Airport vs Bank vs Card: The Cheapest Way to Get Foreign Cash
By Today's Currency Rates · Updated June 19, 2026
Every step between you and foreign currency is a chance for someone to add a margin. Here’s how the common options stack up — and the one trap that catches almost everyone.
The options, ranked
- A low-fee travel card or app — usually closest to the mid-market rate (often under 1%). Best default for most travellers.
- Your everyday debit/credit card abroad — depends on the card. Some charge a 2.5–3% “foreign transaction fee”; travel-focused cards charge nothing. Check before you go.
- Your bank, ordered in advance — convenient, but high-street banks typically add 2–4% and sometimes a fixed fee.
- Airport / hotel / tourist-area bureau — the most expensive, routinely 5–12% worse than the mid rate, because they’re selling convenience to a captive audience.
The trap: Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC)
When you pay by card abroad or withdraw from a foreign ATM, you’re often asked:
“Would you like to pay in USD (your home currency) or EUR (the local currency)?”
Always choose the local currency. Paying in your home currency hands the conversion to the merchant’s payment processor, which applies its own inflated rate — typically 3–8% worse. Choosing the local currency lets your own card network do the conversion at a much better rate. This single choice can be the biggest avoidable cost of a trip.
A quick playbook
- Get a card with no foreign transaction fees before you travel.
- At payment terminals and ATMs abroad, always pick the local currency (decline DCC).
- Carry a small amount of cash for arrivals, but don’t change large sums at the airport.
- Check the real rate here first so you can recognise a bad offer when you see one.
Want to see what the fair rate is right now? Look up your pair — e.g. USD to EUR — and compare it to what you’re being quoted. Anything more than ~1–2% worse means you’re paying a meaningful markup.