travel money cards. You can find details about the services on offer by branch using the branch locator on the Post Office travel money website .

Post Office travel money online

Order your travel money online and select whether you want to collect it in branch or have it delivered to your home. You’ll be able to pay online using a card, although there may be additional fees - check with your own card provider.

Does the Post Office offer a travel money card?

You can get a Post Office travel money card, to top up and spend in foreign currencies as you travel. 23 popular currencies are available, so you can top up in pounds and then switch to the currency you need using the Post Office travel money app. The card is accepted anywhere you see the Mastercard logo.

Get your card online and have it delivered to your home, or apply in a Post Office branch for quicker service. You’ll need to take your ID documents along when you do this.

There are also some limits and fees you need to know about. Check out the full details online to see the minimum and maximum top up amounts and balance, as well as the costs when you make an ATM withdrawal. For example , if you withdraw in euros from an ATM there's a EUR2 charge per withdrawal - in USD you’ll pay $2.50 USD per withdrawal.

The Post Office travel money services are convenient and can largely be accessed online - but it’s well worth understanding the fees you’ll pay for getting your foreign currency. Look carefully at the exchange rates you can access through the Post Office, to see if there's a markup added to the mid-market exchange rate for your currency. This is an extra cost which can push the price of your travel money up unexpectedly.

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Post Office travel money: Should you buy online or in-store?

You'll get a worse exchange rate in-store unless you order your travel money online first

Peter Rudin

25 January 2017

For many people the Post Office will be the right choice of currency provider. If you are new to buying currency online they are a nice safe choice. If you don’t want to wait in for a special delivery then you have a good range of branches all over the country to choose from.

The downside is the rates. Not that the rates are bad but it is the question of what rate are you going to get.

The Post Office offer a different rate in store than online.

You can see the difference is 0.0068 or just over 2/3rds of a percent on a typical £1,000 order. Today that isn’t a massive amount, just €7 or €8 in your pocket. The main reason for the low ‘star rating’ you can see in the online rates image is when people check the online rate at home then walk down to their local branch and get a different rate and worse rate when they actually have to pay. No one likes to feel ripped off.

This is made worse again when you compare it to the best rates available.

You can see that the top rates are a good 3.5% higher than the Post Office. That is more than €40 more cash in your pocket that you would get over the counter in your local branch. That is not an insignificant amount of money. I personally think people should be rewarded in some way for using their local shops, not penalised. OK, fair enough Travel FX and Griffin Financial are specialists but the Post Office should not, in my opinion, be effectively charging customers for collecting their own money from the branch rather than having it delivered. That just seems unfair to me.

If you want to use the Post Office then the thing to do is go to the Post Office website, book and pay for your money online but choose in branch pickup as a delivery option. That way you get the improved online only rate but you can still walk in and pick it up yourself which means you do not have to wait in for a delivery.

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Visit Change of Address FAQs

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Stop or Forward Mail for the Deceased

To submit a change of address request for someone who is deceased, you must go in-person to a Post Office location with documents showing you're the executor or administrator authorized to manage their mail. (Having their death certificate is not enough.)

Managing Mail for the Deceased

International Moves: If you're going to move outside the United States, before you leave the U.S. , you must go to a Post Office location to verify your identity and submit your change of address request in person.

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Standard mail forwarding lasts 12 months. You can pay to extend mail forwarding for 6, 12, or 18 more months (18 months is the maximum).

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Important: You can’t cancel or request a refund for Extended Mail Forwarding. For more information and pricing, read the Extended Mail Forwarding FAQs .

Note: When your mail forwarding period ends, USPS will return your mail to the sender for 6 months with a label that has your new address.

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Premium Forwarding Mail Services

See other ways to manage USPS mail and have peace of mind when no one is home to receive important documents or packages.

Learn how to manage mail for loved ones who have passed. You can redirect their mail to another address and you can remove them from advertising lists.

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5 Money-Management Tips for International Travelers

Sponsor Content Created with HSBC

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The U.S. dollar remains strong against other currencies, and for savvy travelers, that means one thing: Get out the passport.

In places where the dollar is especially robust, such as Japan, South America, and Eastern Europe, globetrotters will find that luxury hotels and five-star restaurants seem like a bargain. Plus, there are ways to make your dollars go even further. 

These five money-management tips can save you money or reward you for your spending while you journey overseas: 

1. Say “no” or “non” to foreign transaction fees.

These are fees that your card issuer or bank charges when you use a credit or debit card—and in many cases an ATM—in another country. 

The average fee is 3% on each transaction. That may not sound like much, but it can quickly add up, especially on luxury travel. For example, if you charge $10,000 on your card while on your vacation, you may pay another $300 in foreign transaction fees. 

You can avoid foreign transaction fees by using HSBC credit cards.  

By opening an HSBC Premier checking account , you’ll be eligible for the HSBC Premier Debit World Mastercard®, which doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.  

2. Get the best deal on exchange rates.

Your overseas purchases made with a credit and debit card often receive a favorable exchange rate when they’re later converted to U.S. dollars. But not every vendor abroad accepts credit cards. Plus, when you arrive at your destination, you might want some local currency to pay for a taxi or tip hotel staff.

