Foreign Currency Heathrow 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 summer 2005 heathrow airport news article on how bad the rates and charges at airports can be].
Buying Foreign Currency at Heathrow Airport
There is an International Currency Exchange (ICE) counter at Heathrow Underground station (telephone: +44 (0)20 8897 6829).
Terminal 1: International Currency Exchange (or ICE open 06:00 to 21:00) and Travelex (open 05:00 to 22:00) counters in the departures areas both before and after security.
Terminal 2: International Currency Exchange (or ICE, open 06:00 - 23:00, telephone: +44 (0)20 8564 7394) and Travelex (05:00 - 21:45) counters in the departures areas both before and after security. There is also a Post Office (telephone: +44 (0)20 8759 1120 and two counters serving the arrivals area, ICE (06:00 - 23:00) and Travelex (06:30 - 22:00).
Terminal 3: American Express Foreign Exchange (05:30 - 22:00 telephone: +44 (0)208 759 6845) and Travelex (05:30 - 22:00) counters in the departures areas both before and after security.
Terminal 4: American Express Foreign Exchange (05:30 - 22:00 telephone: +44 (0)208 897 0153) and Travelex (05:00 - 22:00) counters in the departures areas both before and after security. There is also an American Express Foreign Exchange (05:30 - 22:00 telephone: +44 (0)208 897 0134) in the arrivals hall.
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 there (they do at all Heathrow terminals). And with the Post Office you can pick between delivery, or you can pick your currency up at your local Post Office.