To get more for your dollars when converting to another currency, avoid airport currency exchange kiosks. While convenient, airport currency kiosks tend to offer less-favorable exchange rates and charge a hefty fee. 

Instead, see if you can order the currency you need from your local bank or credit union before your trip. You may pay a small service fee, but you’ll likely get a far better rate than at the airport currency exchange kiosk. At HSBC, for example, you can get next-day delivery on foreign currency for a $5 fee.

Or once you’re at your destination, you can get a fair exchange rate by withdrawing local currency from a major bank’s ATM, preferably one that’s in your bank’s network to avoid a fee. HSBC , for example, is part of a network with 55,000 ATMs worldwide. 

Avoid independent ATMs that have higher fees and unfavorable exchange rates. 

Note: Some merchants abroad may offer to convert your credit card purchases on the spot to U.S. dollars. This way you can see immediately how much you’re paying in dollars. But this service usually has fees and poor exchange rates. Instead, pay in local currency. 

3. Earn money while you travel.

Make sure to use a rewards card that gives you points, miles, or cash back whenever you use it. 

If you don’t have a rewards card or the one you have is not that generous, shop around. Many cash-back cards, for example, now offer a few hundred dollars as a signing bonus and return 2% to 3% of the price of each purchase as a reward. Some even offer an introductory 0% interest rate for the first 15 months. 

But credit cards aren’t the only rewards game for travelers. Increasingly, checking accounts are offering generous competitive perks, including cash back. For example, open an HSBC Premier checking account between now and November 22, 2024, and you can earn up to $2,500 for completing certain qualifying activities.*

4. Insure your trip. 

Missed flights, lost bags, or an illness that forces you to cancel your trip at the last minute can happen. 

Purchasing travel insurance can prevent the loss of potentially thousands of dollars in prepaid and nonrefundable trip costs. And it can cover emergency medical care overseas or medical evacuations when your health insurance won’t. A policy can cost 4% to 10% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip cost, according to InsureMyTrip, a travel insurance comparison site. 

Your credit card may also offer some limited travel insurance benefits. HSBC credit cards, for example, provide some coverage for lost or delayed luggage, hotel burglaries and trip cancellation. 

5. Protect against fraud. 

Nothing spoils a trip faster than being a victim of credit or debit card fraud.

To protect yourself, only take credit or debit cards that you will use while traveling. For many travelers, two major credit cards may be enough. 

Make sure your contact information with your bank is up to date so it can reach you if it spots suspicious activity in your account. And keep the bank or credit card issuer’s international customer service phone number and your card numbers in a secure place separate from your wallet in case your wallet or card is lost or stolen. Report lost or stolen cards immediately. 

Also, notify your bank or credit card issuer of when and where you’re traveling overseas and for how long. While many institutions have fraud detection technology that can tell when you’re traveling, notifying your bank can prevent having any of your card charges or ATM withdrawals declined because they look suspicious.

If you’re a frequent overseas traveler, consider partnering with a bank that has a global presence and premier services , so banking can remain as seamless abroad as it is at home.  

With an HSBC Premier relationship , you can manage your money across borders and time zones while knowing you have 24/7 global support.

* Get a $1,500 Cash Bonus: Add New Money of $100,000 to $249,999 in deposit and/or eligible investment accounts within 20 days of opening your new checking account and maintain the Qualifying Balance for 3 full consecutive months. Get a $2,500 Cash Bonus: Add New Money of $250,000+ in deposit and/or eligible investment accounts within 20 days of opening your new checking account and maintain the Qualifying Balance for 3 full consecutive months. Cash Bonus will be deposited into your new checking account within 8 weeks of meeting all the offer requirements.

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• Travel money tips

Travelling abroad? These tips will help you get sorted with your foreign currency and find the best travel money rates.

Travel money: what to consider

• Know how much cash to take. Carrying too much money can be a safety issue, but travelling with too little may also be a problem if you have difficulties accessing your UK account. Before ordering your currency, check whether cashpoints are widely available at your destination and whether your hotel or rental car agency accepts credit cards.
• Stay away from big notes. In some countries, taxis or smaller shops might not have enough change to handle large denomination notes, or may not accept them for security reasons.
• It’s a good idea to have small- and medium-denomination notes rather than large. Keep small notes at hand for tips. Having small notes before your trip will make it easier to tip taxi drivers or hotel porters when you arrive. Check your guide book or ask your holiday rep how much to tip.
• Check that your bank card works abroad. Some banks put an automatic international security stop on cards to prevent fraud. Contact your bank before you go on holiday to check.
• Book your travel money  in advance. It pays to be early, since you won’t get the best deal at airport or station foreign exchange counters. 
• Consider a range of travel money. You might want to consider not putting all your travel money eggs in one basket. Going loaded with rolls of notes and nothing else means you could come unstuck should your travel money go on a holiday of its own. A prepaid travel money card is a handy and secure alternative to carrying currency as cash.

Once you get back home…

Here are a couple of ideas for taking care of any leftover travel money :

• Sell back any notes you don’t need so you have the money ready for a future holiday.
• Store leftover coins. If there’s a chance you’ll be going back to the same country the coins will come in handy for things like luggage trolleys or payphones at the airport. Just put any leftovers in an envelope labelled with the country name and they’ll be ready to go for your next trip.

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